heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness

Question

Youngsters report problems with anxiety, depression, sleep and “FoMO”

Comments

The article claims that excessive use of social media can lead to mental illness. The article is from the Economist which is a reputable source to begin with. The article claims that young people ages 14-24 have had worsening mental health while using popular social media websites. The sources used include multiple studies done by researchers who seem reputable. However, some of the links used do not lead to actual pages, so a further search is needed. Overall, the numbers and results used in the article line up with the linked surveys and corroborate the truthfulness of the article.

---

This article claims that ages 14-24 have a higher risk of developing mental illness from social media. Linking to increased anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, and fear of missing out on social events. I totally agree to this claim according to Economist as social media portrays a facade to everyone's life, making it feel like what you are doing is never enough. Contributing to the obsession and alteration social media has on people's lives.

---

I agree. People can fabricate their lives on social media, making seem as though their lives are perfect. Most people only post their best moments on social media. This can make it seem as though your life is not nearly as cool or fulfilling as everyone else's, and that you are missing out.

---

I agree. I feel like it ties into cultivation analysis, where people who watch too much television start to perceive the world differently, and I feel like it can be applied to social media

---

Good catch on the numbers lining up! The Economist is solid, but it’s also helpful to remember that correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation. Mental health issues in teens could have multiple contributing factors, not just social media. Some studies even suggest that how one uses social media ,passively or interactively, impacts mental health differently. Emphasizing this could add depth to the discussion on social media's role in youth mental health.

Answer 1

Social media usage being linked to youth's declining mental health seems to be a legitimate connection. Many psychologists have published studies detailing the detriments of the over usage of social media, such as a study published by 4 psychologists that is linked on the initial article that shows some of the results of a study done to determine the scientific answer to this question. 

 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269414387_Examination_of_Neural_Systems_Sub-Serving_Facebook_Addiction 

This particular study focuses primarily on the usage of Facebook, but this can be pretty universal across any social media platform that functions similarly. People within their specifed age-range tended to report lower self-esteem and body image in conjunction with high amounts of social media usage. Other viable sources seems to back-up the main articles claims, like ones written by universities, ( https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide#)

and https://law.stanford.edu/2024/05/20/social-media-addiction-and-mental-health-the-growing-concern-for-youth-well-being/.  Additionally, the American Psychological Association (APA), reports similar findings in their own article here: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/04/teen-social-use-mental-health

Comments

Nice job compiling multiple sources for your fact-check.

---

I agree with you, I liked how you provided sources to back up. Also I feel like it is really common sense to know that social media is all unicorns and rainbows. It has it's negative affects and impacts others hurtfully. As the generations grow you notice that the participation on social media is going to increase no matter what.

Answer 2

This article is claiming that heaving use of social media causes mental illness in young people from the ages 14-21. They support this by showing that in the 2017 survey by Royal Society of Public Heath they showed that apps such as Instagram, SnapChat and Facebook have detrimental affects such as anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation and can be exposed to bullying and worries about their body image. Using the link they provided in the article I was able to fact check and see all their sources are reliable and doing some research myself I found multiple resources that also back up their claim such as the National Library of Medicine https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10129173/  one from Standard Law School https://law.stanford.edu/2024/05/20/social-media-addiction-and-mental-health-the-growing-concern-for-youth-well-being/ and one from UC Davis Health https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05 all also saying how social media has negative effects on young people and the more time they spend on the more it effects their mental health and how they think of themselves. 

Answer 3

The claim made by HARMONY_JAYDEN was that “social media is linked to mental illness” is true. From the article they provided (The Economist Text)teenagers 18-24 years old, deal with loss of sleep, FOMO (fear of missing out on activities and such), bullying, their body image, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. But, this poll was taken in May 2018 so the results now may be different. Although there was a poll done in May 2024 (recently) about social media affecting teens and their mental health, and positive ways to safely use social media (UC Davis Text). Also, using my own personal opinion in this as well, social media plays a big part in teenagers lives, as we are on it 24/7 and feel the need to satisfy our own followers with content, which creates a lot of stress and anxiety for ourselves.

Answer 4

The article "How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness", published by the Economist in 2018, makes the claim that use of social media has been linked to mental disorders, including anxiety and depression, in adolescents. Not only does this article include evidence by The Royal Society for Public Health, (https://www.rsph.org.uk/about-us/news/instagram-ranked-worst-for-young-people-s-mental-health.html) who conducted the research cited in the article from the Economist, but I also independently verified the claims made in the article. One such claim, that social media affects adolescent's mental health, and can cause anxiety, depression and FOMO, was not only confirmed by the The Royal Society for Public Health study I mentioned, but also by UC Davis's own study; https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05. With all the evidence supporting the claims the original article made, it is safe to say that this article is trustworthy.

Answer 5

The claim of “heavy social media use is linked to mental illness” is true.

