Introduction
Social media is a ground-breaking online platform that fundamentally alters how people view the world and has integrated into our culture. Social media is more important for daily social interaction due to the development and growth of technology. The importance of social media in today’s world can be understood by the fact that around 2.65 billion internet users use it, and that figure is projected to increase in the future years (Zhong et al.). While social media can have many effects, such as increasing communication and connectivity, it can also have several impacts on mental health in different ways.
Impacts of Social Media on Mental Health
Social networking sites (SNS) have taken over people’s lives and are especially important to young adults. According to a 2018 survey, 78% of Americans have a Facebook account, and 75% use it frequently (O’reilly et al. 602). Additionally, 71% of young adults and 78% of Instagram users were young adults (O’reilly et al. 602). The widespread usage of social media has inspired researchers to conduct studies to ascertain how social media use and mental health are related. Numerous researchers have found a direct and indirect favorable relationship between using social media and symptoms of anxiety and sadness.
Various studies have confirmed the outcomes, which point to a connection between peer influence or social comparison and social media. Therefore, a lot of data supports the idea that using social media might lower life satisfaction, increasing anxiety and sadness. However, it is also plausible that those with lower self-esteem are more likely to use social media sites to find a social comparison and that those who are lonely and have no meaningful social life are more likely to turn to social media as a means of making friends (O’reilly et al. 605). An experimental investigation, covered below, was also done to acquire a clearer image of these dynamics and come to a firm conclusion.
Furthermore, anyone with a phone and internet access may now send messages, make video calls, send music and picture files, and even live stream high-definition video, thanks to technological advancements. Some of the most fundamental human wants, such as the urge to belong and the need for self-representation, are appealed to by social media (Zhong et al.). According to studies, lonely people are more prone to spend more time using social media to make up for the lack of in-person connections (Keles et al. 80). The variety of interactions available on social media platforms contributes to reducing loneliness and raising life happiness in different ways. But each has some flaws that may have the opposite impact, boosting feelings of isolation and lowering life satisfaction.
In addition, several studies have established a direct link between depressive symptoms and computer-mediated communication. As there are many causes that can cause an already depressed person to turn to social media or increase their usage of it, there are many reasons why an intense social media user may tend to develop depression. According to an earlier study, social media impacts interpersonal interactions and reduces involvement in civic activities (Keles et al. 79). The more time an individual spends online, the less time they will have for family time and socializing, which can further exacerbate feelings of loneliness and sadness. Other studies that also revealed that internet users could impair a child’s normal social development backed up that research.
Moreover, there is some research investigations carried out before many social media platforms existed. Studies have revealed that the number of time adults and kids spend on social media has skyrocketed with the launch of new social media platforms (Zhong et al.). That has made the issue of interpersonal isolation inside the family and in society more severe. Social media exposes many people, as has been noted numerous times, but interactions with these individuals are rarely genuine and cannot substitute real-life connections (Coyne et al.). The use of social media and depression symptoms in high school adolescents are significantly positively correlated, according to research using the Beck Depression Inventory (Keles et al. 79).
However, no link between watching television and depressive symptoms were found simultaneously. Similar to how the use of social media can harm one’s objective happiness and sense of fulfillment in life. These two factors play a role in the emergence of depressive symptoms and indications. As a result, there is a clear connection between using social media and depressive symptoms, as well as having a smaller social circle and fewer opportunities for in-person engagement.
Additionally, one of the ways that using social media might exacerbate depressive symptoms and indicators is because the computer-mediated conversation has a high likelihood of giving a false impression about someone else’s character. That could result in incorrect assumptions about other people’s IQ, looks, level of education, morals, and other traits of online pals (Abi-Jaoude et al.). However, there is no concrete proof that social media might cause depression or even just one depressive symptom. Using social media to connect with friends and family may lessen depression, according to some studies (Coyne et al.).
In addition, it has been noted that the social support that results from using social media to fortify links with friends and family positively affects mental health. On the other hand, frequent social media usage outside of a person’s immediate family and close friends may cause real-world relationships to deteriorate, which can lead to loneliness and despair.
In addition, self-esteem, as an impact, can be expressed as one’s self-perception and level of self-valuation. Self-esteem is essential for preserving health and raising the general quality of life. Numerous mental problems, including addiction, eating disorders, and depression, have been linked to low self-esteem (Keles et al. 85). The results of many studies on the connection between social media usage and self-esteem have varied. One theory for why social media and low self-esteem are linked is that some sites where the primary user activity is conscience encourage narcissistic behavior (Abi-Jaoude et al.).
As a result, there is a very complicated link overall between social media platforms and self-esteem. Some of the behaviors that social media encourages, like daily self-evaluation, contrasting oneself with others, forming false impressions of others’ abilities, competence, behaviors, spitefulness, and selfishness, all have the potential to affect a person’s self-esteem in both positive and negative ways.
Additionally, one of the most commonly discussed phenomena is the addiction to online social networking and the Internet. The addictive nature of social networking sites is evident in how users frequently become engrossed with what is occurring on these sites and disregard immediate events, such as those involving friends and family (Zhong et al.). Furthermore, some research contends that when social media users are abruptly denied access to these sites, they exhibit symptoms resembling those of drug or alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Conclusion
There are several methods by which social media can affect mental health. One of the most significant is how it affects body image and self-esteem. Studies have shown that spending time on social media can increase anxiety and insecurity as people compare their lives and bodies to the filtered and often unrealistic images they see online. That can lead to body dysmorphic disorder, an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in appearance, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. While social media can have many negative effects on mental health, there are also some positive ways it can improve mental well-being.
For example, social media can be used to connect with friends and family, particularly those who live far away. It can also be used to access support networks and to find information and advice on mental health issues.
Works Cited
Abi-Jaoude, Elia, et al. “Smartphones, Social Media use and Youth Mental Health.” Cmaj 192.6 (2020): E136-E141. Web.
Coyne, Sarah M., et al. “Does Time Spent Using Social Media Impact Mental Health?: An Eight Year Longitudinal Study.” Computers in Human Behavior 104 (2020): 106160. Web.
Keles, Betul, et al. “A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents.” International Journal of Adolescence and Youth 25.1 (2020): 79-93. Web.
O’reilly, Michelle, et al. “Is Social Media Bad for Mental Health and Wellbeing? Exploring the Perspectives of Adolescents.” Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 23.4 (2018): 601-613. Web.
Zhong, Bu, et al. “Mental Health Toll From The Coronavirus: Social Media Usage Reveals Wuhan Residents’ Depression and Secondary Trauma in the COVID-19 Outbreak.” Computers in Human Behavior 114 (2021). Web.