{"id":20193,"date":"2023-01-27T16:05:42","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T21:05:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=20193"},"modified":"2023-03-03T14:41:53","modified_gmt":"2023-03-03T19:41:53","slug":"how-to-tell-if-social-media-is-harming-your-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-tell-if-social-media-is-harming-your-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tell if Social Media Is Harming Your Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While social media is an excellent tool for staying in touch with friends and family, finding communities based on interests and communicating quickly, it can also negatively impact mental health. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/fact-sheet\/social-media\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seventy-two percent of Americans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> use some form of social media, and many check their social media at least once daily. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aacap.org\/AACAP\/Families_and_Youth\/Facts_for_Families\/FFF-Guide\/Social-Media-and-Teens-100.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies show <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that 90 percent of teens ages 13 to 18 have used some form of social media. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/2022\/08\/10\/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One report found <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that 95 percent of teens are engaging with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/topic\/internet-technology\/platforms-services\/social-media\/youtube\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">YouTube<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and 67 percent are on TikTok.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we pay more attention to mental health and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nimh.nih.gov\/health\/statistics\/mental-illness\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mental illness<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it is challenging for psychologists and others to ignore social media\u2019s role in mental health problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>How social media can impact mental health<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the circumstances, social media can have a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aacap.org\/AACAP\/Families_and_Youth\/Facts_for_Families\/FFF-Guide\/Social-Media-and-Teens-100.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">positive, negative or neutral impact<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on mental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hsph.harvard.edu\/news\/features\/social-media-positive-mental-health\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Positive impacts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on mental health include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meeting new friends and staying connected with old ones\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sharing art, accomplishments or music\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding communities with shared interests\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exploring and expressing thoughts, ideas and opinions\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/social-media-and-mental-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Negative impacts <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on mental health include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exposure to harmful or inappropriate content\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling inadequate or self-conscious because of how other people are portrayed on social media\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extremely edited and manipulated images causing unrealistic beauty standards\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cyberbullying, which can lead to depression and suicide\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exposure to destructive or dangerous people\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hacking and identity theft\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Too much personal information being shared and revealed online<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Privacy and data collection concerns<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overuse or obsession interfering with sleep, personal life, school, friends and family activities<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teens spend a lot of time on social media; one study found that some teens spend as much as nine hours on social media daily. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/social-media-and-mental-health#the-link\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One study <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">found that teens who use social media more than two hours per day were much more likely to rate their mental health as fair or poor. Of more than 6,000 teens surveyed, half said they had been victims of cyberbullying. This is a chief reason why social media usage can have such a negative impact on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-can-we-normalize-talking-about-mental-health\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mental health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. While this study involved teens, cyberbullying can take many forms on social media and is an issue for adults as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Warning signs of unhealthy effects<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many, social media is a great tool to stay connected and maintain relationships. However, it can also be dangerous and harm our mental health. It is important to examine your own mental health needs to understand what aspects of social media might be unhealthy for you and to keep an eye out for the warning signs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Feeling worse about yourself<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media is a highlight reel; most people share only the best parts of their lives online. Whether it\u2019s seemingly perfect homes, conflict-free relationships or only the best-looking photos, you only see a small snippet of someone\u2019s life. While the reality is usually so much different than these highlights, comparing yourself to the people you find on the internet is very easy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upward social comparison happens when you compare yourself to other people\u2019s positive characteristics. Downward social comparison occurs when you compare yourself with their negative characteristics and typically leads you to think of yourself in a more positive light. While upward social comparison can cause you to make healthy, aspirational changes in your life, it can also make you feel inadequate, depressed or inferior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before the internet, upward social comparison happened in person, among family and close friends. Because of this, it was much less likely for situations to be manipulated and filtered. The internet has changed all that: Social media allows people to curate and edit their lives, only showing the most flattering angles and the most ideal information. With all this on display, it\u2019s easy to feel worse about your reality because it doesn&#8217;t match someone else\u2019s perfectly presented life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have shown that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorkbehavioralhealth.com\/social-media-use-and-self-esteem\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">many Facebook users feel<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the people they see on social media have better and happier lives than their own. Because information like number of friends, likes and comments is public, those vanity metrics are thought to measure genuine likeability and popularity. If you notice yourself feeling down after scrolling through social media or comparing yourself to others, try to remember that you\u2019re watching an unrealistic, edited highlight reel and consider taking a break from those platforms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Feelings of loneliness or anxiety<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media can stir up <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gse.harvard.edu\/news\/uk\/17\/12\/social-media-and-teen-anxiety\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">feelings of loneliness and anxiety<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially when you see friends and family participating in activities that exclude you. When you post content, the end result is unpredictable; you don\u2019t yet know how many people will like it or how many comments it will get. This unpredictability means you\u2019ll keep checking your content to see the type of feedback it gets. The constant social pressure to share content and the comparisons that arise when your content doesn\u2019t get the same engagement as those in your social circle can make you feel inadequate, lonely and anxious.