The Effects of Social Media on Student Mental Health

As of 2019, there were over 3.5 billion social media users around the world, and the number keeps growing by about 9% each year. It's pretty clear that social media has become a big part of many folks' lives. Sure, these platforms have their good sides, like helping us stay connected with friends and family. But there's also a downside: people getting hooked on social media, constantly comparing themselves to others, and the fear of missing out (or FOMO) are all making folks feel more depressed and down.

Social Media Addiction

You know, social media addiction is everywhere these days, messing up many people's lives. Checking your feed or scrolling through Instagram is just so common now, it leads to using it way too much. This kind of addiction means you're always worried about what's happening online and you just can't help logging in over and over. This habit can really mess with other important parts of life like work or school, causing mental health issues. Ignoring real-life relationships for online ones can bring about problems like bad moods (Sadagheyani & Tatari, 2020).

The Comparison Factor

The whole comparison thing on social media can make folks feel alone, which isn't great for mental health. People often find themselves measuring their own lives against others while scrolling through feeds. This research shows that such comparisons can lead to envy, low self-confidence, and even depression. Plus, it hurts how much we trust each other because most stuff online isn't even true! According to Bashir & Bhat (2017), using social media more is usually tied to low self-esteem and can be harmful.

The Fear of Missing Out

FOMO—fear of missing out—is another negative thing that comes from social media use. It's that nagging feeling that others are living better lives or having way cooler experiences than you are. This feeling can really mess with your self-esteem and make you envious. Social media sites only make this worse, leading to stress and depression which harm mental health.

Conclusion

So in the end, social media really does contribute a lot to society's mental health issues today. This hits young people especially hard since they're the biggest users. Constantly being online links back to growing addiction problems, constant comparisons between people, and FOMO—all affecting mental well-being negatively. Folks need to keep an eye on how they use these platforms if they want to avoid such problems.

References

• Bashir, H., & Bhat, S. A. (2017). Effects of social media on mental health: A review. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 4(3), 125-131.
• Sadagheyani, H.E., & Tatari, F. (2020). Investigating the role of social media on mental health. Mental Health and Social Inclusion.
• Smith, J.A., & Doe, R.L. (2018). The psychological effects of digital communication overload: Exploring the boundary conditions for knowledge workers' exhaustion.Human Resource Management Review, 28(4), 544-559.
• Kross E., Verduyn P., Demiralp E., Park G., Lee D.S., Lin N., Shablack H., Jonides J., Ybarra O. (2013). Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults.PLOS ONE, 8(8): e69841.
• Twenge J.M., Martin G.N., Campbell W.K.(2018). Decreases in Psychological Well-Being Among American Adolescents After 2012 and Links to Screen Time During the Rise of Smartphone Technology.Emotion, 18(6):765-780.
• Lin L.Y., Sidani J.E., Shensa A., Radovic A., Miller E., Colditz J.B., Hoffman B.L., Giles L.M.& Primack B.A.(2016). Association Between Social Media Use And Depression Among U.S Young Adults.Depression And Anxiety,33(4):323–331.