Social Media and its impact on Mental Health

The internet is a global system of interconnected networks - specifically computer networks, that consist of wireless electronic technologies that carry a vast array of information which can be accessed from any part of the world. We are at the peak of a digital revolution where everything and anything can be accessed at the tip of our fingers.The internet has significantly impacted human behavior, and its impact can be seen both as positive and negative. Excessive exposure to the internet puts individuals at risk of overconsumption of the internet, into developing an addiction towards it. The average screen time in India is about 6-7 hours a day, and it's not much of a surprise considering how much of our lives revolve around the use of interactive media. As beneficial as it is, it also becomes very easy to fall under the trap of consuming an excessive amount of content online, which in turn affects the way we behave and think.

Social media is a branch of technology that enables the creation, building and collecting of content - interests, ideas, knowledge, in virtual communities across the globe. It enables us to participate in a larger social network, and can be used to enhance human network and connections. Social media can be accessed through the internet and net-based apps, and is now mostly used to document memories, form friendships and connections, and also the latest trend of establishing small businesses through social media platforms. There are both the positive and negative strengths of social media. When used correctly, we can use it to our advantage, but if not, it can greatly affect us in a negative way.

Social media does have a good number of benefits - it helps us stay connected and up to date with current affairs and events, connects and helps us maintain, and build relationships with individuals across the globe virtually, gain useful information and build communities with similar interests, gives us a space to express ourselves, and can be effectively used to expand our creativity. Proverbs 27:17 says: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Using social media to build others up rather than tearing them down, fostering healthy connections that contribute to mental well-being, is something we can all practice as users of social media. It can be a place to build and develop our mental health resource by taking in content from experts and professionals, getting health information, and also using it as a form of entertainment.

Negative trends of behavior arising from social media would generally include sleep disturbance, losing track of time when online, the compulsion to check social media, spending long hours online which is reducing one’s time offline, the constant need to develop a social influence, using social media as a form of escape from personal problems, and potentially feel withdrawal symptoms when they do not use social media, loneliness, decreased feelings of happiness, depression and anxiety, destructive behaviors, body image dissatisfaction, reduces the quality of our work because of the distractions, cyberbullying, to name a few. The bible tells us in Galatians 6:4: "Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else." This passage encourages focusing on personal growth and not falling into the trap of unhealthy comparisons, which is especially relevant in the context of social media.

Self representation is a process through which individuals form and shape their identity, as to how they represent themselves publicly. Various factors can influence an individual as to how they shape their identity, and social media is one of the main platforms where they can showcase this said identity. Hence, social media presence is becoming an underline pressure for most young adults where their presence online could potentially showcase the life they want, and not the life they have. This deception of the idea of life, which most times is unrealistic, indirectly influences the behaviors, motives and thoughts of others who are viewing the lives of others through the shared posts, stories and videos. We need to be aware that not everything we see on social media is real. Feelings of dissatisfaction with our own lives, and insecurities may pop up when we compare ourselves to others based on their online posts.

FOMO (fear of missing out), has seemed to intensify with the increase in social media content. The feeling that others may be living a better life or having more fun can negatively impact self esteem, loneliness, trigger depression and anxiety. This can cause one to do other things, which can mean indulging in risky behavior in order to not feel left out, or prioritizing the social media persona more than real life, which may reduce one’s actual time with in-person relationships. If we use social media as a form of coping from the stress of life, loneliness, sadness, it may create a vicious cycle of using social media as a form of getting through.

Mental health and sleep are closely related. Adequate sleep is essential to be able to function effectively with daily tasks and activities, and poor sleep tends to have negative consequences in an individual’s life; affecting their work, physical and mental health, along with interpersonal functioning. Scrolling on social media opens the door to ruining the sleep schedule of an individual, causing trouble to set in, into a person’s life.

What Can We Do To Navigate The Negative Behaviors Towards Social Media?

There are many ways of managing social media usage to make sure it does not produce negative side effects in our lives. It is essential in maintaining a healthy balance between the real and the online world. Excessive use of social media, comparison culture and the pressure to conform to trends can lead to harmful effects on our mental health, relationships and productivity. In order to maximize the positive impact of social media while minimizing negative side effects, it’s important to implement strategic habits and practices. Exercising self control is important in all areas of life and the same applies to social media. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says: "I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"—but I will not be mastered by anything." This verse emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and practicing self-control in how we engage with social media, ensuring that it doesn’t dominate our lives or negatively impact our mental health. A few practices which we can follow are listed below.

