View Products, Help, Questions? Call or Text 847-986-5101

Social Media’s Effects on Mental Health

Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter, logging on and catching up via social media platforms has become a way of life for many people. That’s not surprising because social media provides easy-to-access platforms that allow users to share ideas, find out about activities in their area, and connect with family and friends. It’s become such an integral part of our everyday lives that, according to Statista, more than 3.6 billion people worldwide—or 49% of the world’s population—used social media in 2020. And that number is projected to rise to nearly 4.41 billion by 2025.

Yet, despite its popularity, social media can be a double-edged sword. On average, users spend nearly two and a half hours on social media sites each day. A growing number of studies show that all of that time spent getting lost in Facebook feeds, Pinterest inspo, or Twitter tweets may not be good for our collective mental health. And that’s particularly true when it comes to the psychological effects of social media on youth.

Social media’s effects on mental health

It’s no secret that much of what users find on sites like Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat doesn’t reflect reality. Instead, these sites are filled with the highlight reels from friends and family showing only the best parts of their lives. This can adversely impact a user’s self-esteem, and that can increase the risk of mental health issues, including:

Addiction to social media

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Isolation
  • Poor self-image
  • Stress
  • Suicide

Did you know? When it comes to social media and mental health statistics, studies show that girls and women are more likely to experience mental health problems than their male counterparts.

Unpacking social media’s negative effects

Social media can trigger or exacerbate mental health issues. This can affect other areas of a user’s life such as job or school performance, sleep, or time spent with family.

Social media and anxiety

Social media has been linked to increased anxiety, particularly among people who already become anxious during face-to-face social interactions. According to one systematic review published in Computers in Human Behavior Reports, socially anxious people often turn to social media as a way to compensate for a lack of in-person relationships. Yet, this review also found that socially anxious people often don’t find the support they seek from these sites.

Other studies show that young adults who spend large amounts of time on social media have a higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder. This was especially true for female users.

Social media and depression

It might seem like a logical conclusion to assume that increased time spent scrolling on social media sites would boost a sense of connection to others. However, according to a study of Facebook users by the University of Houston, consistently seeing someone else’s posts heralding their career, relationship, travel, or other life highlights is directly linked to a greater risk of depression. The study also noted that more frequent logins were correlated to a higher incidence of depressive symptoms.

Another study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania found that frequently checking social media accounts can trigger the “fear of missing out,” known commonly as “FoMO,” and spark feelings of isolation and loneliness. This may, notes the study, contribute to depression. However, according to the researchers, limiting social media to approximately 30 minutes per day appeared to improve users’ well-being.

But, when it comes to depression, other studies suggest that the quantity of time spent on social media may be less important than the quality of the content consumed. Findings in the journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture point out that negatively comparing oneself to others on Facebook (or other platforms) can lead to depressive symptoms. This study strengthens earlier findings stating that the quality of social media interactions could ignite feelings of depression and a negative focus on a user’s own problems.

Social media and self-esteem

Research suggests that the more time users engage in liking or commenting on other people’s social media posts, the more likely they are to experience a drop in self-esteem. This was especially true for pre-teen and teenage girls. Other studies have found that, compared to boys, young girls are more likely to unfavorably compare themselves to others when it comes to appearance or body image. This, in turn, can contribute to the development of eating disorders.

Did you know? The more time spent on social media, the lower the self-esteem of users, particularly if they are more passive in their engagement.

Social media and sleep problems

Good quality sleep plays an integral role in maintaining good mental health. Yet a growing number of studies report that social media—especially when used just before bedtime—can decrease sleep quality. One study from Finland suggests that FoMO may be keeping some users up at night scrolling their feeds, and this was shown to adversely influence the quality of sleep. This was especially true among working professionals. Other researchers note that social media use is linked to delayed bedtimes and poor sleep quality that can worsen mental health issues like anxiety or depression.

