How Does Social Media Affect Your Mental Health?
Published November 23rd, 2023
4 min read
This is how you can tell your social media use has become a problem. Here’s how you can manage it.
Written by Simon Spichak
On average, teenagers spend about five hours every day on social media. While there are positive aspects that come with it, social media can be a time drain that has a substantial negative impact on your mental health, social life, and grades. Here’s what you need to know about the dark side of social media and tips for managing screen time.
The Dark Side of Social Media Use
While social media is great for connecting with family and friends, many people also check their feeds by habit or when they feel lonely or bored. Since social media algorithms are designed to keep you online and scrolling, it can have a major impact on your mental health.
Developing parasocial relationships
Do you follow a creator on TikTok or Instagram really closely? Does it feel like you’re practically there with them while they post about their morning coffee or snap a picture of their breakfast?
Some people develop unhealthy parasocial relationships with influencers, celebrities, and entertainers on social media. These one-sided relationships can isolate you from friends and family, cause arguments, and even impact your finances.
Body image and self-esteem issues
Social media platforms like Instagram often promote photoshopped, airbrushed, or unrealistic body images. These body images impact your self-esteem, lead to the development of body issues or an eating disorder, and can also lead to increased anxiety and depression. While the effects are most prominent in women, men can also develop these severe issues.
Problems with organization and time management
With endless content on social media, it is easy to lose track of time. Many students can get distracted from their work or try to multitask unsuccessfully. Some people develop problems silencing their notifications so that they can focus.
Social relationships
Some people develop problems conversing or focusing on real-life social activities without checking their phone or social media news feed. Some people might even become addicted to the thrill of making a viral post on social media. Platforms like Instagram or TikTok can become addictive and take precedence over other real-world socializing with your friends and family.
Doom scrolling
Social media algorithms create an endless feed of content that can be addictive and paralyzing. Doom scrolling is when you start reading and engaging with a ton of negative news and content, making you more anxious, angry, or depressed.
When people become addicted to the infinite feed, they might stay up and scroll at night instead of sleeping. People with ADHD can even experience scrolling paralysis when they’re overwhelmed with all the information on their social media feeds.
Signs That Social Media is Affecting Your Mental Health
Here are some signs that your social media use might be getting out of hand:
Spending more time glued to your screen than hanging out with friends in person
Losing sleep because of doom scrolling
Causing body image concerns, anxiety, and problems with self-esteem
Spending too much money on Twitch streams or other influencers
Having arguments in real life about social media use
Performing risky behaviours or stunts for likes
Tips to Manage Social Media Use
Here are some things you can do to reduce how much time you spend on social media:
Turn off the notifications from the apps
Delete one or two of the apps from your phone
Use an app that restricts how much time you spend on social media
Keep your phone out of range during bedtime
Try to avoid looking at your phone while out with friends
Therapy for Social Media Use
Still stuck doom scrolling? Meeting with a therapist can help you regain control and get to the root of your social media issues. Therapists can help you break bad habits, treat anxiety and self-esteem issues, develop a plan to manage your social media use and build up your interpersonal and relationship skills.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