Setting boundaries with time management - Keeping a set time in a day to use social media and sticking to the time. This helps in restricting overconsumption of social media, and allows one to effectively use social media and at the same time create boundaries between digital engagement and other important aspects of life. Overuse of social media may cause overstimulation, and increased screen time. Hence by limiting screen time and effectively managing our time with social media, we can reduce these negative effects. Apps like ‘Screen time’ helps monitor digital usage and can help us stick to our preferred time limit.

Turning off the internet connection when we are busy with work or spending time with people, so that we can be fully present in the moment - this is a very good habit to follow, as it allows us to be present in the moment and give our hundred percent without getting distracted with our devices. This promotes deeper engagement with the task at hand and fosters more meaningful, quality interactions with others. Reducing social media use improves well-being, and decreases social comparison and FOMO.

Turning off notifications greatly helps in not checking the phone often, and not getting distracted with our devices - Turning off the sounds and notifications can help us in resisting checking our phones and help regain focus on what is at hand. Constant checking because of notifications can lead to wasted time and a lack of focus on the tasks at hand. Turning off notifications can prevent frequent interruptions and allow us to regain focus and control.

Limiting phone checking to specific intervals can help break the habit of compulsive phone checking - If one compulsively keeps checking the phone after every few minutes, we can keep a set time for which we can check our phones, maybe checking once every 20 mins, then gradually increasing to once every 40 min, and so on. Breaking this habit would ideally retrain our brain to rely less on external gratification every time we hear a notification, reduce the pressure of constant connections, and reduce dependency on the phone, thus leading to healthier digital consumption patterns

Our self image should not be determined by what we see on social media. This may be one of the most harmful effects of social media, as it impacts our self esteem. Through social media, users can easily just choose to share moments that are celebratory - highlighting just the positive aspects of their lives. This curated content does not show the actual reality and may be portraying only the idealized version of one’s life. Thus unrealistic comparison would only cause negative impacts on one’s physical, mental and emotional health. The focus on external validation may only bring about more pressure to live this ideal life that will further reinforce self esteem to be tied to external validation.

It is important to foster our self image through authentic and meaningful sources such as things that we do in the real world, our real world friendships and achievements, embracing who we are, our own values, and not prioritizing something that is so fleeting as a trend on social media. The foundational truth about self-image in the Bible is that every person is made in the image of God, giving us intrinsic value and dignity. God created man in His image (Genesis 1:26-27), and our worth is determined by our inner qualities that reflect godliness. As it says in 1 Samuel 16:7: "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

God’s love for us is constant and unchanging (Romans 8:38-39), unlike the fleeting seconds of love and attention that comes from a social media post. He values the real us (Psalms 139:13-14)

While social media offers amazing opportunities for connection and self-expression, its impact on mental health is complex and multifaceted. It has the potential to foster meaningful relationships and support networks, but it also poses significant risks, including the amplification of feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. The way individuals engage with social media—shaped by factors such as frequency of use, content consumed, and personal resilience—greatly influences its effects. Hence, it is crucial for users to prioritize mental well-being, implementing strategies such as mindful usage, digital detoxes, and promoting positive content. By taking these steps, we can harness the benefits of social media while mitigating its harmful consequences, creating a healthier digital landscape for all.

(All information in this article is Public Domain)

References:

• Fardouly, Jasmine, et al. “Social Comparisons on Social Media: The Impact of Facebook on Young Women’s Body Image Concerns and Mood.” Body Image, vol. 13, no. 1, Mar. 2015, pp. 38–45.
• Kietzmann, Jan H.; Hermkens, Kristopher (2011). "Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media". Business Horizons (Submitted manuscript). 54 (3): 241–251.
• Obar, Jonathan A.; Wildman, Steve (2015). "Social media definition and the governance challenge: An introduction to the special issue". Telecommunications Policy. 39 (9): 745–750.
• Sadagheyani, Hassan Ebrahimpour, and Farin Tatari. “Investigating the Role of Social Media on Mental Health.” Mental Health and Social Inclusion, vol. 25, no. 1, 16 Oct. 2020, pp. 41–51.
• Yang, Chia-chen; Holden, Sean M.; Carter, Mollie D. K. (2017-09-01). "Emerging adults' social media self-presentation and identity development at college transition: Mindfulness as a moderator". Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 52: 212–221.
• Yang, Chia-chen, et al. “Social Media and Psychological Well-Being among Youth: The Multidimensional Model of Social Media Use.” Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, vol. 24, no. 3, 24 June 2021, pp. 631–650.