Social media has become a critical part of our lives in recent years, helping shape public opinion. According to one study, the average American spends an average of 143 minutes on social media daily, translating to about two and a half hours spent scrolling different platforms. Statistics indicate that teens are usually the biggest social media users, spending an average of three hours daily on the platforms.

Other statistics indicate that mental health issues among teens have been on the rise in the last decade. According to the American College Health Association (ACHA), over 77% of American students have experienced psychological distress ranging from moderate to severe. This has led to experts questioning the role of social media in contributing to mental health problems. This article examines the growing concern over mental health and social media usage.

How Social Media Affects Your Mental Health

Social media platforms are built with the knowledge that humans are social creatures who need companionship. The strengths of our interactions with other people affects our happiness and mental health. When we are connected with others, it helps to ease our anxiety, stress, and depression. It can also help to provide comfort and improve our self-worth. Having people around us helps prevent loneliness and can add to our lives.

On the other hand, the lack of a strong social media connection can cause severe mental and emotional needs. Today, we use social media platforms to find and connect with other people. However, one of the common challenges with this connection method is that it creates the impression of a real human connection without offering that.

For the stress hormones to be alleviated and people to feel happier, healthier, and more positive, you need a real human connection. The irony of social media is that while it's designed to connect people, spending too much time on the platforms makes users feel isolated and lonely. This increases mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Therefore, one reason people increasingly feel dissatisfied, lonely, sad, or frustrated is because of the time they spend on social media.

Mental Health Problems Triggered By Social Media

Social media tends to promote various negative experiences, such as:

Inadequacy

Many social media users can feel inadequate about their lives or looks, especially in a space where most users post their best images with filters. Sadly, even when social media users understand they are viewing manipulated images, they still feel insecure about what is happening in their lives.

Additionally, many social media users only show the positive sides of their lives, avoiding the low moments. However, this doesn't lessen the feeling of dissatisfaction and envy when people scroll down their airbrushed images of holidaying on the beaches or bragging about their new jobs.

Impact on Self-esteem

Brands have used the Fear of Missing Out strategy (FOMO) for a long time, using words such as limited edition, hurry while stocks last, and more. That means the FOMO feeling has been around for a long time. However, social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok have taken this to a new level. These platforms create a feeling that other people are having a better experience, which makes you feel like you are missing out.

When people feel like they are missing out, this can affect their self-esteem, lead to anxiety, and cause them to increase their social media usage. FOMO causes users to keep picking up their phones after every minute to check for updates and respond to each alert. This gets to an extent where people miss sleep, check their phones while driving, or even spend time on social media instead of genuinely interacting with people around them.

Isolation

According to a University of Pennsylvania study, the more social media platforms one uses, such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, the more lonely one feels. However, reducing one's social media usage can reduce loneliness and improve one's overall well-being.

Anxiety and Depression

A key part of good mental health is face-to-face interactions. You can reduce your stress and improve your mood faster and more effectively through face-to-face contact with a person. That means if you are prioritizing social media interaction over an in-person relationship, you will be at risk of developing mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

A major difference between teenagers and young adults now compared to previous generations is the amount of time spent connecting with social media users rather than with their agemates. Therefore, some experts suggest that the leap in depression and anxiety is a result of electronic connections not being as satisfying as the previous peer interactions.

Since users aren’t connected with other users in a deeper and more empathic way, their social interactions will likely be less valuable, even though we noted earlier that social connections are needed.

Cyberbullying

A common social media problem is cyberbullying, with over 10% of teenagers in the United States reporting getting bullied via social media. This could be in the form of offensive comments on platforms such as Twitter. Whether it's through insults or character assassination, cyberbullying can leave lasting scars on the user.

Even when the bullying has stopped, the victim may continue to feel embarrassed. This is mainly because online social media posts don't disappear immediately. Victims can experience:

• A significant lack of safety and social isolation. 
• Physical and emotional harm. 
• Loss of self-esteem.
• The feeling of anxiety and shame.
• Learning or concentration difficulties.

Why Unhealthy Social Media Use Is A Vicious Cycle

When social media is used excessively, it results in a long and self-perpetuating cycle. When someone feels stressed, depressed, lonely, or anxious, they resort to using social media more often to eliminate boredom and connect with others. On the other hand, regular use of social media results in FOMO, as users may feel dissatisfied, isolated, or inadequate. 

