According to a 2018 study by IDC Research Group, 80% of smartphone users immediately reach for their phones when they wake up. If you’re like us, you’re in this statistical bracket. And if you’re also like us, we can guarantee what you check your phone for.

The same study reveals most people are logging into social media.

Social media’s ill effects on the brain are no longer a secret. Plenty of research has revealed consistent social media use leads to stress, comparison to others, and symptoms of depression. ¹

So, what does this mean for us? Throughout this article, we’ll look into how social media harms your life.

Social Media’s Effects on Health and Well-Being

Within the last decade, there have been growing concerns about the volume of social media consumption, especially among young people. Still, not all is bad.

Pros of Social Media Use

While social media will never meet the psychological benefits of face-to-face contact, there are some positives to consider when it comes to your mental health. These include:

• Communication with family and friends from around the world.
• Ability to find new friends and communities.
• Raising awareness and promoting important issues.
• Offering (or seeking) emotional support in tough times.
• The power to make social connections if you have limitations (i.e. social anxiety).
• Creative and self-expression outlet.
• Discovering valuable pieces of information.

Cons of Social Media Use

Since social media remains a new phenomenon, there isn’t enough research to discuss the long-term consequences of social media use. However, multiple studies have linked heavy social media use to increased risks of:

• Anxiety ²
• Depression ³
• Loneliness ⁴
• Self-harm ⁵
• Suicidal thoughts ⁶

Through these afflictions, you may also experience:

Inadequacy About Your Life or Appearance

Constantly looking at images of others can make you feel insecure about how you look and what’s going on in your life. ⁷ Even when you know those photos are manipulated.

It’s no secret that people usually only share the highlights of their lives and keep low points in secret. Still, if you’re currently struggling with life, it doesn’t help to see an old friend get married or your classmates successfully land career achievements.

Everyone’s journey through life is different. We need to keep our focus on our path.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Social Media Addiction

While FOMO has always been a thing, social media exacerbates these feelings. The idea that you’re missing out can lead to several negative effects, including: ⁸

• Anxiety
• Greater social media use (addiction)
• Self-esteem issues

People who struggle with social media FOMO may compulsively reach for their phones every few minutes to check for updates. Or, they may be susceptible to every notification on their phones, going as far as to risk real-world interactions.

Isolation

Consistent research has revealed that high social media usage leads to increased loneliness. 9 Still, it’s worth noting that some studies have found using social media may make you feel less lonely and improve your well-being. ¹⁰

Anxiety and Depression

Humans are social creatures. While social media can bridge the gap between you and long-distance friends, it cannot replace the positive effects of face-to-face contact. Especially when that contact is with someone you care about. As such, overuse of social media has been linked to anxiety and depression. ¹¹

Cyberbullying

Social media use increases your chances of being cyberbullied. Simply put, cyberbullying is when someone uses technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another individual. While it’s most common among children and adolescents, adults also partake in this type of trauma. Such social interactions can lead to a variety of mental health concerns. ¹²

Self-Absorption

You may become self-centered through social media use. This isn’t a surprise considering these platforms provide you with the tools to share endless photos and your innermost thoughts. The difficulty with self-absorption is it can disconnect you from real-life connections.

A “Security Blanket”

Have you ever been in a social situation that’s made you feel anxious, awkward, or lonely? Did you take this opportunity to pull out your phone and log into social media?

Social media has become a tool to help us deny face-to-face interactions that make us uncomfortable. ¹⁴ It can be a crutch to prevent us from handling real-world dilemmas.

Masking Underlying Problems

You may use social media as a means of avoiding other problems in your life, including stress, depression, and boredom.

Do you use social media when you feel down? When you’re bored, are you more likely to hop on your smartphone? Such actions may distract you from unpleasant feelings. However, social media also prevents you from finding healthier ways to manage your mood.

As such, this can create a negative and continual cycle of:

1. Using social media when you feel lonely, depressed, anxious, or stressed.
2. Increasing your risk of FOMO and feeling inadequate, dissatisfied, and isolated.
3. Worsening your mood and symptoms of mental illness.
4. Continually using social media as a crutch to prevent these feelings.

