The article I am using for this discussion is great! It really digs deep
into different causes and effects on psychological distress due to
social media. It even acknowledges the benefits of social media. I am
taking the stance that social media negatively impacts psychological
well-being. Although I have seen and understand some positive
outcomes, I feel the cons outweigh the pros. Social media can
become like an addiction causing there to be stressors in other parts
of life. One good example is sleep. We spend more late nights on our
phones scrolling through Instagram or Facebook than if none of that
existed. That is less time for sleep. The lights are also harmful when in
use an hour before bedtime. We are not able to fall asleep quite as
fast and inhibits a quick and deep sleep. Just by not getting enough
sleep we then start to accumulate stress, get tired throughout the
day, are more agitated, and lose focus on other activities. Social
media is also a mayor distraction. I can honestly tell you that I have
put this discussion off because of TikTok…
We start to leave things for last minute, don’t finish things on time, or
are not able to deliver such high quality. Using social media so many
hours a day makes us more sedentary too. Mental health is clearly
linked with physical activity too. If we always spending our free time
on our phones, we are more likely to become stagnant people that
have little to no physical activity during the day. I understand that
social media is not the only factor when it comes to mental health,
but it is no coincidence that the number of people with mental health
issues has risen as social media also grows. Social media has never
been bigger, and there have never been so many cases of depression,
anxiety, eating disorders, suicide, and more.
Betul Keles, Niall McCrae & Annmarie Grealish (2020) 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, DOI:
10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851
