Mental Health & Social Media

Jake K. Newell
May 11, 2020
7 min read

The advent of the Internet has resulted in the world feeling smaller. Over the years, the Internet (through the development of social media platforms such as: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram) has allowed us to communicate more efficiently.

Consequently, we have been given the ability to: maintain long distance friendships, rekindle 'lost' friendships, and create entirely new friendships via gaming or social media. However, it is important to note that whilst there are positives developments coming from social media, there is also a dark side to the use of social media. In particular, social media can led to negative implications on an individual's mental health. Human beings need face-to-face contact in order to satisfy their mental needs. There is nothing which reduces stress and boosts your mood faster or more effectively than eye-to-eye contact with someone who cares about or loves you. However, the more you prioritise social media interaction over in-person relationships, the more at risk you are of exacerbating disorders such as anxiety and depression.

On previous occasions, I have been largely critical of the impact of social media on mental health, as well as the concept of 'peacocking'. In a nutshell, 'peacocking' is where someone attempts to highlight their strong points in order to stand out from their 'competition' and to attract attention or praise. We live in a time whereby social media is used as a sterilised highlight reel of people's lives. This is compounded by the amount of time that individuals tend to spend on social media. Taken together, they result in individuals who are struggling with their mental health feeling even worse as they do not seem to 'fit' in with this stereotypical life satisfaction. What we do forget, however, is that individuals have a lot going on behind the screen. It is this almost 'taboo' quality attached to mental health, which stifles and suffocates any discussion on it. It is much more common than you anticipate. I maintain this position. However, there have also been times where I have found that social media has been utilised in such a manner that it can have positive impacts. For me, therefore, social media can have its uses, but it is down to users to use it responsibly. Some prominent examples include: the campaign to support Bradley Lowery and his battle with cancer, Captain Tom Moore's recent fundraising for the NHS, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the #LoveWins movement and general community support during world tragedies.

In this blog post, I aim to focus on the negative implications of social media on mental health. As we will see, there is a need for a balance: short term use of social media can be beneficial, however, excessive use of social media may lead to issues revolving around anxiety and/or depression. I also look at some helpful tips on managing social media usage and mental health issues later on in this post.

Before I dive in, I want to say that this post is a request of a friend, following on from a Q&A on my instagram. Out of respect for their privacy, I've decided to keep this friend anonymous.

Negative Implications

Numerous issues arise from excessive use of social media. There is a dark side to social media that cannot be ignored. It includes: negativity, false information, cyber bullying, trolls, oversharing and even pro-hate groups. Whilst everyone has a voice and an opinion, it is unfortunate that some choose to use this in a destructive manner.

The first big issue with overuse of social media is that of self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy. The fear of missing out (or 'FOMO'), peer pressure and constantly comparing oneself against others are common practice on most, if not all, forms of social media. Things such as FOMO, peer pressure or constant comparison can contribute to: feelings of low self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression.

Online platforms may promote unreasonable expectations. Social media has been linked to poor self-esteem and self-image through the advent of image manipulation. The constant circulation of easily viewable manipulated images promotes and entrenches unrealistic expectations of how young people should look and behave; it then leads to people feeling they are inadequate unless they fit into that narrative. We have all seen the use of filters by celebrities and friends alike.

As I said above, social media feeds act as sterilised highlight reel of someone's life; using it as a comparator is not healthy. It must be remembered that:

Many people place over reliance on likes for their posts and images and use this as a measure to determine their self-worth;
Many images are digitally manipulated;
People tend to over-exaggerate and overshare; and
What we see and read is not necessarily a real reflection of someone’s life, for example, someone may be struggling behind the scenes and putting a 'front' up for the purposes of social media.

Secondly, there is plenty of literature on the link between social media and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. A recent study by the Royal Society of Public Health on Social Media, has demonstrated the link between social media with increased rates of: anxiety, depression and poor sleep. Social media has also been described as more "addictive than cigarettes and alcohol". A copy of the report is available here. This issue is linked with the self-esteem point above; the constant seeking of approval from one's peers is not good for mental health. For example, there will be times where posts are uploaded for validation but do not receive the desired response (whether that is either by having x amount of likes, someone in particular liking the post or even critical feedback/comments). This in turn fuels worry, anxiety and makes us more self-critical.

Third, many of us use social media as a “security blanket”. Whenever we’re in a social situation and feel anxious, awkward, or lonely, we turn to our phones and log on to social media. We are all guilty of checking our phones when waiting for friends or when we see someone on the street that we don't want to be stopped by.

Finally, there is the issue of cyber bullying: social media platforms can be hotspots for spreading hurtful rumours and abuse that can leave lasting emotional scars.

Helpful Tips

There are, however, ways which (if used responsibly) can limit the damage social media can do to our mental health. As stated at the beginning of this post, social media can be positive for our wellbeing. The reasons for this are copious: it gives people a voice, allows self-expression, connects us and can power social change. Furthermore, the ability to wield technology in such a way to communicate can allow us to build our own identities, which is important and increases a sense of worth and belonging. I can safely say that for me personally, I have found myself a part of many online communities.

Ultimately, I think it is worth stressing that there is a need for balance and moderation, like many of life's other indulgences; social media doesn’t have to be bad for our mental health. However, we must be aware of the negative impact it can have on our state of mind. It is then important to find the equilibrium: an important middle ground in terms of the time spent on social media vs the reliance placed on it.

The first thing that you can try to help curb the impact of social media on your mental health is to manage your time. You may wish to try to be more intentional with the time you spend on social media. This time could be regulated by: setting an alarm or setting your phone to a bedtime/grayscale setting (depending on if you use an Apple or Samsung phone). There are also statistics on smartphones (you don't need to download them at all - they're part of the factory settings) which allow you to measure the amount of time spent on your phone and how that is broken down.

The second option could be to go through a detox: delete your mobile apps and simply logging into desktop versions whilst getting into the swing of cutting down your time on social media may help. I have found that (and including from my own experience), we can unconsciously open our phones and start scrolling through social media as an almost automatic action.

Third, you could clear your feed. There may be a few people or pages that you are connected to which post content that has an adverse impact on your mental health. This could be from extended 'peacocking' or posts which are deliberately designed to provoke such a reaction. I appreciate that people may take offence to you unfriending them, but, most social media platforms have the ability to 'mute' or 'unfollow' without removing someone. This may be an acceptable middle ground whereby you are no longer exposed to negative content, but do not risk getting into arguments.

Fourth, find the right crowd. for YOU. This links to clearing your feed: it is important to find content that reflects the behind the scenes of our realities. The reason I say this (and the central reason for this blog) is simple: it could help to minimise the alienating impact of seeing nothing but highlights. If we see that some people are going through tougher times or things that we are able to relate to, then we are more likely to be comfortable with the use of social media. There are many great projects and initiatives online, including mental health peer support groups and general communities.

Other suggestions, which have been discussed at a governmental level (although not put into action as of yet) include the following (as part of the Royal Society of Public Health on Social Media study, again available here):

A pop-up heavy usage warning on social media;
An icon to highlight when photos of people have been digitally manipulated
Health information on social media to be certified as trustworthy
Safe social media use to be taught during lessons in schools
Social media platforms to identify vulnerable users and signpost to support

Useful Links

As usual, I've provided a series of links below which I hope will helpful:

Remember: you are a beautiful human being. You are loved. You matter. You have so much good that you can offer this world.

Until next time,

J x

Mental Health & Social Media

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