The psychological effects of social media on youth

Kids and teens are among the most vulnerable to the negative effects of social media because of their limited capacity for self-regulation and their susceptibility to peer pressure. In addition to the mental health problems listed above, young people can also experience cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and sexting. (18) Not only can this worsen anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and sleep quality, it can foster a social media addiction.

Of more concern, teen and pre-teen users are at an increased risk of self-injury and suicide. According to one study of 467 young adults, those spending significant time on social media were more likely to engage in vaguebooking—posting unclear but alarming posts to gain attention. Vaguebooking has been found to signal loneliness, anxiety, and decreased empathy. It can also be predictive of suicidal thoughts and may be a warning sign for parents and mental health professionals. Suicide “challenges” are a fairly new phenomenon putting young users at even greater risk. These challenges, such as the Blue Whale Challenge, give users a series of increasingly life-threatening tasks that must be completed before ultimately ending with the user’s suicide.

Did you know? Young adults were among the earliest social media adopters and continue to use these sites at high levels.

The positive effects of social media on mental health

For all its negatives, there are distinct positives to social media. These include:

  • Accessing entertainment platforms
  • Enhancing creativity
  • Exchanging ideas
  • Fostering one’s individual identity
  • Increasing exposure to diverse people and experiences
  • Maintaining a connection to family and friends
  • Sharing pictures and experiences with others
  • Staying up-to-date on local activities that can lead to in-person experiences
  • Supporting those with experiences that are similar to the users

Managing the negative effects of social media

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), there are several ways to reduce the negative impact social media can have on mental health. These might include:

Keeping your phone on airplane mode

Leaving your smartphone in another room

Limiting the time you spend on social media sites to specific hours each day

Turning off notifications

Parents can also talk with their kids about the benefits and potential risks of using social media while encouraging the child to practice critical thinking. The APA also suggests setting a good example by using social media responsibly while fostering strong media literacy skills in their pre-teens and teens. This has been shown to help shield kids from the negative impact surrounding self-esteem and body image issues.

The bottom line

For all the benefits social media provides, studies show that its use can also increase the risk of multiple mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, and more. Children and teens may be especially vulnerable to the negative aspects of social media. While there are steps you can take to reduce some of the harmful effects of sites like Facebook, Snapchat, or TikTok, if you or your child finds that social media is causing significant harm, consider talking with your healthcare provider or a mental health practitioner.

