It is well past midnight, and Chelsie completely lost track of time while scrolling on Instagram. She planned to go to bed early since the kids have a doctor’s appointment early tomorrow morning. My life is so dull; everyone is going on summer break… I should lose weight before we plan a vacation, Chelsie thought as she switched off the light. That night Chelsie struggled to sleep, she tossed and turned, and when she was able to sleep, she dreamed about her high school friend’s new house and the kidnapping incident on the news.

This blog post explains the impact of social media on mental health and what you can do to monitor your social media use.

How social media impacts mental health

• Social media helps people to stay connected.

  According to the Pew Research Center, about 72% of Americans use at least one social media site. These sites helped people stay connected during the stay-at-home orders, and it creates an online community and support system. Feeling close to others and having a sense of belonging increases self-esteem and lowers levels of anxiety and depression; it also strengthens your immune system. Studies show that people who follow a healthy lifestyle but don’t feel connected have a high risk for disease, similar to those who smoke, are obese, and have high blood pressure.

• Social media can activate the feel-good chemical and keep you hooked.

  Social media can activate the brain's feel-good chemical called dopamine. This neurotransmitter is also released during sex, drug use, good food, and social interactions. Dopamine makes you hooked on social media since it creates a feel-good experience.

• Social media boosts and hurts self-esteem.

  If people like and interact with your posts on social media, it can boost your self-esteem. Social media is also helpful for those who struggle with social anxiety, as they can more easily connect online. On the flip side, social media can make you feel inadequate and unimportant. It is tempting to base your (or others) worth on their social media following; sometimes, forgetting is not a true reflection of anyone’s worth. Or you might compare yourself with their photos and their lifestyles, even though you know the photo is edited, hours were spend to get the perfect selfie, or the person hired a professional photographer and make-up artist.

• Depression is linked to social media use.

  Even though social media has some perks, it also has its downfalls. Studies indicate that depression and loneliness decrease when people limit social media. Another study found that college students who felt envy while on Facebook were more likely to develop symptoms of depression. When you limit your time on social media and prioritize in-person connections, it can increase your mental well-being.

• Social media is a replacement for healthy coping skills.

  Before cellphones, people cope by reading a book, going for a walk, journaling, learning a new skill, or spending quality time with a loved one. However, social media replaced these essential coping skills, such as connecting and reflecting. These skills are essential to living a happy and meaningful life. Social media are sometimes used to numb feelings instead of feeling and processing them, which essentially means feelings build up, and you are slowly losing the skill to tolerate and manage uncomfortable emotions. Ultimately, it becomes an unhealthy way to self-soothe, especially because social media can make you feel worse instead of better.

Social media can be harmful to your mental health if you use it too much, neglect your real-time connections, use it to numb feelings, or if it creates feelings of envy, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Use the five questions below to do a social media check-in and monitor your relationship with social media. It will only take two minutes to ask yourself these questions.

How do I feel after using social media?

Social media posts can make you feel a range of feelings in a manner of seconds. From laughing at your friend’s post to crying as you witness the strength and endurance of another to anger about a political post and self-doubt when you see how good your friend looks and who they had dinner with. If social media creates persistent anxiety, worry, anger and self-doubt, it is time to make a few adjustments to your social media use.

How can I change my social media use to get the most out of it?

What would you like to get from social media? Do you want to create connections, find support, or stay informed on local events and the news? Or do you want more information about hobbies and other interests such as DYI projects or baking? Follow the people and groups who make you feel good and unfollow or mute those who make you feel worse instead of better. Facebook allows you to unfollow people without unfriending them, similar to Instagram, which allows you to mute someone. This is an easy way to manage your feed but still be connected.

Am I consuming more than I am creating?

We all have a desire to create, and it looks different for every one of us. For some, it is creating social media posts, gardening, designing a website, or doing art projects with kids. Creating is an essential part of being human and is therapeutic and grounding. When you get hooked on social media, you can easily fall into the pit of consuming instead of creating. One of my friends, a marketing expert, told me that she has more creative business ideas when she limits her social media use to a couple of days a week. Create more, consume less.

How is social media affecting my sleep?

Social media can affect the duration and quality of your sleep. For instance, Chelsie lost sleep because she spend too many hours on social media, and when she eventually slept, the quality of sleep was poor. If you find your thoughts racing before you fall asleep or you dream about things you’ve seen on social media, it is time to adjust your social media use. Try to avoid social media about an hour before bed. To learn more about how you can improve your sleep, click here.

How is social media affecting my in-person connections?

Has anyone ever told you they feel neglected and unimportant because you spend too much time on your phone? Are you checking your phone while you are in a conversation? Do you rather scroll on social media than meeting (virtually or in-person) with a loved one? These are all signs that you are missing out on potential meaningful relationships.

By regularly asking yourself these five questions, you will monitor your social media use and adjust what you deem fit. To recap, the five questions are:

• How do I feel after using social media?

• How can I change my social media use to get the most out of it?

• Am I consuming more than I am creating?

• How is social media affecting my sleep?

• How is social media affecting my in-person connections?

This blog post highlights the impact of social media use on mental health and ways you can use social media to support your well-being.

Information on this website is provided for information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by a mental health therapist or other healthcare professional. No information offered here should be interpreted as a diagnosis of any disorder, nor an attempt to treat or prevent or cure any disease or condition. Names, characters, places, and incidents on this website are for illustrative purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.