Social media affects individual’s mental health: Study

By Ipsita Priyadarsini

Bhubaneswar: People are social by nature. The social ties are crucial to our well-being and happiness because they provide us with the emotional support we need to get through the day.

The previous decade has seen a meteoric rise in the use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and the like. Since human beings have a hardwired need to interact with others, social media platforms have proven immensely popular.

Too much time spent on social media, while its intended purpose of bringing people together, can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation, as well as the worsening of mental health issues like anxiety and depression. It was found in a study conducted among 90 respondents from Bhubaneswar by a student of MJMC at Institute of Media Studies (IMS) Ipsita Priyadarsini. Titled as ‘Effect of Social Media on Mental Health: A Case Study in Capital City of Bhubaneswar’, the study found that YouTube was most sought after social media platform among the respondents in Bhubaneswar.

The study also reveals that the effects of social media tend to reinforce each other. Dopamine, the “feel-good hormone” associated with gratifying activities like sex, eating, and social connection, is released in the brain when this is used, activating the reward center. This trend is present in different age groups differently, but the millennials and Gen Z are getting impacted a lot based on their usage pattern and the support networks they have in their real life.

Social media platforms can cause social media addictions. Like an addiction, feeling like you’re missing out on particular things can lower your self-esteem, cause worry, and increase your use of social media.

Interactions (face-to-face) are essential for maintaining human mental health. It is important to make eye contact with the right person who is caring and passionate. Such actions help to alleviate stress and improve an individual’s mood effectively and efficiently. Those who are regular users of social media are more likely to suffer from mood disorders; they are more likely to experience sadness and anxiety. If you attach weightage to social media interaction instead of in-person relationships, you may face mental issues. Social media addictions can also result in an individual being less attentive or focused. Because of this, individual daily life activities can get adversely affected.

Frequent use of various social media websites does not help people feel less lonely. In contrast, reports suggest that cutting back on social media can boost an individual’s general well-being and make that person feel less isolated and lonely. On social media, about 10% of teenagers report being bullied, and many other social media users experience negative comments. Some social media platforms can act as centers and hubs for the dissemination of damaging lies, rumors, and abuses that can cause a range of mental ailments to the social media user.