I really enjoyed learning about APA style formatting and citations; I liked having a rigid structure in which to write and format my paper, and this was fairly new to me. I went to an IB high school, where my teachers constantly told us that Chicago-style citations are the way to go and that we would likely never use APA in college. Obviously, they were wrong. I genuinely think I would enjoy writing papers in this format again in ENG 201.

I also really liked the assignment we did with Professor Staines in which we wrote about our favorite places, before and after the pandemic. The requirement was to explicitly explore all five senses through our writing, and I think I did a good job using imagery to portray setting and ethos. In addition, I liked the midterm assignment in which I wrote about my personal journey with mental health.  Having the freedom to play around with style choice and literary devices was really exciting to me. While I didn’t love the second half of my final midterm assignment (I could not find a way to express my thoughts fully within the word count,) I did love finding my voice and having the chance to be creative. I also really liked writing the first half of it, and this is how I usually write in my spare time. I would love to have the chance to do it again in future English courses!

Overall, I really enjoyed this course and everything I learned, although I regret procrastinating until late in the semester. However, I did learn a lot of valuable stuff that will definitely benefit me in the future, and I plan on being much more proactive in ENG 201. Thank you, Professor Wood!

If I were to revise my final paper, I would do more research so that I could have more claims and evidence to include. I definitely think that I could have done a better job with adding more sources, especially scholarly ones (but I did use quite a few, of which I am proud of.) With more sources, I would be able to expand on my thoughts and analyze the evidence more, and I would likely benefit from adding a more detailed conclusion, too. Other than that, I think I did a good job with formatting an APA style paper and following the final essay rubric.

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

Appel, H., Gerlach, A. L., & Crusius, J. (2020). The interplay between Facebook use, social comparison, envy, and depression. doi:10.31234/osf.io/9eszw

Clement, J. (2020, November 4). Number of daily active Facebook users worldwide as of 3rd quarter 2020. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/346167/facebook-global-dau/#:~:text=With%20over%202.7%20billion%20monthly,most%20popular%20social%20network%20worldwide.

Demographics of Social Media Users and Adoption in the United States. (2020, June 05). Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/

Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates (Publication). (2017). Geneva: World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/254610/WHO-MSD-MER-2017.2-eng.pdf;jsessionid=40F887353DC04C0B1BD61EE39F91CFE9?sequence=1

Festinger, L. (1954). A Theory of Social Comparison Processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117-140. doi:10.1177/001872675400700202

Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2019). A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851

Kemp, S. (2020, October 20). Social Media users pass the 4 billion mark as Global Adoption soars [Web log post]. Retrieved 2020, from https://wearesocial.com/blog/2020/10/social-media-users-pass-the-4-billion-mark-as-global-adoption-soars

Ortiz-Ospina, E. (2019, September 18). The Rise of Social Media. Retrieved 2020, from https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-social-media.

Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Escobar-Viera, C. G., Barrett, E. L., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., & James, A. E. (2017). Use of multiple social media platforms and symptoms of depression and anxiety: A nationally representative study among U.S. young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.013

Rideout, V., & Robb, M. B. (2018). Social Media, Social Life (Rep.). San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/2018_cs_socialmediasociallife_fullreport-final-release_2_lowres.pdf

Ritchie, H., & Roser, M. (2018, January 20). Mental Health. Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health

Seabrook, E. M., Kern, M. L., & Rickard, N. S. (2016). Social Networking Sites, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review. JMIR Mental Health, 3(4).doi:10.2196/mental.5842

Twenge, J. M. (2017, September). Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? The Atlantic.https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/

**POINTS: 4/6- I think that I can use more evidence to back up my claims and could probably be more thorough with my in-text citations.

2. The paper uses evidence from reliable sources and/or addresses the potential biases of the source/information. If there are common criticisms of the main argument, the paper addresses those criticisms using evidence. (8 points) 

**POINTS: 6/8- I should add a little more focus to addressing potential biases.

3. Paragraphs and sections follow the structural conventions of Standard American Academic English (8 points)

• Paper includes an introductory section (may be more than one paragraph) that establishes the topic, the inquiry question(s), and the writer’s preliminary answer to the question(s) (2 points) 1/2
• Body paragraphs stay focused on individual claims supported by relevant evidence and use topic sentences and transition phrases (4 points) 4/4
• The paper includes a conclusion that explains why the inquiry is important and what readers should take away from the paper. (2 points) 2/2

**POINTS: 7/8- I need to include my preliminary answer to the question in my introduction.

4. Paper is formatted in APA style (8 points)

• Title page with name, title, school, page number, running head 0/2
• Abstract with keywords 0/2
• References page is formatted correctly 3/4

**POINTS: 3/8- I have to add a title page and an abstract. I also titled my references page as “bibliography,” so I need to change that.

