Social Media and Well-Being
Social media refers to internet-based applications and platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., where individuals can message each other, share videos and photos with one another, and exchange other forms of media, content, and information. Social media has developed and continues to develop at a rapid pace within our society. We encounter it multiple times a day in every area of our lives. Although the increased use of technology and social media can be helpful in many ways to our daily lives and mental health, it is important to understand the negative side effects that may arise from excessive consumption of social media. The following blog will touch on the beneficial and harmful effects of social media consumption on mental well-being as well as tips to help balance and manage the consumption of social media.
Benefits of Social Media on Mental Health
There are many benefits of social media. One benefit of social media is the ability to have access to a variety of information and data at your fingertips (Naslund et al., 2020; Wongkoblap et al., 2017). Furthermore, social media can help you stay up to date with the latest news, politics, and happenings in the world (Naslund et al., 2020; Wongkoblap et al., 2017). Another major benefit of social media surrounds communication. Social media makes the ability to communicate and connect with others extremely accessible and instant (Naslund et al., 2020). Previous research studies have shown that social media can decrease an individual’s sense of loneliness and isolation, and reduce symptoms of depression (Naslund et al., 2020). Additionally, in some ways social media can help individuals share their own personal experiences anonymously, receive help and support from others, and even provide other individuals with support which can be a benefit to mental health.
The Harmful Side of Social Media on Mental Health
Although there are a number of benefits associated with the consumption and participation in social media, there are many harmful impacts that must also be acknowledged. Through use of social media, many individuals may come across and fall victim to instances of cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and/or misleading or falsified information, which can have negative impacts on mental health and increase symptoms of anxiety and depression (Braghieri et al., 2022; Naslund et al., 2020; O’reilly et al., 2018). Additionally, sharing personal information online can be a risk to your privacy and confidentiality (Naslund et al., 2020). Furthermore, photoshopped pictures, and the portrayal of unrealistic lifestyles can decrease self-esteem and negatively impact body image, especially in young children and adolescents (O’reilly et al., 2018).
Balancing the Consumption of Social Media
Just because there are some harmful effects of social media on mental well-being does not mean you have to delete and remove social media from your devices completely. Maintaining a healthy balance of social media consumption by tracking your time spent on social media, turning off notifications, and scheduling breaks can be helpful to reduce social media usage. In addition, recognizing your strengths and abilities, practicing gratitude, and focusing on your own achievements and goals can help you increase your self-esteem and reduce the time you may spend comparing yourself and your lifestyle to others’ on social media.
At our clinic we have many therapists along with intern therapists like Angela, Cara, Rasha, and Melissa who are part of our Pay What You Can Program who can help you achieve self-empowerment by increasing your self-esteem and confidence. If you are interested in beginning your healing journey, please contact us at (647) 267-9853.
References
Braghieri, L., Levy, R. E., & Makarin, A. (2022). Social media and mental health. American Economic Review, 112(11), 3660-3693.
Naslund, J. A., Bondre, A., Torous, J., & Aschbrenner, K. A. (2020). Social media and mental health: Benefits, risks, and opportunities for research and practice. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science, 5, 245-257.
O’reilly, M., Dogra, N., Whiteman, N., Hughes, J., Eruyar, S., & Reilly, P. (2018). Is social media bad for mental health and wellbeing? Exploring the perspectives of adolescents. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 23(4), 601-613.
Wongkoblap, A., Vadillo, M. A., & Curcin, V. (2017). Researching mental health disorders in the era of social media: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(6), e228.