No Theory - Social Media Harms us (Studies Reveal)

This isn't another article or someone going on about how much Social Media is ruining everything, you can go out and talk to most people and they'll usually agree. A lot of the people even using it daily would agree the same. I was reluctant to write one as Ancient Purity is on them, there's links to Instagram and Facebook in this Blog. But even as business people have always told me I'm not using it enough, I've just gone another month without a post on instagram, I go weeks a fair bit. Same with the other. What choice do we have vanish into obscurity if we don't. Anyway I'll talk more on that at the end. The purpose of this article is to prove it, not be another person moaning. I found studies that show what it's doing. You know what it's doing but now you can back it up.

Ok so Social media is an integral part of daily life, or we've been forced to make it so, even at Ancient Purity we have. You know the common phrases - it allows us to connect with others, stay informed, and share experiences. But now even in the mainstream concern is mounting about the negative impact on mental health. Research has found that frequent use of social media can result in adverse emotions including depression, anxiety, and loneliness. It can be challenging to disconnect and unwind due to the constant flow of information and stimuli, leading to mental overload and fatigue. Acknowledging the negative implications of social media and exploring current research on its effects on well-being is critical. Understanding how social comparison impacts mental health and blue light from screens disrupts sleep is essential. Despite these potential risks, social media can also be an excellent means of communication if used responsibly and healthily to minimize adverse effects. Recognising the potential pitfalls of social media and taking steps to mitigate the risks can help individuals use this powerful tool while safeguarding their mental health and well-being.

Social Media - Social Comparison

Various investigations have established a link between the use of social media and mental health issues including anxiety, loneliness, and depression [1]. Research shows that excessive use of social media platforms can amplify feelings of social detachment [2]. Furthermore, individuals who spend prolonged periods on social media exhibit higher rates of depressive symptoms [3]. The never-ending stream of idealised images and seemingly perfect lifestyles exhibited on social media can create impractical standards and promote angst, which can detrimentally impact our psychological wellness and sense of self-worth [4]. In addition, the constant yearning to be up-to-date on the latest social developments can heighten anxiety and stress levels, as individuals constantly compare themselves to their peers and perceive they must keep up [5].

The social comparison theory posits that we judge ourselves by evaluating ourselves in contrast to others [6]. On social media platforms, it is common to scrutinize the dazzling portrayals of others, which can generate feelings of envy and disgruntlement regarding our own personal circumstances [7]. For young individuals who are trying to form their unique self-conception, this may be particularly harmful as they are more prone to making comparisons with others [8]. There is growing concern about its effects on mental health. Studies suggest that social media can cause anxious, depressed and lonely feelings. The social comparison theory could be the main reason for this issue. It states that individuals assess themselves based on comparisons with others. On social media, this implies comparing our lives with the highlights of others, leading to envy, discontent and low self-esteem. Young people are at greater risk due to their exploration of self-identity and penchant for judging themselves by others' standards. We will explore the adverse impacts of social media on mental well-being, the specific ways it affects it, and suggestions for using it healthily without giving up its benefits.

An additional manner in which social media can affect our mental health is by interfering with our sleep patterns. The blue light discharged by electronic devices can impede the secretion of melatonin, a hormone essential in regulating proper sleep [9]. Consequently, it can cause a range of sleep issues, including insomnia, which has links to several mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression [10]. Moreover, the persistent stimulation of social media can make it challenging to unwind and de-stress before going to bed - further worsening sleep disturbances [11]. Insufficient quality sleep can negatively impact our thinking/concentration abilities, mood, and overall wellbeing [12].

It's crucial we acknowledge Social Media adverse effects on our emotional state. Not just saying it is, or moaning to people about the good old days. We've got to seriously acknowledge it and do something about it. Social media usage can result in feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and sadness. Constantly comparing ourselves to others, experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out), and loss of sleep are all factors that contribute to this negativity. As I said in the beginning, this is about proving it, it's like people smoking, people starting to notice, hey people are getting a bit sick from doing this, to hmm isn't this bad for us, to there's studies being done, there's proof, it's really bad for us. Most people quit smoking and the ones who still smoke know it's bad for them, but they're probably in denial about how bad it is for them...

Are we in denial about how bad Social Media is for us? will take a warning screen to pop up before the App opens to say - USING SOCIAL MEDIA SERIOUSLY DAMAGES YOUR HEALTH, imagine the images that could be on it. We've all got opinions about it, most of us know life without it, it was alright, everything was fine. Where do we go from here? to move away from these things. To enjoy social interactions and get the same feelings naturally we are getting from Social Media use, without the negative side effects. Like with all aspects of our lives, balance is essential. Implementing healthy limitations and being aware of our social media practices can minimise any detrimental effects on our mental health. We've had the warnings now, the studies show the dangers. How will we all move forward with this knowledge. Lets all be excited about the future and making life fun and interesting and remember how much we could create and achieve and enjoy without some of this stuff. We make technology work smart to help our lives and we turn to nature and other people and ourselves for happiness, it's inside.

Here are the References

[1] Woods, H. C., & Scott, H. (2016). #Sleepyteens: Social media use in adolescence is associated with poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. Journal of adolescence, 51, 41-49. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27294324/
[2] Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Escobar-Viera, C. G., Barrett, E. L., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., … & James, A. E. (2017). Use of multiple social media platforms and symptoms of depression and anxiety: A nationally-representative study among US young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 1-9. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-05034-002
[3] Lin, L. Y., Sidani, J. E., Shensa, A., Radovic, A., Miller, E., Colditz, J. B., Primack, B. A. (2016). Association between social media use and depression among US young adults. Depression and anxiety, 33(4), 323-331. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26783723/
[4] Vogel, E. A., Rose, J. P., Roberts, L. R., & Eckles, K. (2014). Social comparison, social media, and self-esteem. Psychology of popular media culture, 3(4), 206. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-33471-001
[5] Tandoc Jr, E. C., Ferrucci, P., & Duffy, M. (2015). Facebook use, envy, and depression among college students: Is Facebooking depressing?. Computers in Human Behavior, 43, 139-146. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-55177-016
[6] Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human relations, 7(2), 117-140. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001872675400700202
[7] Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2015). Social comparisons on social media: the impact of Facebook on young women’s body image concerns and mood. Body image, 13, 38-45. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25615425/
[8] Moreno, M. A., Jelenchick, L. A., Egan, K. G., Cox, E., Young, H., Gannon, K. E., & Becker, T. (2011). Feeling bad on Facebook: depression disclosures by college students on a social networking site. Depression and anxiety, 28(6), 447-455. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110617/
[9] Chang, A. M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J. F., & Czeisler, C. A. (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(4), 1232-1237. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25535358/
[10] Baglioni, C., Battagliese, G., Feige, B., Spiegelhalder, K., Nissen, C., Voderholzer, U., … & Riemann, D. (2011). Insomnia as a predictor of depression: a meta-analytic evaluation of longitudinal epidemiological studies. Journal of affective disorders, 135(1-3), 10-19. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21300408/
[11] Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N., … & Ybarra, O. (2013). Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PloS one, 8(8), e69841. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0069841
[12] Grandner, M. A., Jackson, N. J., Pak, V. M., & Gehrman, P. R. (2012). Sleep disturbance is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Journal of sleep research, 21(4), 427-433. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22151079/