Social Media and the Mental Health Crisis
We often hear that social media is harmful to us. We are constantly being told to "get off our phones" and connect with the world around us. While there is some truth to this statement, no one really explains the importance of spending less time on social media. Social media has been shown to have a direct correlation to the rising mental health crisis. This is something we have seen on the rise since COVID, where there was no other option but to socialize over screens. Though there is not a lot we can do to prevent social media from being something that is widely used, there are things we can do to help prevent mental health issues from coming about from social media use. There are many different ways that social media can affect mental health, including providing a way to isolate, causing comparison and low self-esteem, and creating an unhealthy addiction.
Social media can serve as a means of communication with others. It can be a means of connection for some, as seeing friends and family face-to-face every day can be difficult. Chatting online and on social media is sometimes the only way to connect with others. There is a fine line between using it to connect with others and using it as your only means of communication or the only means of communicating with others. When someone has no friends other than those on social media, it can become harmful when social media is used to isolate oneself. In the article "Social Media and Mental Health in Children and Teens," published by Johns Hopkins Medicine, the authors write, "Many use social media to connect, which can leave them feeling just as isolated." Online social interactions may not be as rewarding." Social interactions conducted over a screen can feel inauthentic. As humans, we need connection. Friends and family often meet this need for connection, but when we use social media to fill that need, it can cause issues. The article "Social Media Effects: Social Isolation" explains that, "They defined social isolation as a sense of not belonging, the feeling of being an outsider, or not being involved in meaningful relationships." Posts on social media often depict social outings or events attended. When someone sees their friend at an event they are not attending, it can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion. Dr. Jerry Bubrick said in the article "Does Social Media Use Cause Depression" that "FOMO is really the fear of not being connected to our social world, and that need to feel connected sometimes trumps whatever's going on in the actual situation we're in." She goes on to say, "If we're always playing catch-up to endless online updates, we're prioritizing social interactions that aren't as emotionally rewarding and can actually make us feel more isolated." What starts as a way to have social interactions and see our friends online can very quickly lead to feelings of missing out and isolation from our friends and loved ones. This is just one example of how quickly social media can become harmful without us even realizing it.
Comparison is an inevitable part of social media usage. It is defined as "A consideration or estimate of the similarities and dissimilarities between two things or people." This often occurs when someone begins comparing their "life" to someone else's "life" as portrayed on social media. A study that was done on this very issue in the article 'The Relationship between Social Media and the Increase in Mental Health Problems' said, "The study affirms that technologies aiding young people in comparing social statuses present a risk to their mental well-being." Comparison in itself is not bad, until it becomes excessive. In children and adolescents who lack an established sense of self-worth, seeing their friends go out without them or be left out can lead them to feel that they are not good enough to be friends with them. Dr. Hamlet speaks on this matter in the article "Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?" by saying, "'Many girls are bombarded with their friends posting the most perfect pictures of themselves, or they're following celebrities and influencers who do a lot of photoshopping and have makeup and hair teams,', explains Dr. Hamlet. 'If that's their model for what is normal, it can be very hard on their self-confidence.'" This type of comparison is conducted to such an extent that it creates a sense of not being enough, as their lives are not portrayed as perfect as others' are. In an article written by Harvard Medicine they claim that, "' Constantly looking at images of people who appear to be happier than you, and more successful than you, who generally seem to have a better life than you, certainly doesn't make people feel better"' This lack of self confidence and low self esteem can have long lasting effects on mental health, with the main cause being depression.
With all these things at play, an addiction to social media can inevitably happen. When an addiction like this starts to develop, things like sleep are the first thing to go. Without enough sleep and the dopamine addiction that social media gives someone, it can quickly escalate to many mental issues. In the article written by Hopkins Medicine, they said that, "The advisory indicated that frequent social media use could be associated with changes in parts of the brain related to emotions and learning. Additionally, it can affect impulse control, social behavior, emotional regulation, and sensitivity to social punishments and rewards." While there is not a ton of research correlating to the actual statement that it can cause an addiction, a lot of the research does show that the dopamine receptors in the brain get lit up, causing itto be hard to stop scrolling. This inability to stop can, in turn, cause sleep deprivation, which can lead to mental health issues as a whole. Another article, written by the Child Mind Institute, states, "Social media can have a profound effect on sleep," adds Dr. Bubrick. 'You have the intention to check Instagram or watch TikTok videos for 5 minutes, and the next thing you know, 50 minutes are gone. You're an hour behind in sleep, and more tired the next day. You find it harder to focus. You're off your game, and it spirals from there." This is just one example of how quickly social media can become addictive. We have to be super careful not to let it turn into an addiction or something that we simply can't give up.
How do we address it? That's a question I often ask myself. It's hard because there isn't just one thing we can do to prevent this. There is not just one solution that can be guaranteed to make certain that social media will not cause mental health issues. That said, awareness is an important first step in combating this crisis. Telling you just to avoid social media altogether is unrealistic. It's like me asking you to avoid something that is widely used as the primary form of communication. With that in mind, there are a couple of things that can help avoid the spiral social media can lead someone into. Many psychologists suggest having balance. That is much easier said than done, but setting a screen time limit can help create accountability. Turning on downtime so that you are forced to go to bed is also a great strategy. This is also important for parents to do, as it sets an example of a healthy relationship with social media and screens. In the article "Does Social Media Use Cause Depression", they shared, "Set an example by disengaging from media to spend quality family time together, including phone-free dinners and other activities. Kids may resist, but they'll feel the benefits". Here are a few steps we can take to prevent mental health concerns on social media and foster a happier new generation.
