Social Media and its effect on our Mental Health and Self Esteem
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.
How does Social Media Effect Our Mental Health?
What we find on 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:
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.
Social Media and its effects on our Mental Health
Social Media and its effect on our Mental Health and Self Esteem
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.
How does Social Media Effect Our Mental Health?
What we find on 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
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.
Lauren Nicole