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Experiencing harassment<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cyberbullying is bullying using digital technologies and can be prevalent on social media. While friends and family can cyberbully you, you can also experience cyberbullying from strangers. Social media allows users to be anonymous, only sharing select information on the internet. Because of this, you cannot know if the person you\u2019re talking to is real or if the information they\u2019re sharing is true. This anonymity and ability to hide behind a fake persona makes it even easier for someone to cyberbully.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/end-violence\/how-to-stop-cyberbullying\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">examples of cyberbullying<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spreading lies about someone on social media\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sharing embarrassing photos or videos of someone without their consent\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contacting someone with hurtful, abusive or threatening messages, images or videos.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Impersonating someone and sending hateful messages to others on their behalf or through fake accounts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cyberbullying can take a toll on your mental, physical and emotional health. It can make you feel embarrassed and ashamed and cause you to lose interest in things you used to enjoy. It can also take a physical toll, causing you to suffer from headaches and lose sleep. In extreme cases, it can drive people to attempt suicide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re being bullied, reach out to a parent or counselor, or block the offending user on social media. If you\u2019ve ever considered suicide or had suicidal thoughts, please reach out to a medical professional. Call or text 988 to reach the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/988lifeline.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or use the Lifeline Chat online. Services are free and confidential.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Interference with everyday activities and relationships<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scrolling through social media is a normal and typical activity; however, for a small percentage of people, social media is an addiction. Social media addiction is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.addictioncenter.com\/addiction\/behavioral-addictions\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">behavioral addiction<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in which you\u2019re overly concerned about social media and constantly compelled to log on and use your social media accounts. When you are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.addictioncenter.com\/drugs\/social-media-addiction\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">addicted to social media<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you are so obsessed with putting effort into your social media channels that you neglect other important areas of your life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can recognize social media addiction in the following ways:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using social media having a profound impact on someone\u2019s emotional state\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obsession with social media\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An evolving use of social media over time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strong emotional reactions when somebody cannot use social media\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Excessive social media usage causing issues to arise with loved ones\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>How to manage social media and mental health<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychologist Jacqueline Sperling <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcleanhospital.org\/essential\/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">recommends monitoring<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> your emotional state before and after using social media to better understand its impact on your mental health. She suggests rating your mental health on a scale of 0 to 10 before and after using social media. Do this every day, at the same time, for an entire week. If you notice that you\u2019re less happy after you use social media, consider modifying your usage and try to identify what aspects of social media made you feel sad. If you\u2019re feeling happier after using social media, you can continue consuming content, periodically checking in to ensure it has a positive mental impact.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you can\u2019t always control what you see on social media, you can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mentalhealthcommission.ca\/resource\/protecting-your-mental-wellness-on-social-media\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">curate your feed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that your primary exposure to content makes you happy. Unfollow friends or accounts that make you feel sad, anxious or bad about yourself. Be sure to like and engage with feel-good content so that more of it appears in your feed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you find specific social media channels or platforms always make you feel negatively, consider eliminating them for a week. If that goes well, delete the app altogether. While it can feel like you are missing out, if it harms your mental health, it\u2019s best to avoid those channels entirely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider putting usage rules in place. Only use social media during specific windows during the day, don\u2019t scroll through your feeds at night before bed and put the phone down during family time or while engaging in activities you enjoy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Reaching out for help<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important way to protect your mental health is to talk about your concerns with someone you trust. It is crucial to have someone to talk to, whether it\u2019s a counselor, family member, teacher, spouse or mental health professional.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">Need a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/therapist-counselors\">therapist<\/a>? Find one on Zocdoc.<\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Know the signs. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":20194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[12,19,41,83],"class_list":["post-20193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-anxiety","tag-depression","tag-mental-health","tag-wellness","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Tell if Social Media Is Harming Your Mental Health - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Know the signs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-to-tell-if-social-media-is-harming-your-mental-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Tell if Social Media Is Harming Your Mental Health - 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