Of the 62.3% of the world’s population on social media, an average of 40% of these people have experienced an increase in mental health conditions. Multiple research studies support a strong link between heavy social media usage and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, and loneliness. A U.S. and U.K. 2020 study found that extended time spent on social media was associated with poorer mental health outcomes. In fact, when people used social media for entertainment or to reduce loneliness, the study found increased levels of stress and anxiety.
In a 2018 University of Pennsylvania study, researchers looked at 143 undergraduates randomly assigned to two groups. The first group limited social media to 30 minutes a day while the second group continued their social media as usual for three weeks. The limited group showed significant reductions in loneliness and depression during those three weeks over the other group.
While the fear of missing out (FOMO) is not a new phenomenon, social media tends to exacerbate feelings that others are having more fun or living better lives than you. When you feel like you’re missing out on certain things, it can impact your self-esteem, thereby triggering envy, anxiety, or depression. Social media can cause people to compare the adequacy of their life or appearance relative to others. If social media usage is not limited, it can heighten mental health issues.
In a study conducted in Saudi Arabia, about 75% of participants active on social media felt changes in their mental health relating to anxiety, self-esteem, depression, body dysmorphia, social media addiction, and eating disorders. These conditions can result in lowering people’s emotional well-being, which in turn affects their relationships and interactions with other people.
To achieve truly deep connections with people, positive face-to-face interactions impact mental health and happiness. People are social beings, who thrive on companionship and connections with others. In-person experiences with someone who cares about you can help reduce stress and increase your mood. However, the more you prioritize online social media interactions over in-person relationships, the more you expose yourself to mental health risks.
Medical doctors describe that when using social media, a chemical called dopamine, referred to as a “feel-good chemical,” is released into the brain stimulating people’s pleasure senses. This effect can be positive for people’s satisfaction and motivation levels, but also negative because it can cause addictions. People’s biological tendency is to seek pleasure so we are naturally drawn to social media. Yet, we become victims of social media’s unintended tolls on our mental health. Our behavior results in an endless cycle of addiction to the culprit of our mental health deterioration.
