The impact of social media use on anxiety and depression in modern society
(Inquiry question: How does social media use impact anxiety and depression in modern society?)
Emily J Kerins
John Jay School of Criminal Justice
Abstract
This essay intends to explore what impact social media use has on anxiety and depression in modern society. In the last 2 decades, the number of people using social media has increased drastically around the world. At the same time, so have the numbers of people suffering from anxiety and depression. Some claims have been made that the substantial increase in social media use has caused the simultaneous increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression, especially in children, adolescents, and young adults. However, current evidence indicates that research has not yet been able to prove or disprove that there is a direct impact.
The impact of social media use on anxiety and depression in modern society
As of October 2020, 4.14 billion people worldwide are active users on social media. Given that there are an approximate 7.81 billion people on earth, this means that roughly 53% of the global population now uses at least one form of social media, often referred to as “platforms” (Kemp, 2020.) Especially considering how relatively new social media actually is- gaining popularity less than twenty years ago- these numbers are momentous. While there were a few small social media sites operating between 1997 and 2003, none of them were nearly as popular, or revolutionary, as MySpace. Commonly known as the predecessor to Facebook- the most popular social media site in 2020- MySpace became the “first social media site to reach a million monthly active users” in 2004; this milestone arguably birthed social media as we now know it (Ortiz-Ospina, 2019.) In comparison, Facebook is reported to have approximately 2.7 billion active users each month, as of the end of 2020; this milestone comes roughly sixteen years after Myspace’s (Clement, 2020.) Some other social media sites with huge amounts of active users are Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Pinterest. Although googling the question, “How many social media sites are there in 2020?” won’t result in a solid, or definite answer, the research shows that there are clearly hundreds of different platforms used around the world.
Social media is wildly popular and has certainly impacted society in profound ways- from changing how we communicate, to influencing our opinions of the world around us. It is under meticulous scrutiny- always. In recent years, there has been a significant focus in society regarding if, and how, social media impacts mental health. More specifically, popular social media platforms have been accused of being largely at fault for the dramatic increase of mental health issues during the modern technological age. Nearly 800 million people across the globe currently experience mental health problems- most commonly anxiety and depression, respectively (Keles et al, 2019.) As of 2017, it is estimated at least 284 million people throughout the world- or 3.8% of earth’s population- suffer from anxiety of some sort, and that 3.4% of the population- or 264 million people- suffer from depression (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). According to the World Health Organization, the number of people with depression around the world increased by 18.4% between 2005 and 2015, and increased by 14.9% for people with anxiety during the same timeframe (World Health Organization, 2017.) Obviously, these values prove to be a significant issue in today’s society; the number of people affected by depression and anxiety is increasing substantially, and researchers want to know why.
It is important to question if- and what- the rise of social media and the increase of mental illness have to do with each other. Research shows that both social media use and mental health issues are alarmingly high in our society- but are they related? In her popular 2017 cover story for The Atlantic, psychologist Jean Twenge warns readers that “screen time, in particular social-media use, does indeed cause unhappiness” (Twenge, 2017.) In her work, Twenge paints a picture of today’s children and teens hiding behind their phones and being dislocated from society, struggling to feel fulfilled in a world where people are obsessed with what they see on their screens. Her argument in the article is clear; she believes that smartphones and social media are destroying the mental health of a generation- iGen, as she coined it- of people born between 1995 and 2012. She claims that this age group is in danger of increased depression and anxiety because it’s constituents have been “shaped by the smartphone and by the concomitant rise of social media”- more or less meaning that it is because iGen is the first generation to simply not remember a time before smartphones and social media became the “norm” in society (Twenge, 2017.) Twenge worried readers everywhere when she claimed that “it’s not an exaggeration to describe iGen as being on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades,” heeding warning of increased suicide risk, cyber-bulling, and self-harm among youth (Twenge, 2017.) Her article also includes studies claiming that middle-school students “who are heavy users of social media increase their risk of depression by 27 percent,” and that “teens who spend three hours a day or more on electronic devices are 35 percent more likely to have a risk factor for suicide” (Twenge, 2017.) These data and claims are alarming, especially coming from someone who has studied generational patterns and differences for over twenty-five years. Twenge is not wrong in her claim that mental illness is on the rise in young people; in fact, between the mid-1990’s and 2020, the number of children and adolescents who suffer from anxiety and/or depression has increased by 70% (Keles et al, 2019.) While painting this portrait of iGen being in grave danger due to its obsession with social media, Twenge is careful to remind readers that her analyses of this data “don’t unequivocally prove that screen time causes unhappiness” (Twenge, 2017.) It is important to remember this truth, because although the increase in social media use seems to correlate with the increase of mental health issues, does not necessarily mean that they are related- or, that one is the cause of the other- despite what Twenge may believe.