References

  1. Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K.T., & Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal de l’Association Medicale Canadienne, 192(6), E136–E141.
  2. Abrams, Z. (2021). How can we minimize Instagram’s harmful effects? American Psychological Association 51(2).
  3. Alkis, Y., Kadirhan, Z., & Sat, M. (2016). Development and validation of social anxiety scale for social media users. Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 296-303.
  4. Berryman, C., Ferguson, C.J., & Negy, C. (2018). Social media use and mental health among young adults. Psychiatric Quarterly, 89(2):307-314.
  5. Blackwelder, A., Hoskins, M., Huber, L. (2021). Effect of Inadequate Sleep on Frequent Mental Distress. Preventing Chronic Disease, 18,200573.
  6. Davila, J., Hershenberg, R., Feinstein, B.A., Gorman, K., Bhatia, V., & Starr, L.R. (2012). Frequency and quality of social networking among young adults: Associations with depressive symptoms, rumination, and co-rumination. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 1(2), 72–86.
  7. Feinstein, B.A., Hershenberg, R., Bhatia, V., Latack, J.A., Meuwly, N., & Davila, J. (2013). Negative social comparison on Facebook and depressive symptoms: Rumination as a mechanism. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 2(3), 161–170.
  8. Hogue, J.V. & Mills, J.S. (2019). The effects of active social media engagement with peers on body image of young women. Body image, 28, 1-5.
  9. Hunt, M.G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No more FOMO. Limiting social media decreases loneliness and depression. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 37(10).
  10. Iannotti, R.J., Janssen, I., Haug, E., Kololo, H., Annaheim, B., Borraccino, A., & HBSC Physical Activity Focus Group (2009). Interrelationships of adolescent physical activity, screen-based sedentary behaviour, and social and psychological health. International Journal of Public Health, 54 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), 191–198.
  11. Jan, M., Soomro, S.A., & Ahmad, N. (2017). Impact of social media on self-esteem. European Scientific Journal, 13(23)329.
  12. Karim, F., Oyewande, A.A., Abdalla, L.F., Chaudhry Ehsanullah, R., & Khan, S. (2020). Social media use and its connection to mental health: A systematic review. Cureus, 12(6), e8627.
  13. Lupariello, F., Curti, S.M., Coppo, E., Racalbuto, S.S., & Di Vella, G. (2019). Self-harm risk among adolescents and the phenomenon of the “Blue Whale Challenge”: Case series and review of the literature. Journal of Forensic Science, 64(2):638-642.
  14. Mahmoud, H. & AhmedShafik, S. (2020). The effect of social media on family relationships. IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Services, 9(6), 47-57.
  15. Mahon, C. & Hevey, D. (2021). Processing body image on social media: Gender differences in adolescent boys’ and girls’ agency and active coping. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 626763.
  16. Number of social network users worldwide from 2017 to 2025. (2021). Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/
  17. O’Day, E.B. & Heimberg, R.G. (2021). Social media use, social anxiety, and loneliness: A systematic review. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 3, 100070.
  18. O’Keeffe, G.S., Clarke-Pearson, K., Council on Communications and Media. (2011). The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. Pediatrics, 127(4):800-804.
  19. O’Reilly, M., Dogra, N., Hughes, J., Reilly, P., George, R., & Whiteman, N. (2019). Potential of social media in promoting mental health in adolescents. Health Promotion International, 34(5), 981–991.
  20. Scott, H. & Woods, H.C. (2019). Understanding links between social media use, sleep and mental health: Recent progress and current challenges. Current Sleep Medicine Reports, 5, 141-149.
  21. Social media factsheet. (2021). Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
  22. Steers, M.N., Wickham, R.E., & Acitelli, L.K. (2014). Seeing everyone else’s highlight reels: How Facebook usage is linked to depressive symptoms. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 33(8).
  23. Steinbekk, S., Wichstrøm, L., Stenseng, F., Nesi, J., Hygen, B.W., & Skalická, V. (2021). The impact of social media use on appearance self-esteem from childhood to adolescence—A 3-wave community study. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, 106528.
  24. Tandon, A., Kaur, P., Dhir, A., & Mäntymäki, M. (2020). Sleepless due to social media? Investigating problematic sleep due to social media and social media sleep hygiene. Computers in Human Behavior, 113, 106487.
  25. Taylor-Jackson, J. & Moustafa, A.A. (2021). The relationships between social media use and factors relating to depression. The Nature of Depression, 2021, 171–182.
  26. Vannucci, A., Flannery, K.M., & Ohannessian, C.M. (2017). Social media use and anxiety in emerging adults. Journal of Affective Disorders. 207, 163-166.
  27. Viner, R.M., Gireesh, A., Stiglic, N., Hudson, L.D., Goddings, A., Ward, J.L., & Nicholls, D.E. (2019). Roles of cyberbullying, sleep, and physical activity in mediating the effects of social media use on mental health and wellbeing among young people in England: A secondary analysis of longitudinal data. The Lancet: Child & Adolescent Health, 3(10), 685-696.
  28. Xu, X., Zhu, R., Sharma, M., & Zhao, Y. (2015). The influence of social media on sleep quality: a study of undergraduate students in Chongqing, China. Journal of Nursing and Care, 4(3), 1000253.
  29. Yu, L., Cao, X., Liu, Z., & Wang, Ji. (2018). Excessive social media use at work: Exploring the effects of social media overload on job performance. Information Technology & People, 31(6), 1091-1112.
  30. Zhao, L. (2021). The impact of social media use types and social media addiction on subjective well-being of college students: A comparative analysis of addicted and non-addicted students. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4, 100122.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

Source(s) Fullscript

Back to Health News