The rapid development of technologies has led to the inability of young people to imagine life without social media. There is a whole generation of adolescents who grew up with gadgets in their hands, and this situation caused concern among their parents and teachers related to the possibility of mental issues of children. Numerous studies in the past highlighted the harm of social media. However, the problems indicated by scholars were not directly connected to the use of online platforms for communication. According to the latest research, the outcomes of social media are positive for mental health.
The principal weakness of the previous studies on the impact of social media on mental health is their consideration of an insufficient number of factors. Thus, for example, Barry et al. (2017) conducted a survey among adolescents and their parents to reveal the possible negative outcome of its use. In the study, the researchers analyzed their reported behavior in terms of depression, anxiety, and other conditions resulting from the alleged use of social media. However, the opinions of parents cannot reflect the initial motivation of a person using various communication platforms as well as the difference in the varying degree of necessity for adolescents to talk to their peers (Barry et al., 2017). Therefore, such evidence cannot be sufficient in terms of defining mental issues through the use of social media.
Online platforms for communication allow adolescents to develop excellent communication skills. As a consequence, they easier make friends and find people to share their experiences with, which is vital for the formation of personality (Impact of social media on youth mental health, 2019). The researchers claim that the only possible harm for mental health can be derived from excessive use of social media or its use by persons with already existing mental issues (Impact of social media on youth mental health, 2019). It only proves the necessity to limit the amount of time spent on communication apps but does not indicate the inevitability of such harm. As for people with mental issues, they need to be considered with the inclusion of other factors related to their conditions rather than generalized.
Social media platforms, as a part of everyday routine, provide excellent results in emotional connection with other people despite various barriers. Hence, time and distance cannot prevent the users of social networks from connecting and reconnecting with others when it is needed (Roeder, 2020). The sense of belonging is a vital part of human nature, and there is no harm in using modern technologies mindfully for the benefit of people who live far from one another. From this, it can be concluded that the emergence of mental issues is not conditional upon the fact of using social media but depends on the frequency and duration of their use (Roeder, 2020). Moreover, the possible drawbacks should be considered in the context of various social groups rather than concluding on the overall harm of social networks.
The belief in the negative impact of social media in terms of mental health is also questioned by the latest study that proves the opposite effect, which enhances their treatment. Parker (2019) claims that the regular use of social networks and the Internet as a whole improves the conditions of people with mental issues. They include such states as depression or anxiety, which are common due to the constant stress of life in the present-day world. The reason for such an outcome is in the fact that they facilitate communication and allow people to maintain relationships regardless of distance. Moreover, people with specific mental issues can find sufficient information on their conditions online and feel safe without medical assistance. They can also discuss them with others suffering from similar problems.
In addition to the therapeutic effect of the conscious use of social networks in the case of existing mental issues, they have been proved to be beneficial for avoiding severe psychological distress. According to Professor Keith Hampton, the people who regularly use online apps for communication suffer less from depression and similar conditions than the ones who do not use them on a daily basis (Frishberg, 2019). The result of this research proves that people adjust to the presence of social media in their lives year over year and start to benefit from them rather than harm their health. At the beginning of the development of such technologies, it could be a problem for them, but life in the present-day world requires certain adjustments to its changing conditions.
One of the most common problems of young people is the comparison of themselves with others, which results in mental issues, but it is not connected to the use of social media. The researchers argue that the time spent online enforces the process of their acquisition. Girls who use social networks tend to compare themselves to others more than the ones who do not have them (Fardouly et al., 2018). However, it does not mean that they would otherwise become less vulnerable to it. Researchers also highlight that not the social media itself but the type of activities matter in terms of comparison with other people (Fardouly et al., 2018). The need to compare is an essential part of personality formation, and it would not be eliminated by the refusal from online platforms for communication.
Another issue opposed by the benefits of social media is the uncontrollable damage they might bring to the younger generation. Researchers agree that in order to ensure a positive and safe experience with online apps, one needs to limit the time spent on them (Impact of social media on youth mental health, 2019). However, with the increasing awareness of parents in terms of this issue, it would be easier to teach adolescents how to use the technologies properly rather than consider them harmful or completely prohibit. The attempts to make people stop using social media would result in feelings of loneliness and alienation from their luckier peers. Such a policy might lead to the emergence of mental issues, which adults are trying to avoid by such prohibitions.
Most researchers believe in the negative impact of social media on young people. However, this view is already questioned by newer research. The obvious benefits of social networks such as the development of communication skills, the ability to have an emotional connection with others, and improvements in the case of mental issues require reconsidering this vision. Specific outcomes, such as the comparison of oneself with other people or the negative impact of the uncontrollable use of online platforms, cannot be viewed as obstacles. These complications do not depend on a single factor and, therefore, require more thorough research instead of concluding on the harm of social media.
References
Barry, C. T., Sidoti, C. L., Briggs, S. M., Reiter, S. R., & Lindsey, R. A. (2017). Adolescent social media use and mental health from adolescent and parent perspectives. Journal of Adolescence, 61, 1–11.
Fardouly, J., Magson, N. R., Johnco, C. J., Oar, E. L., & Rapee, R. M. (2018). Parental control of the time preadolescents spend on social media: Links with preadolescents’ social media appearance comparisons and mental health. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(7), 1456–1468.
Frishberg, H. (2019). Social media is actually good for your mental health: Study. New York Post.
Impact of social media on youth mental health: Statistics, tips & resources. (2019). University of Nevada, Reno.
Parker, K. (2019). Could social media actually improve mental health? Futurity.
Roeder, A. (2020). Social media use can be positive for mental health and well-being. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.