 

The article supports it’s claim properly with sufficient evidence and citations. The author cites a experiment from five neuroscientists in 2014 – where they found that Facebook triggers the same impulsive part of the brain as gambling and substance abuse – I found that this study checks out. The claims made by the article is also supported by the National Institute of Health, they found that social media use and the patterns that follow it can be interlinked with the patterns of depression symptoms. Both articles state social networks and the use of it have been reported to be associated with lower self-esteem, a decreased sense of subjective well-being shortly after it’s use. The claim is true and well supported. The article supports it with information that studies and outside, reliable sources that also support the main claim aswell.

Citation: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269414387_Examination_of_Neural_Systems_Sub-Serving_Facebook_Addiction 

Answer 6

Social media was for the chance to share enjoyable moments of your life to your friends and family. Now, a huge percentage of those who use social media will acknowledge mental illness is increasing. The Mental Health Foundation which is a credible source, did a study declaring ages "14-24 believe that Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter have detrimental effects on their wellbeing". This can be taken seriously and be known as a credible statement for the reason being that the Mental Health Foundation's (UK) main goal is to provide care that will meet the needs of individuals who are affected by mental illness and learning disabilities. Another key factor within the article is Sean Parker, the founding president of Facebook. He claimed that "the product works by exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology". Reaching an outside source to further fact check this claim, Yale Medicine shows evidence that teens ranging from "12-15 who used social media over three hours each day faced twice the risk of having negative mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety symptoms". Although media can be fun and exciting, it is becoming the normal to cast a negative perspective of your life. It is now the goal to present yourself in the best way possible and meeting these unrealistic standards which damages young kids view on themselves. With this being said, the statement heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness is true.

https://rarediseases.org/organizations/mental-health-foundation-uk/

https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide

Answer 7

The claim directly brings us to an article that reads, “How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness” The Economist article talks about how using social media a lot can lead to mental health problems like anxiety and depression. It points out that spending too much time on sites like Facebook and Instagram can make people feel lonely and bad about themselves because they constantly compare themselves to others. Research indicates a concerning link between social media use and negative mental health outcomes, particularly among youth. A study referenced in a Stanford Law School article highlights that increased social media engagement can lead to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The authors note that heavy social media use often correlates with diminished face-to-face interactions, which are crucial for developing meaningful relationships and social skills. Furthermore, the constant exposure to curated images and lifestyles on social media platforms can foster feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in adolescents, who may be more susceptible to the pressures of social comparison. While social media can offer benefits such as connection and community, the growing body of evidence suggests that its overuse can significantly detriment mental well-being, emphasizing the need for awareness and potential regulation of social media consumption among young users.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2018/05/18/how-heavy-use-of-social-media-is-linked-to-mental-illness?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&utm_source=google&ppccampaignID=17210591673&ppcadID=&utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw68K4BhAuEiwAylp3kojZc-_RSnDsZNcqsrkgak4j9Q8JBp2LzzSAIP-uPjHy9VeuAY_qzBoCFfEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds 

https://law.stanford.edu/2024/05/20/social-media-addiction-and-mental-health-the-growing-concern-for-youth-well-being/#:~:text=The%20link%20between%20social%20media%20and%20mental%20health%20issues%20has,et%20al.%2C%202020 

Answer 8

The claim of the article is that the people aged 14-21 who use social media heavily are at an enhanced risk of mental health concerns. This claim is well supported with a 2017 study by the Royal Society of Public Health, which reveals reveals that increased time spent on social media is linked to several health concerns including, worsened sleep, anxiety, depression, bullying, decreased self-confidence, and FOMO. The data is presented clearly in the article and the sources are legitimate.

Answer 9

In today's world according to McLean Hospital, 69% of adults and 81% of teens in the United States use multiple social media platforms. This is a significant amount of people in their adulthood using social media consistently and even more individuals who have not even had their frontal lobe develop yet rely on social media for their "human" interaction, news, and entertainment purposes. McLean hospital states that the earlier adolescents start using social media, the more they are at risk for these platforms to majorly impact their lives in more ways than good. Many teenagers have "fear of missing out" (FOMO), which causes them to be on social media platforms for hours each day to ensure that they are up to date with what their friends are doing. Being on social media for too long each day can negatively impact the way the brain thinks, especially when the brain is not fully cognitively developed, this unhealthy relationship teenagers have with social media contributes to their mental health. It starts with them comparing themselves to others, they feel not good enough or think that they are not "as pretty as their friends", which impacts their self-esteem in a bad way. Mclean also believes that females and males unleash the hidden aggression they hold towards social media in different ways, they believe males share the anger they have more physically while females put other individuals down, such as sharing hateful comments on social media posts, to make "themselves feel better". With all this information in mind I think it is safe to say social media is linked to contributing to mental health, especially in young teens. 

Source:   https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health

Answer 10

According to the article, a survey done in 2017 by the Royal Society for Public Health surveyed people from the ages of 12-24. According to their answers, they believed social media has had effects on their well-being. Which turns out many other people felt the same way. According to some academic studies, people felt “FOMO” (“fear of missing out”), sleep deprived and many other symptoms. 

As stated in another website, about 10 percent of teens have experienced cyber bullying on social media. A study done at the University of Pennsylvania, found that some of the seven outcomes from the study found that the participants felt anxiety, depression and loneliness. 

https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/social-media-and-mental-health