These negative feelings result in a worn feeling that can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. As the signs worsen, they lead to more social media usage, and the downward spiral continues.

Signs of Negative Effects Of Social Media On Your Life

A common concern among social media users is how much time is spent on the social media platforms. There is no definite answer to the question, as everyone is different. However, by considering the number of posts you make and the frequency at which you check your notifications, you can quickly tell if you are using social media in an unhealthy way.

A better way to determine if you are healthy using social media is by checking its impact on your mood and other areas of your life. Some of the symptoms of the negative effects of social media on your life include:

Spending Too Much Time On Social Media

If you spend too much time on these social media platforms to the extent that it causes you to neglect your face-to-face relationships, leaves you distracted from your school or work, or makes you feel anxious, envious, or depressed, it's a sign that you are using social media in an unhealthy way. 

• Comparing yourself with other social media users. You probably notice your friends going on holiday, and you feel inadequate. Alternatively, you can compare their high number of likes and comments and feel inadequate, wondering how to increase your social media engagement level. Such an unfavorable comparison can be an indication of low self-esteem. If you feel like other people are more beautiful than you, this is a sign of a negative body image.
• Cyberbullying. Do you feel that people are harassing you on social media using their insensitive comments, insults, or derogatory comments? This could hurt your mental health.
• Getting distracted. A sign of addiction from social media is feeling distracted at work or school. Such social media users need to regularly post content about themselves to gain likes and comments. They also want to respond fast and enthusiastically to their friends' posts.
• Lack of self-reflection time. If you find that all your time is spent on social media and you hardly get time to reflect on yourself, your thoughts, and why you take specific actions, it could be a sign that your mind is affected by social media.
• Risky behaviors. Engaging in risky behaviors such as checking your phone when driving, posting dangerous pranks, or cyberbullying others is a sign that social media is negatively affecting you.
• Lack of enough sleep. If you spend a lot of time on social media to the point where you sleep late at night, it's a sign that social media is impacting your mental health.
• Getting more anxious or depressed. If, after using social media, you find your anxiety or depression worsening, it could be a sign of the negative impact of social media on your life.

Dealing With The Impact of Social Media Usage on Mental Health

If you feel that you are spending too much time on social media to the point where it is affecting your mental health, you can take several steps to deal with the problem. These are:

Spending Less Time on Social Media

According to a 2018 University of Pennsylvania report, reducing your social media time by as little as 30 minutes can help reduce your level of depression, loneliness, anxiety, FOMO, and sleeping problems. The same study found that minding your social media use can help improve your mood and focus. That means taking small steps can greatly impact your mental health. 

To help you reduce the time spent on these social media platforms or even your smartphone, you can practice the following tips:

• Use a time-tracking app. Unless you know the exact time spent on social media, it can be hard to take action. Using a social media time-tracking app can help you determine the exact time you spend. After that, you can create a goal on how to reduce your time.
• Turn off social media notifications. If you are addicted to social media, it can be hard to resist hearing that buzzing or beeping sound. Therefore, take control by turning off notifications.
• Switch off your phone at times. You can do this when you have an essential assignment, such as a meeting, working out, or even having dinner. Similarly, avoid using your phone in the bathroom.
• Don't carry your phone to bed. Once you retire to bed, turn off your phone and, preferably, leave it in another room overnight.
• Limit the times you check. If you find yourself compulsively checking your phone every few minutes, you can limit those checks to once every 30 minutes, then one hour. You can even use apps designed to limit phone access.
• Uninstall social media apps. If you spend a lot of time on Facebook, you can install the app from your phone. With time, you can even uninstall so many of them.

Find Healthy Alternatives

People spend too much time on these social media platforms to kill their time. One way to overcome this is to reduce your time on social media. This can also help to improve your experience and reduce the negative aspects.

If you use social media to find a particular information or share information, this is different from getting on social media to kill boredom or increase the engagement you get from your tweets. Before you log into social media, pause to find out the motivation for joining your favorite platform. Consider whether there is a real-life substitute you can use. For instance, you can join a neighborhood conservation society if you feel lonely. If you go to social media because of boredom, you can try a new hobby. 

