How Does Social Media Affect Mental Well-Being?

Shan Jin

In the last decade, social media use has been on the rise; with an estimated 4.9 Billion users globally recorded in 2022 (Plackett et al., 2023). Since then, there has been a pique in interest within the scientific community to study the effects of social media on mental health and well-being. Scientists are interested in this topic because social media has completely altered the way people live, impacting how individuals communicate, interact, and perceive one another. Currently, there is a gap in our knowledge on this topic because there is highly conflicting evidence, which can make it difficult for the general public to understand the effects that social media can have on mental well-being (Plackett et al., 2023). Some studies claim social media positively influences mental health by increasing social support, enhancing relationships, and encouraging people to rely on each other and help each other out (Plackett et al., 2023). An example is that social media allows people to stay connected, regardless of geographic location. Many other studies conclude that social media usage is linked to an array of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and distress (Plackett et al., 2023), although useful, can become problematic if heavily overused as it interferes with daily life (Plackett et al., 2023). The severe form of this issue is called social media addiction, a prevalent issue in adolescents and young adults (Plackett et al., 2023). This article aims to summarize current research to highlight the pros and cons of social media use on the mental well-being of young people.

Among the general population, young people have been impacted by social media the most because, for most young people, social media is an integral part of their daily routine (Vaingankar et al., 2022). A recent study investigated how social media can be used to empower youth and thereby have a positive influence on mental health (Vaingankar et al., 2022). Previous research suggests that close, positive relationships with friends and family help alleviate the stress of life for adolescents’ life course (Vaingankar et al., 2022). Social media can improve the social relationships of youth because it is an avenue to facilitate close interactions with friends and family (Vaingankar et al., 2022). Social media is also a way to support for everyday and global topics, an example is online activism (Vaingankar et al., 2022). In this way engaging in activism through social media can bring people together, creates purpose for those who want to advocate for global issues (Vaingankar et al., 2022). Having profiles on social media platforms allows users to receive social feedback (e.g., likes and comments on posts), which is linked to adolescents’ self-confidence and personal identity (Vaingankar et al., 2022), receiving positive feedback from peers leads to increased confidence and a stronger sense of personal identity (Vaingankar et al., 2022). This is beneficial because people who feel good about themselves are happier, more motivated, and more successful (Vaingankar et al., 2022).

However, other literature claims social media has a more negative influence on young adults' mental health (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). Those who consume social media for more than two hours a day on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have a higher likelihood of having worse mental health and experiencing depression and/or anxiety (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). For instance, constantly seeing posts of friends having fun, going out, or on vacation results in feelings of missing out, leading to social comparison,

and feelings of inadequacy (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). Social media posts can also result in unrealistic standards that leave young people feeling self-conscious (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). That in conjunction with the pursuit of a perfect social media image could contribute to an anxiety disorder (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). Heavy usage of social media is also associated with poor sleep quality, indirectly contributing to poor mental health (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). This is the case as sleep is important for normal functioning and a lack of sleep can lead to poor mental and physical health issues including diabetes, stroke, and depression (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). Using technology before bed also disrupts the quality of sleep because the LED lights in technology block the release of melatonin (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017).

With both arguments presented—that social media positively influences mental health and that social media negatively influences mental health—it is evident that there is not yet a clear answer to the question at hand. However, its effects on an individual’s mental well-being

are dependent on how it is used. Meaning, how one uses social media is more important than how frequently one uses social media (Plackett et al., 2023). Therefore, to ensure that social media has more positive influences on your life than negative, it is important to engage in good habits and be mindful of all interactions online. A good way to practice mindfulness when engaging in social media is to remember that not everything that is shown on platforms is real, people tend to only share the “perfect” aspects of their lives online, thus, it is important not to compare yourself with others (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017). Another good habit to practice when using social media is to be aware of when you are using your phone, or other technology, as the LED light from screens can negatively impact your sleep (Royal Society for Public Health, 2017).

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References

Plackett, R., Blyth, A., & Schartau, P. (2023). The impact of social media use interventions on

mental well-being: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25(4), e44922– e44922. https://doi.org/10.2196/44922

Royal Society for Public Health. (2017). Status of mind: Social media and young people’s mental

health.https://www.rsph.org.uk/static/uploaded/d125b27c-0b62-41c5- a2c0155a8887cd01.pdf

Vaingankar, J. A., van Dam, R. M., Samari, E., Chang, S., Seow, E., Chua, Y. C., Luo, N.,

Verma, S., & Subramaniam, M. (2022). Social media-driven routes to positive mental health among youth: Qualitative enquiry and concept mapping study. JMIR pediatrics and parenting, 5(1), e32758. https://doi.org/10.2196/32758