The pervasiveness of social media is undeniable. It has completely changed how we live, interact, communicate, and consume information. Social media platforms such as Meta, Instagram, and TikTok provide users with a space to connect and share experiences, but they also come with serious risks to our mental health. Understanding how social media platforms can impact our mental health is super important, as research continues to highlight the multifaceted effects that social media can have on our psychological health. In this blog, let’s answer the question: How can social media impact our mental health?
Social Media Hyperreality: Separating Perception from Reality
We should all realize that the content posted by others on social media platforms is hyperreality. Everyone is only delivering and posting the best parts of their lives, and they will never post the ordinary or uninteresting things. This way, social media content becomes a fake world where most things are unreal and exaggerated. As social animals, our minds may perceive this content in a negative way, which is not healthy for us. Therefore, we should all understand the reality of these social media apps and learn how to use them in the right way.
The Link Between Mental Health Issues & Social Media
The most critical question these days regarding social media is how it affects mental health, particularly among adolescents. Several studies have shown that unnecessary and excessive use of social media can result in poor mental health, with some users experiencing anxiety, depressive symptoms, and low self-esteem.
Research revealed that increased time spent on social media apps and websites is correlated with higher rates of anxiety and depression, lower self-esteem, and poor sleep quality. Adolescents, in particular, are at a heightened risk of experiencing negative results due to their increased vulnerability to peer influence and social comparison. These effects can be exacerbated by problematic social media habits, such as constantly checking for updates, comments or likes.
The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media
Social media apps and websites offer opportunities for self-expression,communication, and community building. For many, social media is a tool that is highly important for maintaining relationships with friends and family, entertainment, and discovering new ideas. However, the very aspects that make social media engaging can also contribute to serious mental health issues.
Pew Research Center has conducted various studies that indicate a growing concern about the negative impacts of consuming social media content on the mental health of every age group, but especially among younger users. While social media platforms offer support and connection, they also amplify feelings of depression, inadequacy, and anxiety.
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Adolescent Health & Social Media
School-aged children, teenagers, and adolescents are the most helpless and at risk populations when it comes to mental health impacts from social media apps and websites. Studies have shown that adolescent mental health can be affected by how they use social media platforms.
Adolescents are in the process of developing their identities and are highly sensitive to feedback from their peers. Social media apps and pages can create environments where adolescents constantly compare themselves to others, often causing feelings of low self-esteem and inadequacy. This is detrimental to their cognitive health and can create insecurities and complexes in them, which will distract their focus on their personalities.
Let’s comprehend this situation through an example. Seeing images of their peers leading seemingly perfect lives (which obviously is not the reality) can make adolescents feel as though they are falling short in comparison.
This comparison may cause depressive symptoms, especially when social media fosters unrealistic expectations about happiness, beauty, and success. The constant exposure to curated content can make it difficult for young users to separate online personas from reality,
leading to detrimental effects on their psychological health.
The Dangers of Social Media Addiction
Social media addiction is a growing concern today, particularly among younger users who access social media platforms every day and every time. Many social media sites are designed in a way that keeps users engaged for as long as possible, using algorithms that work according to individual interests and preferences. These algorithms can make the user experience more personalized, but the dark side is that they also contribute to an environment where excessive use becomes the norm.
Addiction to social media apps and websites has repercussions on mental health. Studies have shown that problematic social media use is associated with many negative outcomes, including feelings of isolation, decreased life satisfaction, and increased levels of stress.
The more time users spend on social media apps, the more likely they feel alone and isolated despite being connected to others online. This phenomenon, “alone together,” highlights the paradox of feeling disconnected in an increasingly connected world.
How Social Media Affects Sleep & Mental Health?
One of the most insidious ways in which social media content can impact our mental health is by disrupting sleep patterns. Many people, particularly adolescents, use social media late into the night, interfering with their ability to get sufficient rest at night. Poor sleep quality is a risk factor for developing mental health issues.
The blue light that comes out from mobile phones and laptop screens also disrupts our body’s natural circadian rhythm, making it harder for us to fall asleep. Moreover, the stimulating nature of social media can lead to “doom-scrolling,” a habit of endlessly browsing distressing or negative content. This bad and self-destructive habit can leave you feeling anxious or depressed, further affecting your sleep quality.
The Role of Social Comparison
- Social media affects mental health through social comparison
- Platforms like Instagram can foster feelings of low self-worth, inadequacy, envy
- Comparison of real lives to the highlight reels of others can cause a distorted sense of reality
- This comparison is particularly damaging to teenagers
- Research has shown that frequent social media users are more likely to experience poor and disturbed mental health due to constant comparisons with their peers
Social Media & Body Image Concerns
- Social media platforms, especially visual ones like Instagram, significantly shape users’ perceptions of body image.
- Increased exposure to images of “ideal” body types on social media is the main reason behind body dissatisfaction and contributes to the development of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
- The pressure to conform to societal beauty standards is intensified on social media due to photo editing tools and photo filters that make it easy to present an unrealistic version of oneself.
- This creates a toxic and vicious cycle where you feel compelled to alter your appearance to fit in with online norms, often becoming the reason for low self-esteem and body image issues.
How to Foster Positive Social Media Habits
Despite the harmful and negative aspects of social media, it is possible to use these apps and websites in a way that promotes mental health. Developing healthy social media habits is the real game changer for maintaining balance and protecting your mental health.
You can set limits on the time spent on social media, be mindful of the type of content you and your children are consuming, and unfollow accounts that trigger negative emotions or comparisons.
Taking Control: Deleting Harmful Apps & Social Media Detox
It’s best to delete apps that are causing mental health issues for you and your loved ones. You can also try a social media detox, taking a break from social media and enjoying other activities you love. This break will give you a new perspective on life, showing you that there’s so much more to do than just using social media platforms.
Social media users should also prioritize offline interactions and engage in activities that promote a sense of fulfillment and purpose, such as spending time with loved ones, going to real events, exercising, playing sports like soccer or tennis, or pursuing hobbies. These offline activities counterbalance the negative effects of social media and improve your mental health.
The Future of Social Media & Mental Health
The world becomes increasingly digital and the relationship between social media and mental health will continue to evolve. Ongoing research is needed to understand how social media platforms can either promote or undermine psychological health.
Yes, it is true that social media offers many benefits, but it is important to remain aware of its risks, too, especially for vulnerable populations like adolescents.
Policymakers, parents, and social media companies must sit down together and find solutions to control and reduce social media’s harmful effects and create environments that foster positive mental health outcomes.
Conclusion
While social media can build connections and communities, it also has the power to harm our mental health if used in problematic ways or excessively. By understanding the risks that are linked with social media and developing healthier habits, we can actually reduce its negative effects and use its benefits to improve mental health. Ultimately, the key lies in uncovering the right balance: enjoying the benefits of social media without allowing it to dominate our lives.
Visit Dragonfly Medical for Mental Health Treatment & More
If you are undergoing mental health issues as a result of social media use or struggling with social media addiction, you or your family members, children, or friends may benefit from mental health services. Visit Dragonfly Medical and Behavioral Health Center today.
We are located in Johnson City, Tennessee, and we offer mental health services, primary care services, substance abuse addiction treatment, support groups, certified peer recovery specialist services, telehealth services, and more.
We are here to help with addiction to alcohol, smoking, marijuana, methamphetamine, and more. Call our healthcare professionals today to learn more about us.
