Social Media Impact on Mental Health

“Mental illness is quickly becoming one of the most serious and prevalent public health problems worldwide.” (Wongoklabp). Adding onto that, around 3 billion people are active on social media for at least 2 hours a day. (BBC). The main question in this essay is that “is there a connection between growing mental health problems and social media usage? There are series of pros and cons involving social media, as well as the stigma and formed beliefs surrounding social media; however, there are certain actions that can be taken. 

Parents beliefs on social media usage have raised some doubts about whether or not their children should have active accounts. In May 2023 Surgeon general Vivek Murthy released a report, and, in an interview, he states, “We have to now take action to make sure that we are protecting our kids.” And in his report, he advises that the policymakers, and parents to be more involved in children’s social media accounts to restrict harmful content. Many parents dislike the constant use of social media and want to find ways to keep harmful posts off their children’s feed. This shows how parents have raised concerns with their kid’s mental health problems and believe that social media is linked to it. “A majority of parents of adolescents say they are somewhat, very, or extremely worried that their child’s use of social media could lead to problems with anxiety or depression (53%), lower self-esteem (54%), being harassed or bullied by others (54%), feeling pressured to act a certain way (59%), and exposure to explicit content (71%).” To help combat their children’s health problems they want to monitor their feed to restrict negative feed. This resentment of social media has raised parents to consistently urge policymakers to update their guidelines and evaluate restrictions. Parents express their concern with social media leading to anxiety, depression, and lower self-esteem, which is shown in the surveys, which reflects to the mental health crisis that is currently rising in the adolescent population.

Along with the concerns parents have against social media there are a series of benefits that come with the usage of social media that can help form strong communities. Mesfin Bekalu who has his PhD in social and behavioral sciences and currently teaches at Harvard university claims that there is a difference between healthy and potentially problematic usage of social media. It was assessed that routine usage of social media has been linked with positive social outcomes (Harvard 2020). Individuals can connect with people on social media and have more interactions that can be rushed or impractical in daily life. However, social media presents options for people to connect with others and also be more aware of current events. In the BBC, Jessica Brown states, that Twitter increased awareness of other people’s stress, and acted as a coping mechanism for many people. Twitter has over 245 million active users and is providing awareness and coping mechanisms that benefit millions.  Carol Vidal gives 4 examples on how social media can benefit adolescents; “helping initiate mental health care, affirming sexual identities, providing social support, and providing buffering against stress.” Vidal is an assistant professor of psychiatry at John Hopkins, school of Medicine. Social media can provide care and accessibility for the billions of users that are active in a much more efficient and widespread manner, more people can reap the benefits of social media without having to pay a large fee. Adding onto that, social media can provide community groups so people can feel connected and united with other people who may be similar to them. The National Institute of Health also claims that 71% of social media users can “show off” their creative side on these platforms. This shows that people can express their work, and emotions publicly and receive support. Moreover, social media can act as a tool for mental health support, helping with accessibly and forming communities. Concluding this paragraph, there are many benefits to being active on social media; however, there are some negative effects that still persist. 

Moving onto the negative effects that social media has on teenagers' mental health can greatly impact the way parents or guardians perceive all social media to be, disregarding the benefits. Cassie Shortsleeve working with the JedFoundation gives 7 negative that teens have faced with increased social media usage. Shortsleeve is a journalist and writer who has worked alongside with several health magazines and reporters. The outcomes of mental health due to social media usage can be devastating for adolescents including lower self-esteem and self-worth, negative body image, stress, isolation, depression, and the spread of misinformation. Since all feed cannot be restricted without a minor account, harmful posts can be shared, resulting in a toll on children’s health. U.C. Davis mentions that over 44% of teenagers have experienced cyber bullying to some extent in 2020. This shows that negative comments can lead to lower self-esteem and body image issues ultimately leading to depression and suicidal tendencies. Additionally, the constant comparison to unrealistic standards portrayed on social media platforms can create a distorted sense of self for many teenagers. These platforms often present curated, idealized versions of people's lives, contributing to feelings of inadequacy among young users who feel their reality does not measure up. Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and the author of "Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future." Says that sleep and face-to-face interactions are a necessity for proper brain development and social media usage restricts that, which is detrimental for the growing brains of teenagers. Continued and excessive social media usage can severely affect the development of the brain leading to mental health disorders and suicidal tendencies.

In conclusion, the relationship between social media usage and mental health is complex, with positive, and negative effects, including the current views of parents. While some sources state that social media offers necessary tools for growth and mental health stability, as well as form stable communities where people ca express themselves freely. Critics respond by saying that social media can initiate raising mental health concerns by promoting cyber bullying, body image issues, and curated versions of influencer’s lives. These negative effects can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts and actions; however, if used in moderation, social media can help protect mental health concerns while also embracing the positive aspects of individual platforms.  

Works Cited:

Bekalu, Mesfin Awoke. "What Is Healthy vs. Potentially Problematic Social Media Use?" Harvard T.H. Chan, 6 Jan. 2020, hsph.harvard.edu/news/social-media-positive-mental-health/. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

Bounds, Dawn. "Social Media's Impact on Our Mental Health." UC Davis Health, 10 May 2024, health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Brown, Jessica. "Is Social Media Bad for You? The Evidence and the Unknowns." BBC, 4 Jan. 2018, www.bbc.com/future/article/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Edwards, Erika, and Hallie Jackson. "Social Media Driving Teen Mental Health Crisis." NBC News, 23 May 2023, www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/social-media-mental-health-anxiety-depression-teens-surgeon-general-rcna85575. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

Midal, Carol, and Jennifer Katzenstein. "Social Media and Mental Health in Children and Teens." John Hopkins Medicine, 2024, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/social-media-and-mental-health-in-children-and-teens. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025. 

Shortsleeve, Cassie. "How Social Media Can Impact Mental Health." The Jed Foundation, jedfoundation.org/resource/how-social-media-can-impact-mental-health/.

"Social Media and Youth Mental Health." United States Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Surgeon General, 2023, health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

"Social Media Impacts on Children and Adolescents." National Institue of Health, U.S. Surgeon General, 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594763/. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

Wongkoblap, Akkapon, et al. "Researching Mental Health Disorders in the Era of Social Media." Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 19, no. 6, 29 June 2017, https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7215.