Social media usage and mental health struggles

Is there a causal relationship?

Does scrolling through Facebook and Instagram actually affect mental health? There is an ongoing debate about the effects of social media on mental wellbeing. Some say scrolling through Facebook every day increases the risk of depression, while others insist that social media use does not affect mental health. The answer is that there is no definitive scientific research to prove the first argument. However, that’s not to say there’s no potential link between mental illness and social media use. There are many factors to take into consideration.

How are you using social media?

First of all, it really depends on how social media is used. If it’s used to keep in touch with friends and family, network with active people in the community, or look for extracurricular opportunities, then it shouldn’t affect mental health. On the other hand, if you ask anyone who has used social media to stay up-to-date on other people’s success stories and seemingly perfect lives, they will confirm that this use of social media can take a toll on their mental wellbeing.

If you’re using Facebook solely to observe your friends’ lives and compare your life to theirs without actually interacting with them, not only are you defying the whole purpose of Facebook, but you’re also increasing your risk of mental illness.

Do “likes” impact your mood?

Another important factor to consider is that success on social media is measured numerically. A user’s worth is dictated by the number of followers they have, how many likes they got on their latest selfie, and how many people are watching their live videos. As a result, the smaller these numbers are, the more insignificant a user may feel.

Are you feeling connected or isolated?

Social networks all have a common purpose, which is to bring people together, and to create a network of like-minded people with common interests and passions. Nowadays, it seems like the opposite is happening. These networks are more often isolating people instead of bringing them together. An article published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website confirmed that there is a relationship between isolation and depression. Social media may not directly cause depression, but since it may lead to isolation, it can contribute towards an unhealthy lifestyle ripe for depression.

Are you on your phone before bed?

Similarly, social media use before bed can negatively affect sleep quality, and multiple studies reiterate these findings. Good sleep quality is essential for good mental health. Therefore, spending time on social media before bed interferes with the production of melatonin — a hormone involved in monitoring sleep cycles — which may affect mental health.

Keep an eye on your self-esteem

Anyone who uses social media regularly can attest that these sites often display unrealistic expectations of beauty, popularity, and success. Spending an excessive amount of time navigating these sites may not directly cause mental illness, but may affect self-esteem and self-worth in the long run.

More research needs to be done to clearly outline the relationship between social media use and deteriorating mental health. The big question is: does social media exacerbate mental health issues, or do those struggling with mental health tend to use social media more than others?