5. Follows the stylistic conventions of Standard American Academic English (5 points)

• Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Formatting, Capitalization, Formality

  **POINTS: 5/5- I’m confident in my spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting, capitalization, and formality.                                                                                                                   

**POINTS: 5/5- My paper is between 6 and 10 pages, and I used more than six sources.

TOTAL POINTS, out of 40: 30/40

Comments: First of all, I definitely think I need to work on my in-text citations. I am very unfamiliar with APA-style and this was a first for me, so I want to double-check them before submitting the final paper. Additionally, I want to find more sources and incorporate more evidence into my paper. As for style, I need to add an abstract and a correctly-formatted title page.

Emily J Kerins                                                                                 

Final/ Research Paper

ENG 101 COMP                                                                                           

Studying the impact of social media use on anxiety and depression in modern society

(Inquiry Question: How does social media use impact depression and anxiety 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 2016), (Keles, 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, 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, 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.

Bibliography

1. Appel, H., Gerlach, A. L., & Crusius, J. (2020). The interplay between Facebook use, social comparison, envy, and depression. doi:10.31234/osf.io/9eszw
2. Clement, J. (2020, November 4). Number of daily active Facebook users worldwide as of 3rd quarter 2020. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/346167/facebook-global-dau/#:~:text=With%20over%202.7%20billion%20monthly,most%20popular%20social%20network%20worldwide.
3. Demographics of Social Media Users and Adoption in the United States. (2020, June 05). Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
4. Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates (Publication). (2017). Geneva: World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/254610/WHO-MSD-MER-2017.2-eng.pdf;jsessionid=40F887353DC04C0B1BD61EE39F91CFE9?sequence=1
5. Festinger, L. (1954). A Theory of Social Comparison Processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117-140. doi:10.1177/001872675400700202
6. Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2019). A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851
7. Kemp, S. (2020, October 20). Social Media users pass the 4 billion mark as Global Adoption soars [Web log post]. Retrieved 2020, from https://wearesocial.com/blog/2020/10/social-media-users-pass-the-4-billion-mark-as-global-adoption-soars
8. Ortiz-Ospina, E. (2019, September 18). The Rise of Social Media. Retrieved 2020, from https://ourworldindata.org/rise-of-social-media.
9. Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Escobar-Viera, C. G., Barrett, E. L., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., & James, A. E. (2017). Use of multiple social media platforms and symptoms of depression and anxiety: A nationally representative study among U.S. young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.013
10. Rideout, V., & Robb, M. B. (2018). Social Media, Social Life (Rep.). San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/2018_cs_socialmediasociallife_fullreport-final-release_2_lowres.pdf
11. Ritchie, H., & Roser, M. (2018, January 20). Mental Health. Retrieved December 15, 2020, from https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
12. Seabrook, E. M., Kern, M. L., & Rickard, N. S. (2016). Social Networking Sites, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review. JMIR Mental Health, 3(4).doi:10.2196/mental.5842
13. Twenge, J. M. (2017, September). Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/

If I were to re-write my midterm assignment, I would keep a lot of the description and literary techniques that I used in the first-half; I think I did a good job of using auditory imagery and onomatopoeia to explain the breakdown I suffered on the train. I also like the way that I used ethos, putting my thoughts in italics to convey my inner voice; this was an attempt to juxtapose reality from what was happening inside of my head.

While I am proud of the first half or so of my midterm assignment, I definitely think that the second half of my work needs editing. As a wordy writer, I sometimes find myself in the predicament in which I exceed the word count- and that is what happened here as well. Due to this, I rushed the ending of my essay and was unable to thoroughly explain my thoughts. In my re-write, I would aim to find a way to express my story and ideas in a more concise way, so that I can feel confident that I conveyed all of my thoughts without rushing or having to give up.

Annotated Biliography

How does social media use impact anxiety and depression in modern society?

• Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2019). A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851

This journal explores the impact that social media has had on depression and anxiety in adolescents. It starts with the basics, such as defining exactly what is considered social media, as well as adolescence- and then it dives into data-heavy research regarding the topic. I think this source will definitely help me with my own research paper; all of its research and data are very recent and also explains that significant research is still being done daily. In addition, the source also provides other sources for similar research, which has proven useful to my paper as well. I also like that this source explains both positive and negative consequences of teens and children using social media. I personally had not even thought to explore the positives until reading this journal.

• Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Escobar-Viera, C. G., Barrett, E. L., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., & James, A. E. (2017). Use of multiple social media platforms and symptoms of depression and anxiety: A nationally-representative study among U.S. young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.013

This journal explores how the use of multiple social media platforms, also known as “multitasking,” leads to higher risk of depression and anxiety. The researchers found linear correlation to how many social media platforms a young adult uses and how psychologically distressed they are. I think this journal will help me with my paper because there are many available journals which explore the impact of social media on children and adolescents, whereas this one focuses on a slightly older population. Additionally, this journal acknowledges that society is already aware that social media impacts mental health, and takes it one step further by analyzing how drastically that impact worsens as media multitasking becomes more popular.