Dozens of studies have been done in the last three or so years to determine whether increased social media use does, in fact, cause anxiety and depression. There are also many sources that stand by data that is very different from Twenge’s. For example, a 2018 study from Common Sense Media reported that out of a sample group of teens who were unhappy or depressed, only 18% said they felt more depressed after using social media platforms. Within the same group, 13% of the participants claimed that they felt less depressed after using platforms, and the remaining 69% of adolescents in the study reported that social media did not affect their depression or mental status in any way (Rideout & Robb, 2018.) This data is significant since it offers completely different evidence on the impact of social media on mental illness.
A systematic review from 2019, by researchers at the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing, was semi-inspired by Jean Twenge’s claims and the discussion that became of it. The review explored what influence- if any- that social media use has on depression, anxiety, and overall psychological distress in adolescents and young adults. The review’s researchers ultimately concluded that “the link between social media and mental health problems is not straightforward, with various contributory factors,” stating that social media should be seen as a double-edged sword (Keles at al, 2019.) They argue that although research does suggest a positive correlation between the rise of social media and the increase of depression and anxiety, it is inconclusive whether one is at fault of the other- supporting the famous line that correlation does not imply causation (Keles et al, 2019.) Although there exists a relationship between social media and mental health, does not necessarily mean that social media use has a negative impact on mental health, or that it somehow causes depression and anxiety.
This review, among other sources, also emphasizes the importance of certain positive impacts that social media has on mental health. Increased social support, for example, can help decrease anxiety and depression, and is a possible result of using social media. While people may not be as inclined nowadays to go hang out at local spots or talk over the phone, they are able to stay connected through social platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. Someone who may not have the ability to go outside and interact might be able to do so online instead, helping to decrease their feelings of loneliness and isolation (Keles et al, 2019.)
While some people’s depression and anxiety might ease due to increased social support on these platforms, that is not necessarily the case for everyone; the results vary and are dependent on how individuals operate on social media. These results are ultimately based on the social comparison theory, which states that people typically draw comparisons between their own lives and the lives of others, in order to help them assess their feelings and opinions about themselves (Keles et al, 2019), (Festinger, 1954.) Although this theory was coined decades ago, researchers argue that it is still significant in today’s world, especially with the rise of social media and mental health issues. The theory and its components help researchers to further understand the consequences of social comparison in the digital age; one study, for example, concluded that Facebook users are more likely to feel depressed due to the consequences of social comparison (Appel et al, 2020.) This is linked to the idea of downward social comparison, which is the act of someone “comparing themselves to lower performers,” which increases the chance of suffering from depression or anxiety. On the other hand, upward social comparison- which involves using “higher performers as a reference point”- can have positive outcomes on, and potentially decrease, a person’s depression and anxiety (Seabrook et al, 2016), (Keles et al, 2019.) Ultimately, however, these trends are not set in stone, and can be affected by a multitude of other factors.
Many researchers argue that there is not enough evidence to claim that social media use directly impacts, or causes, mental illness. At the same time, however, some studies show that “media multitasking,” which is when an individual is active on multiple social media platforms, is very likely to cause anxiety and depression. One nationally represented study found that using anywhere from seven to eleven social media platforms, in comparison to having between zero and two, results in “substantially higher odds of having increased levels of both depression and anxiety symptoms” (Primack et al, 2017.) This study found a linear correlation to how many social media platforms a young adult uses and how psychologically distressed they are. In fact, the researchers who conducted the study believed the connection between media multitasking and mental health issues to be so robust, that they recommend “clinicians ask individuals with depression and anxiety about multiple platform use and to counsel regarding this potential contributing factor” (Primack et al, 2017.) What the researchers did not explore, however, is the possibility that people who are depressed or anxious might be more inclined to spend more time on social media.
The simple difference in evidence and claims based on the topic at hand, prove that it is impossible to currently determine how exactly social media use impacts anxiety and depression. While research does show a linear correlation between usage of social media sites and rates of psychological distress in modern society, it is indefinite whether one is actually the cause of the other. More specifically, it is currently undeterminable whether using social media directly impacts a user’s likelihood of having depression or anxiety. It is certainly interesting that the rates of anxiety and depression have increased dramatically in the last two decades, and it is understandable that people want to blame it on something, including the rise of social media. After all, the increases did begin to develop around the same time frames, and as the rates of anxiety and depression increase, so does the number of social media users. However, it is important to remember that correlation does not imply causation. There are simply too many factors at play that need to be taken into consideration and studied further before a conclusive argument can truly be made on this topic. Researchers agree, too. As for now, no one can say whether using social media makes people more depressed and anxious, nor can they claim that people who are depressed and anxious are more likely to use social media. Frankly, there is just not enough information available. What is definite, though, is that social media use has both negative and positive consequences on mental health, and certainly affects young people the most.
When used correctly, social media can uplift individuals, and potentially even help them lead more fulfilling lives. However, this is dependent on the individual; there are 4.14 billion people that actively use social media, but researchers have to take into consideration that they are all completely different people, with different lives, values, and backgrounds. What might help one person, can significantly harm another. In conclusion, more research needs to be done on this topic for us to know the true impact of social media use on anxiety and depression.
References
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