Social media use among young people is at an all time high, with no signs of slowing down. Coincidentally, the topic of mental health is gradually becoming a more widely discussed topic. My question is, how do these two variables work together? In this blog post, I will be taking a look at a few articles regarding mental health and social media, as well as giving my own thoughts on the subject.
What are your Intentions?
If you spend more time on social media, you are more likely to have depression or anxiety right? A study by Sarah Coyne, a professor at Brigham Young University, tells us otherwise. Over an eight-year span, 500 participants aged 13 filled out a yearly questionnaire regarding their time spent on social media. Participants’ use started at between 31-60 minutes per day. By the time the participants were older, use had increased to over 2 hours a day.
The amount of time spent using social media did not predict depression or anxiety. Coyne suggests that rather than monitoring time, users should:
- “Be an active user instead of a passive user”
- “Limit social media use at least an hour before falling asleep”
- “Be intentional”
Is Anyone There?
An article from Business Insider amalgamated findings across various studies on millennials’ mental health. A study by YouGov found that millennials are the loneliest generation to exist. “30% of millennials said they always or often felt lonely, compared with 20% of Generation X and 15% of boomers.” Additionally, millennials were more likely to respond that they “had no acquaintances, friends, close friends, or best friends.”
The first article concluded that it is not the amount of time spent on social media that predicts poor mental health. Rather, it is how social media is used that can lead to personal problems. The excerpt I pulled from the second article made no mention of social media, but concluded that millennials are the loneliest generation. What does this mean?
First of all, it is common knowledge that younger generations are more likely be active on social media platforms. Being constantly bombarded by pictures and videos of others showing their best moments is a false reality that influences us, whether we realize it or not. Seeing the “more exciting” lives of others can plant seeds of jealousy and the feeling of missing out. Rather than living in our own present realities, social media can cause us to dwell on other’s lives while neglecting our own. This, I believe, is why millennials are the loneliest generation.
Jeff Talks Technology 