Ali
Jan 23, 20233 min
Back in the 2010s, it was perhaps slightly easier to pigeon-hole social media as having a solely negative impact on its users’ mental health. When you’re constantly confronted by your peers apparently #LIVINGMYBESTLIFE, it’s natural to feel somewhat inadequate. Comparison is the thief of all joy, as they say.
By this point, we pretty much all know this. You’d be hard-pressed to find something that provides instant gratification quite like social media. It’s a holy grail for young, impressionable people searching for validation, and notoriously breeds the possibility of FOMO (fear of missing out).
But as social media continues to spread its influence into every crevice of our lives and the wider world, can the conclusion really be that simple? Is it really as black and white as: social media = bad, real life = good?
It’s hard to ignore the irony of users calling out social media for negatively impacting mental health while posting on the platforms themselves. You also have to consider the fact that the main reason mental health has become less stigmatised over the past decade is undoubtedly social media. The fact that mental illness is no longer such a taboo topic has helped millions of people come to terms with their issues, be more open and even seek treatment. We also all saw how useful social media can be in times of crisis during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Of course, the impact of social media on your wellbeing is primarily going to come down to how you’re using it, and what you’re choosing to consume online. Saying that social media is bad for your mental health is similar to proposing that in-person socialising is mentally damaging.
Just as certain people and interactions will likely have a negative impact on you, some content you consume will be similarly detrimental. However, if you’re conscious in your user habits; if you take time to carefully curate your following list and are mindful of the risk you pose yourself by consuming unhealthy content, at best you’ll be absolutely dandy, at worst, better protected.
In fact, one quality of social media that acts as both a problem and a benefit is that it’s ‘emotionally contagious’. As such, those who choose to consume happy, uplifting content will likely find that it has a positive impact on their wellbeing and mood.
At the end of the day, social media connects people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to connect, bridging the communication gap brought on by physical distance, which can be a huge cause for loneliness and isolation.
Social media can be your greatest ally or your biggest foe; it’s one big paradox – the things that make it amazing and revolutionary are the very same things that can cause so much damage. The question as to whether or not social media is bad for mental health depends primarily on the intention and methods of the user, as well as the quantity of time they’re spending online.