• Jovic, J., Ćorac, A., & Ignjatović-Ristić, D. (2019). P.447 Correlation between Instagram addiction and the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 29, S316–S317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.09.459

Although short, I think this source provides an interesting perspective for my paper. It summarizes the results of a study in which time spent and usage on Instagram were measured to determine if a person’s level of “Instagram Addition” has any correlation with their levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. The research determined that yes, there is a positive correlation between the two; however, the author states that while there may be a positive correlation, it is difficult to determine if people are depressed/anxious because of their high usage of the app, or if it is the other way around. I think that this is an interesting discussion that I should definitely mention in my paper.

• Twenge, J. M. (2018, March 19). Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/

This article, which was apparently a “provocative and widely read 2017 cover story” from The Atlantic, is definitely a great source to use for my paper. The author, who studies generational trends for a living, uses these trends to argue that social media is a direct, leading factor in what he calls today’s “emotional health crisis.” This article’s claims also inspired a lot of similar research, as well as arguments over the question. He also explores how increased use of Facebook leads to increased unhappiness, and more importantly, the same research showed that increased unhappiness does not lead to increased Facebook use. At the same time, I think it is very important to consider the bias of this author; he is writing to entertain, not only to inform. Plus, he has a clear disdain for the ways in which smartphones and social media have changed the way adolescents spend their time.

• Barry, C. T., Sidoti, C. L., Briggs, S. M., Reiter, S. R., & Lindsey, R. A. (2017). Adolescent social media use and mental health from adolescent and parent perspectives. Journal of Adolescence, 61, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2017.08.005

This journal is based on research regarding how social media use affects adolescents. I think it is a good journal for me to use in my research since it will help me to dive deeper in the pursuit of answering my inquiry question, since the article itself dives deeper than a lot of the journals that I have found. For example, it explores specific factors of anxiety and depression that social media use targets, such as decreased sleep and body image, and why exactly social media is such a threat to these factors.

• Dempsey, A. E., O’Brien, K. D., Tiamiyu, M. F., & Elhai, J. D. (2019). Fear of missing out (FoMO) and rumination mediate relations between social anxiety and problematic Facebook use. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 9, 100150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2018.100150

I think this source will be great for my research paper for 2 reasons. First, it explores the negative impacts of Facebook use on anxiety, specifically focusing on the term “FoMo,” or Fear of Missing Out. According to Dictionary.com, FoMo is “a feeling of anxiety or insecurity over the possibility of missing out on something, as an event or an opportunity.” Second, it also aims to explore the positive impacts that Facebook use can have on mental health, all while still taking that FoMo anxiety into consideration. It asks the question- has the rise in social media caused increased anxiety in society, or does our increased anxiety cause the rise in social media use?

Possible Inquiry Questions:

1. How have Western views regarding mental health changed over time?

2. How has the rise and advancement of social media impacted mental health?

3. Why are labels so significant in society and what are the pros and cons of using them?

4. How does alcohol affect individuals and why is it still legal in the United States?

Instructions: Write a personal statement, using pathos and other literary devices, to follow your idea or question. Be honest and straightforward, and write to entertain.

***TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDAL IDEATION***

My Illness and Me

Six stops away, I reassured myself. Only six stops to go and it will all be over. My fingers tapped uncontrollably against the subway pole, and my feet matched pace against the floor. A few people started to glare at me. I couldn’t help it, though, between my nerves and the anticipation of finally doing what I had been planning for so long. It will all be over soon, I kept reminding myself. Six more stops to the Brooklyn Bridge and it will all be over soon. 

It was kind of a bittersweet feeling. Or maybe it was relief. I didn’t want to die, not exactly. It was scary to think about what would come afterward and the question what if my soul gets stuck in nothingness for the rest of eternity and how will I literally not go insane from boredom? played through my head at least fifteen times a day. I worried about how my death would affect my mom, especially since we just lost my dad only a few months prior and she really didn’t handle it well…I wondered if my brother would cry at my funeral and how long it would take him to recover from losing not one, but two family members in less than a year. Sometimes, those thoughts scared me out of it a little; it was mostly the guilt. But I knew I needed to die. I had to. Because- because I watched my dad die as he begged me to help him in his last breaths but there was nothing I could do to save him, and I just need to stop this constant feeling inside of me and-

“And what feeling is that?”, I remember one doctor asking me. 

The feeling of…nothingness, I slowly explained; and I feel like everything is my fault.