We often hear that social media is harmful to us. We are constantly being told to "get off our phones" and connect with the world around us. While there is some truth to this statement, no one really explains the importance of spending less time on social media. Social media has been shown to have a direct correlation to the rising mental health crisis. This is something we have seen on the rise since COVID, where there was no other option but to socialize over screens. Though there is not a lot we can do to prevent social media from being something that is widely used, there are things we can do to help prevent mental health issues from coming about from social media use. There are many different ways that social media can affect mental health, including providing a way to isolate, causing comparison and low self-esteem, and creating an unhealthy addiction.
Social media can serve as a means of communication with others. It can be a means of connection for some, as seeing friends and family face-to-face every day can be difficult. Chatting online and on social media is sometimes the only way to connect with others. There is a fine line between using it to connect with others and using it as your only means of communication or the only means of communicating with others. When someone has no friends other than those on social media, it can become harmful when social media is used to isolate oneself. In the article "Social Media and Mental Health in Children and Teens," published by Johns Hopkins Medicine, the authors write, "Many use social media to connect, which can leave them feeling just as isolated." Online social interactions may not be as rewarding." Social interactions conducted over a screen can feel inauthentic. As humans, we need connection. Friends and family often meet this need for connection, but when we use social media to fill that need, it can cause issues. The article "Social Media Effects: Social Isolation" explains that, "They defined social isolation as a sense of not belonging, the feeling of being an outsider, or not being involved in meaningful relationships." Posts on social media often depict social outings or events attended. When someone sees their friend at an event they are not attending, it can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion. Dr. Jerry Bubrick said in the article "Does Social Media Use Cause Depression" that "FOMO is really the fear of not being connected to our social world, and that need to feel connected sometimes trumps whatever's going on in the actual situation we're in." She goes on to say, "If we're always playing catch-up to endless online updates, we're prioritizing social interactions that aren't as emotionally rewarding and can actually make us feel more isolated." What starts as a way to have social interactions and see our friends online can very quickly lead to feelings of missing out and isolation from our friends and loved ones. This is just one example of how quickly social media can become harmful without us even realizing it.
Comparison is an inevitable part of social media usage. It is defined as "A consideration or estimate of the similarities and dissimilarities between two things or people." This often occurs when someone begins comparing their "life" to someone else's "life" as portrayed on social media. A study that was done on this very issue in the article 'The Relationship between Social Media and the Increase in Mental Health Problems' said, "The study affirms that technologies aiding young people in comparing social statuses present a risk to their mental well-being." Comparison in itself is not bad, until it becomes excessive. In children and adolescents who lack an established sense of self-worth, seeing their friends go out without them or be left out can lead them to feel that they are not good enough to be friends with them. Dr. Hamlet speaks on this matter in the article "Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?" by saying, "'Many girls are bombarded with their friends posting the most perfect pictures of themselves, or they're following celebrities and influencers who do a lot of photoshopping and have makeup and hair teams,', explains Dr. Hamlet. 'If that's their model for what is normal, it can be very hard on their self-confidence.'" This type of comparison is conducted to such an extent that it creates a sense of not being enough, as their lives are not portrayed as perfect as others' are. In an article written by Harvard Medicine they claim that, "' Constantly looking at images of people who appear to be happier than you, and more successful than you, who generally seem to have a better life than you, certainly doesn't make people feel better"' This lack of self confidence and low self esteem can have long lasting effects on mental health, with the main cause being depression.
With all these things at play, an addiction to social media can inevitably happen. When an addiction like this starts to develop, things like sleep are the first thing to go. Without enough sleep and the dopamine addiction that social media gives someone, it can quickly escalate to many mental issues. In the article written by Hopkins Medicine, they said that, "The advisory indicated that frequent social media use could be associated with changes in parts of the brain related to emotions and learning. Additionally, it can affect impulse control, social behavior, emotional regulation, and sensitivity to social punishments and rewards." While there is not a ton of research correlating to the actual statement that it can cause an addiction, a lot of the research does show that the dopamine receptors in the brain get lit up, causing itto be hard to stop scrolling. This inability to stop can, in turn, cause sleep deprivation, which can lead to mental health issues as a whole. Another article, written by the Child Mind Institute, states, "Social media can have a profound effect on sleep," adds Dr. Bubrick. 'You have the intention to check Instagram or watch TikTok videos for 5 minutes, and the next thing you know, 50 minutes are gone. You're an hour behind in sleep, and more tired the next day. You find it harder to focus. You're off your game, and it spirals from there." This is just one example of how quickly social media can become addictive. We have to be super careful not to let it turn into an addiction or something that we simply can't give up.
How do we address it? That's a question I often ask myself. It's hard because there isn't just one thing we can do to prevent this. There is not just one solution that can be guaranteed to make certain that social media will not cause mental health issues. That said, awareness is an important first step in combating this crisis. Telling you just to avoid social media altogether is unrealistic. It's like me asking you to avoid something that is widely used as the primary form of communication. With that in mind, there are a couple of things that can help avoid the spiral social media can lead someone into. Many psychologists suggest having balance. That is much easier said than done, but setting a screen time limit can help create accountability. Turning on downtime so that you are forced to go to bed is also a great strategy. This is also important for parents to do, as it sets an example of a healthy relationship with social media and screens. In the article "Does Social Media Use Cause Depression", they shared, "Set an example by disengaging from media to spend quality family time together, including phone-free dinners and other activities. Kids may resist, but they'll feel the benefits". Here are a few steps we can take to prevent mental health concerns on social media and foster a happier new generation.
