How Does Social Media Affect Mental Health? Insights and Tips
By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer
With so many people feeling depressed and with high anxiety, many of us are left wondering how does social media affect mental health. You may feel depressed or anxious after scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, or experience envy and feelings of low self-worth after seeing Facebook posts from your peers. And you are not alone - according to a survey conducted by Online Therapy, 64% of social media users experience anxiety, 56% report depression, 52% feel dissatisfaction with life, 52% have a fear of missing out, and 51% have body image issues as a result of using social media apps. Social media can have a very detrimental effect on mental health and online interactions can leave people feeling down and disconnected.
This article will go over some of the statistics on social media and mental health as well as offer tips on how to combat some of the negative effects of social media on your mental well-being as well as offer resources if you need help.
How Does Social Media Affect Mental Health?
“Social media can impact our mental health in a variety of ways, depending on how we engage with it,” says Melanie McNally, PsyD Adolescent Clinical Psychologist and Life Coach. “When we use it passively (scrolling, lurking) vs. actively (posting, commenting authentically, creating), we feel worse.”
When people use social media passively, they experience increased rates of depression, according to McNally. “Additionally, the dopamine dump we get from social media notifications makes it addictive and makes other things, like reading, writing, or talking, feel understimulating and boring,” she says.
It’s no secret that our society is addicted to cell phones. Reviews.org surveyed Americans on their cell phone usage and recorded the following stats:
47% of cellphone users say they are “addicted” to their cell phones.
Americans check their phones an average of 344 times per day.
71% of Americans say they check their phones within the first 10 minutes of waking up.
70% of Americans check their phones within five minutes of receiving a notification.
The average American will spend nearly a month and a half (44 days!) on their phones in a year.
With so many of us roped to our phones throughout the day, checking social media is one of the top priorities for many people. And social media can be so addictive. Former tech employees have warned that social media apps are designed to be addictive. This helps line the pockets of big tech company executives. The more time people spend on social media, the more tech companies make profits.
Data from the Pew Research Center.
But how does social media affect mental health? Numerous research studies demonstrate that social media usage can result in increased rates of depression and anxiety and aggravate mental health problems. Despite the negative feelings that often come with social media use, people get addicted to the sensations in the brain’s reward center that occur with likes and comments.
Posting on social media and receiving likes and comments causes a dopamine response in the brain, which releases a “feel-good” hormone. And the unpredictable nature of the likes and feedback keeps people hooked, as they check notifications, and return to try their luck again with another post. It is similar to addictive gambling, where the unknown and unpredictable outcome with random rewards keeps people coming back. As we can see from the phone behavior stats, notifications also spur people to check their social accounts.
In addition to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and addictive behavior, social media can contribute to secondary problems that can harm brain patterns like not engaging in other activities, not getting enough sleep, and relying on online friendships as opposed to real life connections, according to McNally.
Social Media’s Affect on Youth
Social media can have far-reaching effects on young people, whose brains are not fully formed yet. Nearly half (46%) of American adolescents between age 13 and 17 report experiencing at least one of six cyberbullying behaviors, according to the Pew Research Center survey. Bullying that focuses on appearance is especially common on social media, and older teenage girls are the most at-risk of being bullied for their appearances, according to the research center. With these disheartening stats, it is not surprising that social media can trigger depression, anxiety, fomo, and body image issues among young people.
“A recent study found that teens who check social media more habitually showed greater neural sensitivity in the parts of the brain associated with social rewards and punishments,” McNally says. “This could have long-term effects on overall psychological development (e.g., seeking/needing approval from others or external sources rather than focusing on intrinsic motivators).”
In addition to the intense pressures of social media at a vulnerable age, young people have different brain responses to social media than adults. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), starting around age 10, children’s brains undergo a shift that causes them to seek social rewards, including attention and approval from their peers.
“For kids ages 10 and older, the receptors for the ‘happy hormones’ oxytocin and dopamine multiply in a part of the brain called the ventral striatum, making preteens extra sensitive to attention and admiration from others,” according to the APA.
And as kids and teens increasingly rely on social media platforms on their devices for attention and connections, they are experiencing much higher levels of these feel-good hormones and permanent repercussions. Instead of real-life situations where a teen hopes to talk to a crush and has a short conversation, for instance, a social media post with thousands of likes and comments is permanent, with much more lasting implications and potential for stress or bullying.
In addition, young people are more likely to develop body image issues from using social media, while kids who use Instagram or Snapchat before age 11 face a higher risk of online harassment. Young people who use social media are at higher risks of having mental health issues such as depressive symptoms, feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, and anxiety.
Social media harms young adults as well, as a study of college students reported that college-wide access to Facebook led to an increase in severe depression by 7% and anxiety disorder by 20%. Suicide rates among young adults have skyrocketed along with the rise of social media. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the suicide rate among 10- to 24-year-olds was stable from 2000 to 2007, and then it jumped 57% between 2007 and 2017, which is also the time that Facebook became a dominant force in American culture.
Social media habits of young people are still being studied as their use of social media is relatively recent in our society. The impact of social media can lead to feelings of sadness, isolation, and reduced social interactions in real life.
Tips to Reduce the Negative Effects of Social Media
Although social media can cause harmful effects on mental health, there are ways you can limit your exposure and protect your mental health. Here are some tips to help boost your mental health:
Notice your feelings as you scroll, advises McNally. Do you feel bad about your body? Do you feel like you're not doing enough? Do you wish you had more friends? See what comes up for you and talk to someone about these feelings. Maybe they're signs of goals you want to develop or maybe you need to unfollow or mute certain accounts.
Report and block anyone who harasses, bullies, or stalks you or sends you unwanted messages.
Turn off notifications so you decide when to check social media, rather than letting your phone decide for you.
Unfollow or block accounts that leave you feeling down, anxious, or overall negative.
Limit your social media time. You can delete social apps on your phone and only check accounts on your desktop during certain times, such as at lunch on weekdays.
Use social media intentionally by deciding what your purpose is prior to opening the app, McNally advises. Are you going on to check in with friends, to be inspired, to learn, or to look for something specific? Decide ahead of time and stick to the plan.
Take one day a week to unplug from all social media accounts. You may want to extend this for one week or even longer if you need a more long-term mental health boost.
Consider leaving social networks that cause you to feel stressed, anxious, or down. If you do not need to be on social accounts for work or business-related activities, you can cut down on your personal social media accounts.
Try not to compare yourself to others. This can be difficult since social media encourages comparison, but remember that most people - and brands - are putting highlights with filtered photos, and videos and posts do not reflect a lot of reality.
Focus on life off screen. Develop meaningful real life connections, engage in sports and extracurriculars, and develop hobbies.
Speak to a trained mental health professional if you feel intensely anxious, stressed, or depressed or if your feelings persist even when you give social media a break. If you think you may be addicted to social media, talk to a therapist. There are also online support groups for social media addiction, including Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous.
Mental Health Help
I hope this article has helped to have more insight into how does social media affect mental health. If you feel like you’re addicted to social media or experiencing increased stress, depression, and anxiety from social media, seek out a trained therapist for help. You can also try some lifestyle changes to reduce your time on social media, limit your personal social media accounts, and disengage from people and brands that you follow who cause you to feel stressed or down.
Have you tried cutting back on social media? Comment below with your tips or tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your wellness journey and get cheered on.
For more insights on mental and physical health and weekly encouragement, sign up for our free Wellness Wednesday newsletter.
Related Posts: Mental Health Tips for Social Media, 51 Self-Care Sunday Ideas to Recharge Body and Mind
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, writer, Brooklyn resident, Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.