I started to hear the clicking sound again, the same one that I heard every single day on the subway. Click, click. Click, click. 

Click. 

Click, click, click, click.

CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK. The abrasive sound of a hole puncher snapping grew louder, like it was getting closer to me by the second- except it wasn’t even there at all. It’s not real, Emily. IT’S NOT REAL, I reminded myself. That clicking is from the Metro North train, the hole puncher, remember, Emily? This is the 5 train. The SUBWAY.There is no clicking, Emily. THERE IS NO CLICK- click, click. Click, click, CLICK, CLICK CLICK. Click.

I blasted music through my headphones, loud enough to make my head pound, but I could still hear the clicking. It was no surprise, though- it was the same thing I heard every single day, always on the subway. No one else heard it, but I couldn’t stop hearing it. 

Click. 

Click, click, click.

CLICK.

As the train doors began to open, I could hear a familiar voice overhead, “This is Times Square. Transfers to the 1, 2, 3…” Click.

I rushed off the train, messily pushing through a few people in the process. It can wait til tomorrow, I decided. I just can’t hear any more of that fucking clicking.

*******

I woke up the next morning and got dressed like I would any other day. Except it wasn’t like any other day- it was my last day alive. That bittersweet feeling washed over me again, just as it had on the train the day before. I thought about what might come after death, praying it wasn’t some terribly long and boring void. I thought about my sleeping family, how they had no idea that today would likely change their lives forever. Just like the day I watched my dad die changed my life forever, and all I could feel because of it was this constant numbness… 

On the way to my front door, I caught a glimpse of my mom, who was sleeping on the couch off to the side. I think I wanted to see her one last time, maybe to say goodbye; to this day, I’m not exactly sure what changed inside of me, but I walked up to where she was laying. My mom was always the lightest sleeper, and the slightest noise or touch would always jolt her awake- and it did today, too. We surprised each other. I think there’s something about moms where they can sense when their kid isn’t alright- a mother’s instinct or whatever you want to call it. I don’t know. But she took one quick look at me and asked, “What’s wrong?” I was taken aback- I think this was the first time someone actually asked me that question since my dad’s funeral. The question I waited so long for someone to ask me, and now, I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to run, but suddenly my feet weighed a thousand pounds each and I couldn’t lift them.

“Mom…”

“Yes, baby?” she asked me, “Are you okay?”

“Mom, I need you to take me to the hospital right now or… or I’m going to kill myself.”

*******

I don’t really remember much about the day my dad died. I don’t remember much about the months, or even years after that solemn day, either. My psychiatrist, Dr. O, says that’s normal for people like me. People with PTSD often repress memories of their trauma as a way of helping them cope with their painful and overwhelming emotions, he often reminds me, kind of like a Wikipedia article. Except he would insist on calling it by its full name- “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”– rather than plain-old PTSD. Dr. O always insists on saying it fully, as if I’m somehow ever going to forget the name of this sickness that lives inside of me. 

Nowadays, it doesn’t bother me to talk about the journey that I went through after my dad died. In fact, I like to talk about it; I know that my openness has helped a lot of people from going down the same path that I once went down, and I’m proud of that. Plus, I’ve learned to be grateful; not for what happened, obviously, but for everything that I have learned about myself since, as well as all of the things that I have been able to accomplish. Most days, I remind myself just how grateful I am to be alive, because there were too many times that I came so close to ending it all.

It hasn’t always been like that, though. I hid my illness for so long- before going to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis, before waking my mom up to ask for help, even before I waited to get off at that stop for the Brooklyn Bridge. I didn’t tell a soul what was going on, out of fear. As badly as I wanted to, I couldn’t imagine going up to someone and telling them hi, yes, please help me, I want to die. It’s all I think about from the minute I wake up in the morning to the last second before I fall asleep at night. I told a few friends and family members once, how I was feeling- it was a cry for help, really, to the people that I loved and trusted. I thought they would understand, but they all just looked at me like I was crazy, and never treated me the same way again. So, for the years following, I took my medications and visited my therapist regularly, but I didn’t share a word with anyone outside of my tiny circle. I pretended that I was completely normal.

In the last year or so, I’ve been lucky enough to realize that being normal is actually terrible. It’s not even a real thing! No one is normal, no matter how normal they try to seem, because we all have our problems; whether it’s a dead parent and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or something entirely different. Unashamedly admitting to myself and others that yes, I have a mental illness, has changed my life drastically. It has taught me gratitude, strength, and things about myself that I never knew. I have been able to go back to school, leave an abusive relationship, and finally be able to wake up in the morning and actually be excited for the day ahead. Although it has been a tough journey, one that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, it has taught me how to truly live. We can’t always change or control what happens to us, but we do have the power to control how we let it define us. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some fear get in my way again.