Signs Social Media is Impacting Your Mental Health

When considering our mental health, we need to think about the effects social media has on us. Here are a few indicators that it’s negatively impacting your mental health:

You Spend More Time on Social Media Than with Real-World Friends

Many of us opt to connect via social media rather than face-to-face. Even when we’re out with friends, we may find ourselves glued to the phone. These actions are usually driven by FOMO and should not be underestimated. It may help to discipline yourself not to use your phone when you’re out and about.

Comparing Yourself Unfavorably to Others

Do you have low self-esteem? Do you look at your body image in a negative light? When you see other’s pictures, does it make you feel jealous?

These sensations are indicators that social media is warping your perception of the world around you. The difficulty is such perceptions can lead to real-world problems, such as eating disorders. ¹⁵

Remember that much of what you see on social media is manipulated. Nobody is perfect and you are not doing anyone any favors by comparing yourself to others.

You Experience Cyberbullying

Have people attacked you online? Do you worry about what people may post about you? Cyberbullying is very real and can lead to several mental health conditions. If you experience cyberbullying, it’s best to log off and ignore the negativity.

Being Distracted from School or Work

Social media’s algorithms require consistent attention and are designed to keep you on the apps for longer periods. As such, you may think you need to regularly update your content, respond to comments or other friends’ posts, and continue liking content in your feed. This type of behavior may distract you from real-world responsibilities.

Avoiding Self-Reflection

When do you have time to self-reflect if your spare moments are filled with social media engagement? The more you interact with social media, the less you’re asking yourself:

• Who are you?
• What do you think?
• Why do you act the way that you do?

Answers to these questions provide us with the ability to grow as people.

Engaging in Risky Behaviors for Likes

Do you perform dangerous pranks? Do you post embarrassing material? Do you cyberbully others?

If you’re doing so, you only do it for more likes, shares, and reactions on social media. These behaviors can lead to real-life consequences, whether it be with the law or for future employment opportunities.

How Do You Change Your Social Media Use?

Think you have a problem with social media? It’s okay. There’s always time to improve yourself and your connection to the world around you.

We recommend taking the following steps to prevent the negative cycle of social media from continuing:

Step 1: Reduce Your Time Online

A 2018 study from the University of Pennsylvania found that reducing social media use to just 30 minutes a day resulted in reduced levels of:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• FOMO
• Loneliness
• Sleep problems

While 30 minutes may sound like too much of a stretch for you, it can help to slowly reduce your social media intake. From there, you may also want to:

• Track how much time you spend on social media each day.
• Turn off your phone at certain times of the day.
• Don’t bring your phone (or tablet) to bed.
• Disable social media notifications.
• Limit how often you check your phone.
• Remove social media apps from your phone.

Step 2: Change Your Focus

Part of the reason we’re always accessing social media is out of habit. It may be time to refocus your habits. During moments when you’re known to check social media (i.e. your lunch break), try developing replacement habits (i.e. reading a book). It’s key to consider hobbies you may have neglected that you’d now like to embrace.

If you check social media compulsively, you may want to ask yourself the following:

• Do you use social media to substitute real-life experiences?
• Are you an active (always posting) or passive (always scrolling) social media user?
• Does social media make you feel inadequate and disappointed about your life?

The answers to these questions may help you counteract social media use. For example, if you do use social media to substitute real-life experiences, you can consider what experiences you’d like to have.

Step 3: Spend More Time with Real-World Friends

As mentioned, face-to-face interactions are key to a happy and healthy life. While social media can help us maintain connections, it cannot replace the value of real-life connections.

To interact more with people in the real world, we recommend:

• Setting time aside each week for interactions.
• Reaching out to old friends.
• Joining a club.
• Interacting with strangers.

If in-person interactions make you feel awkward, it may be time to overcome these insecurities. In cases of social anxiety, we found exposure therapy to be a useful tool.

References

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