If you feel disappointed after using social media, it's a sign that you are suffering from FOMO. You can then focus on what you have and forget what you don't have. If you feel you are missing out, consider the many positive things in your life. Remember that the lives people portray on social media differ from their real lives, and everyone has a negative side.

Connect More with Offline Friends

As noted earlier, humans crave face-to-face interaction. That means you might be affected mentally if social media replaces your real offline friends. Therefore, think of a way to build meaningful connections outside social media. Ensure you set aside time each week to interact with family and friends. 

You can even take the interaction to a new level by not carrying your phone. Thus, reach out to those friends and organize a meetup. You can run errands or even exercise together if your life's hectic. You can find a creative activity, a hobby, or a fitness activity you can participate in with like-minded friends.

Show Gratitude

We noted earlier that a negative aspect of social media is the feeling of inadequacy. To overcome this feeling, you must show gratitude for life's essential things. This can help you overcome resentment, discontentment, and animosity often present on social media.

To take stock of areas where you need to show gratitude, you may need to keep a journal of your reflections. Track all the great memories and positivity in your life. If you like venting, you can consider showing gratitude on social media.

Practice Mindfulness

When experiencing FOMO, you are comparing yourself to others by focusing on the frustrations and disappointments in life. Rather than appreciating your current achievement, you focus on the “what if” and “if only,” especially when you see others doing better than you on social media. Mindfulness is a good practice that helps you live in the moment, reduce the impact of FOMO, and improve your mental well-being.

Volunteering

Giving to others is a great way to reconnect with our inner selves and help us overcome feelings of inadequacy. Therefore, take time to help other people or animals to enrich your community and benefit a key cause you believe in. This may also help you feel more grateful and happier.

Signs of Harmful Social Media Usage in Teens

According to a study conducted on teens aged between 12 and 15 in the U.S., it was noted that spending three hours on social media raised the risk of mental health. In another study conducted in England involving over 12,000 teens aged between 13 and 16, it was found that using social media more than three times a day resulted in poor mental health.

The impact of social media on teens is affected by the kind of content they watch. Watching certain kinds of content has been noted to increase the risk of mental health in teens. This content could be showing:

• Illegal acts.
• Self-harm content or harm to other people.
• Eating disorder content.

These kinds of content can mainly be harmful to kids already suffering from other mental disorders. When teens suffer from discrimination on social media or are exposed to cyberbullying, their risk of depression or anxiety increases.

The use of social media in teens can lead to various behaviors such as:

• Not completing homework.
• Unhealthy sleeping patterns.
• Biased or incorrect information.
• Biased views of other people’s lives or bodies.
• Exposure to online predators.
• Exposure to cyberbullying.

How to Help Teens Overcome Mental Health Challenges Resulting From Social Media Usage

According to a 2022 study of teenagers aged 13 to 17, 35% use at least a social media site several times a day. The top social media sites are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. Here are tips to protect your kid's mental health from social media usage:

Set Social Media Rules

If you don't have rules for how your children should handle social media, it can quickly get in their way. You can set rules such as:

• Preventing them from accessing social media before completing their homework.
• Setting a daily limit on the time they can spend on social media.
• Limiting periods when they can access social media, such as evenings or weekends.

Ensure that the teens understand the consequences of not following the rules. If the kids don’t follow the rules, talk to them.

Turn on the Privacy Setting

While this may not limit your teens' use of social media, it can help protect them from sharing personal data or information they weren't supposed to share. You can check and change your teen's privacy settings.

Teen Account Monitoring

According to the American Psychological Association, parents should regularly monitor their children’s social media usage. They can do that by being friends with their children on social media. As their children grow, you can limit how often you monitor the account.

Talk to the Teens

Ensure you regularly explain social media's risks and challenges to your kids. Regularly talking to your children can give them essential insights, such as determining authentic content on social media. 

Tell your kids what you find inappropriate. You can also explain to them that the images on social media about lifestyle and beauty aren't realistic. Remind them that it's wrong to bully others, spread gossip or hurtful comments, and share their personal information with strangers.

Conclusion

Social media affects our mental health by increasing our loneliness, anxiety, FOMO, and even depression. While these issues are more prevalent in teens and young adults, they can affect people of all ages. Luckily, by using our guide, you can take control of your social media usage and overall mental health.