The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
Introduction
Human beings are inherently social creatures who crave companionship and communication. It seems as though cooperating with others is the only way to make progress in life, according to lifestyle gurus and networking coaches. Being socially connected to others has never been more important, which explains the immense success of social media networking platforms. Despite the associated risks and dangers of this new invention, people use social media daily and rely on it in various aspects of their lives. Since the concept is relatively new, there are a limited number of studies, which would assess the impact of Instagram, Facebook, or any other platform on users’ mental health. Nevertheless, recent research indicates that the unnecessary and excessive use of social media can lead to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem (Hunt et al. 751; Lyall et al. 507). The evidence paints a clear picture of the threats people might face as a result of social media use.
The purpose of this speech is to analyze the latest research to identify the main dangers of this new medium of communication. The intended audience is everyone interested in learning more about the impact of social media on mental health and gaining insights into the correlation between depression, self-hate, anxiety, and excessive social media use. However, it targets young people, in particular, since they are some of the most active users who are impressionable and persuadable.
The Popularity of Social Media
Relatively recently, social media platforms have become an indispensable part of many people’s daily lives. Billions spend hours on Instagram and Facebook although just 50 years ago, no one could have predicted the existence of these new communication channels. The number of users is around 3.5 billion as of 2019, according to Karim et al. (1). Furthermore, it is projected to grow by 0.9 billion in only 6 years (Tankovska). The percentage of American adults who use social media platforms has increased by 74% since 2005 (Ortiz-Ospina). The penetration of social media is constantly expanding and intensifying in various regions worldwide. Tankovska notes that the global rate of using social media is at 49%, which is expected to increase significantly due to the economic development of less wealthy regions in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Although the U.S. and Europe remain the most prominent digital powerhouses, Eastern Asia starts to become the most penetrated market.
Feelings of Depression and Anxiety
The most serious concern related to the use of social networking sites and their impact on mental health is depression and anxiety. While one might feel anxious because of daily problems or situations out of their comfort zone, clinical depression is an actual mood disorder. Depressive episodes often imply prolonged feelings of sadness and suicidal thoughts. Studies reveal a clear correlation between the disorder and social media use. The researchers often go a bit further and suggest that platforms such as Instagram and Facebook may cause depression, to begin with (Hunt et al. 751). For instance, The Lancet Psychiatry published a study linking the feelings of unhappiness and disappointment with late-night Facebook surfing (Lyall et al. 507). Melissa G. Hunt and her colleagues concluded that people generally feel happier and less lonely if they spend less time on social media networking sites (751). This suggests that there is a causal link between social media and mental health. By presenting the evidence of this experimental study, the researchers demonstrated the association between emotional well-being and the use of platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
It is crucial to acknowledge that not social media itself, but the quality and quantity of the time spent using it affects mental health and behavioral patterns. According to Karim et al. (2), the Displaced Behavior Theory can provide an accurate explanation of the connection between emotional well-being and social networking. Thus, individuals who spend more of their time “in sedentary behaviors such as social media users have less time for face-to-face social interaction, both of which have been proven to be protective against mental disorders” (Karim et al. 2). In addition, the design of platforms such as Facebook and Instagram impacts the social patterns people tend to rely on during the process of maintaining their close relationships. As a result, they start to feel more anxious and disappointed once they recognize their inability to connect with others in real life.
The unnecessary use of social media platforms leads to feelings of depression and anxiety, which poses a threat to the global population’s mental well-being. The most common risk factors associated with such issues in the context of social media use include the excess of ti