Introduction
Mental health-related disorders in the U.S. continue to escalate as the amount of time that people spend on social media rises. Statistics reveal that Americans spend 28% of their time online, mainly interacting on social media platforms (Koehler & Parrell, 2020). Different studies have found that using social media contributes to the development of symptoms related to decreased self-esteem, anxiety, and depression (Koehler & Parrell, 2020). According to Koehler and Parrell (2020), social media directly affects a person’s health through the nature of content shared and the type of interaction encountered while using the interaction platforms. In this regard, the essay explores various ways that the use of social media impacts mental health.
Discussion
People experience feelings of low self-esteem, jealousy, insecurity, and depression while using social media. Users develop cognitive distortions because they compare their lives with those of others, which causes sadness and hopelessness (Koehler & Parrell, 2020). For instance, one might compare themselves with another person depending on the number of likes they get after posting a photo. They might also feel left out when not invited to attend certain events. As a result, these people develop low self-esteem. Therefore, social media negatively impacts vulnerable individuals, especially those who have previously been diagnosed with mental health disorders, and can cause an increase in symptoms associated with the disorder.
The use of social media has resulted in the emergence of new opportunities for cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can negatively impact the victim to the extent of committing suicide. Cohen-Almagor (2020) explores the dangers of social media and the adverse effects of cyberbullying by explaining how a 13-year-old boy was bullied on social media by a lady on the internet (Cohen-Almagor, 2020). The lady became friends with the boy by impersonating a fake name, Josh.
The friendship ended when Josh called the boy a “slut and liar” online (Cohen-Almagor, 2020). At last, Megan committed suicide after receiving a message that said, “You are a bad person, and everyone hates you,” and “The world would be a better place without you” (Cohen-Almagor, 2020). Therefore, cyberbullying is an example of the negative impact associated with social media, which can result in the death of the person being bullied.
Social media is a vital tool that medical practitioners use to connect with distant populations for education, create awareness, and support those suffering from severe mental health conditions. While social media might negatively affect a person with a mental disorder, it is being used by medical practitioners to help address barriers associated with access to healthcare services (Koehler & Parrell, 2020).
A study was conducted on Twitter to measure people’s preferences in receiving education about dealing with disease symptoms through social media. The study results revealed that almost 80% of the participants preferred mental health education through social media (Koehler & Parrell, 2020). In addition, about 95% of the participants chose social media platforms to create awareness about the symptoms of the disease (Koehler & Parrell, 2020). Medical practitioners are using social media platforms to raise awareness about risks such as discrimination, stigma, cyberbullying, safety and privacy, and other methods that can be used to fight mental illness.
Conclusion
Conclusively, various ways that social media affects mental health have been examined. For instance, social media might make people depressed and develop low self-esteem. Additionally, social media has brought up new bullying methods, such as cyberbullying, which can increase the chances of developing mental illness. Although social media negatively affects people, it is an essential tool used by health practitioners to create awareness and educate people suffering from severe mental health illnesses.
References
Cohen-Almagor, R. (2020). Cyberbullying, moral responsibility, and social networking: Lessons from the Megan Meier tragedy. European Journal of Analytic Philosophy, 16(1), 75-98. Web.
Koehler, S. N., & Parrell, B. R. (2020). The impact of social media on mental health: A mixed-methods research of service provider’s awareness. Web.