heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness

Question

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

Comments

It's worth looking into the connection between social media use and mental illness, since you've raised an important point. The Economist article you cited raises important points about sadness, anxiety, and FOMO (fear of missing out), but I believe it's important to look more closely at the data supporting these assertions.

For example, research such as that conducted by Twenge et al. (2017) indicates a link between teenage mental health problems and more screen usage, although this link does not imply causality. Is it possible that social networking is a more common coping strategy among those who are already dealing with mental health issues?

The connection may also be affected by the kind of social media use. The impacts of passive scrolling may differ from those of active participation (such as posting and engaging). Studies by Orben and Przybylski (2019) highlight the importance of taking these subtleties into account.

To support your claim, have you thought about looking at research that uses meta-analyses or longitudinal data? These might give a more accurate picture of whether mental health issues are caused by excessive social media usage or by other things.

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After fact-checking, this article is an accurate source, and this claim makes sense. Many teens are unfortunately gaining mental health issues due to heavy social media use.

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This is an interesting one, but I think we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions. While there's definitely research showing a connection between lots of social media use and feeling down, it's kind of like the chicken and egg situation - which comes first? Someone might spend more time on social media because they're already feeling anxious or depressed, or the social media use might be contributing to those feelings. Also, what exactly counts as "heavy use"? The impact probably varies a lot depending on how you use social media (like mindlessly scrolling vs. actually connecting with friends) and how much time you spend on it. It would be helpful to be more specific about what the research actually shows.

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I enjoyed reading the source you used to propose the idea that heavy social media use is linked to mental illness. I also provided a link at the bottom to another source in which it talks about how the use of social media especially from the ages 10-19 can have a negative impact on one's mental health.

Link: https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20research%20study,including%20depression%20and%20anxiety%20symptoms.

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I'm curious about your thoughts are on why certain social media's have more sad users than other social media sites. What specifically about an app or site makes it more depressing for someone to use?

Answer 1

The Economist article highlights the relationship between heavy social media use and mental health issues among young people aged 14-24, noting how platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter contribute to increased anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. The piece gains credibility by referencing research that tracks Facebook users over time, finding a clear correlation between high activity and mental health declines. This aligns with findings from a peer-reviewed study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), which explores similar concerns in depth. The NCBI study identifies specific mechanisms, such as social comparison, cyberbullying, and the addictive nature of social media, that lead to heightened risks of anxiety and depression. The Economist's conclusions are reinforced by this structured scientific approach, lending credibility to its claims about the mental health impacts of social media use.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10129173/

Answer 2

Studies have shown that frequent use of social media can lead to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. For example, a study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that adults who frequently post on social media are at a higher risk of developing mental health problems compared to those who passively view content.

https://www.jmir.org/

Comments

I think you did a good job in finding a study published as a journal as those tend to be well researched, but to make your argument stronger, providing a quote could make what you sau be more trustworthy and show what part of the journal you believe connects with this specific claim.

Answer 3

This is a true statement in the sense that it is shown to be linked to mental health illness. It comes from a reputable source that has studies and data to back it up. Additionally, I found another couple sources that say the same that are reliable. Yale Medicine and the National Library of Medicine both provide studies that conclude that the use of social media for more than 3 hours per day have been show to negatively impact mental health. According to the studies, most common  mental health issues that are linked to excessive use of social media are anxiety and depression. This is a true claim that there is a link.

https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20research%20study,including%20depression%20and%20anxiety%20symptoms.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10129173/

Answer 4

Heavy use of social media is increasingly linked to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Research indicates that social media platforms, with their constant stream of curated content, can lead to negative self-comparisons and body image concerns. A study by Twenge et al. (2017) found that adolescents who spend more time on social media report higher levels of depression and anxiety. Social media use also disrupts real-world social interactions, contributing to feelings of isolation (Kuss & Griffiths, 2017). Furthermore, the addictive nature of these platforms encourages excessive use, which can worsen mental health conditions over time (Fuchs, 2017). A key issue is the pressure to seek validation through likes and comments, which can create emotional dependency and low self-esteem (Rosen et al., 2013). In conclusion, while social media has benefits, its overuse poses significant risks to mental health.

Answer 5

The topic of social media in relation to mental health is a huge controversy in our generations today with how much people are using it. The article attached to this claim was written by the Economist “Data Team”, and specified further as being led by writer Dan Rosenheck. Dan was the founding editor of Game Theory, The Economist’s sports blog, and previously served as foreign correspondent in Argentina, bureau chief in Mexico City, deputy Americas editor in London and professional-services beat writer in New York, based on the Economist Directory. This article also showed, an experiment by five neuroscientists in 2014 concluded that Facebook triggers the same impulsive part of the brain as gambling and substance abuse. These neuroscientists all graduated from top Universities in both the United States of America and China. Another experiment was conducted by The Royal Society of Public Health, stated that in 2017, users at the age of 14-24 years old, reported that in using Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter, their anxiety, depression, amount of bullying, and amount of sleep, became worsened. While these sources prove that many people’s well-being have been worsened from social media apps, there are no statistics that prove the candidates weren’t already diagnosed with the mental disorders. Yet, the claim is still true as they aren’t claiming social media creates mental disorders, rather it might just worsen the symptoms and overall well-being of a person.

Answer 6

The source that made this claim is reliable. First, The Economist is a well-known source that many people have heard of before as a trusted source. I also found similar findings in another reliable source, the National Library of Medicine, in the article “Link between excessive social media use and psychiatric disorders” by Ujala Zubair, Muhammad K Khan, and Muna Albashari. It similarly discusses how there is a link between social media and declining mental health among teens. Also, the more teens scroll through social media, the more likely they are to feel symptoms of FOMO. I think that the claims that both articles are making are valid. This is because the first article by The Economist talks about many surveys they have done amongst teens, where it is reported that kids “aged 14-24 believe that Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter have detrimental effects on their wellbeing”.

Answer 7

The source that made this claim is reliable. First, The Economist is a well-known source that many people have heard of before as a trusted source. I also found similar findings in another reliable source, the National Library of Medicine, in the article “Link between excessive social media use and psychiatric disorders” by Ujala Zubair, Muhammad K Khan, and Muna Albashari. It similarly discusses how there is a link between social media and declining mental health among teens. Also, the more teens scroll through social media, the more likely they are to feel symptoms of FOMO. I think that the claims that both articles are making are valid. This is because the first article by The Economist talks about many surveys they have done amongst teens, where it is reported that kids “aged 14-24 believe that Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter have detrimental effects on their wellbeing”.

Answer 8

After fact checking and reading the article attached to the claim I believe that overall the statement is true. While reading the article they linked multiple surveys that supported their claim. Not only did the article seem pretty reliable but when searching for a link between heavy social media use and teen mental health a lot of similar articles seemed to pop up. One article, Social Media and Teen Mental Health, also had a very similar claim on how higher levels of social media can lead to teens feeling depression and anxiety symptoms. Another article, How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide, also points out the same key details. Although both articles also express the benefits of social media they both conclude that excessive use can lead to harmful effects on a teens mental health. 

Answer 9

The graphs helped to give viewers a visual and clear understanding of the exact effects social media has on users. Connecting the use of media with mental illness is a strong claim and holds lots of evidence. To expand on this connection, we could also discuss what kind of media causes the most issues? How can we work on ways to limit our social media use? According to Pew Research Center, 69% of adults and 81% of teens in the U.S use social media. Multiple reasons connect with why people can feel a sense of anxiety or depression through social media use. Including, comparing and fear of missing out. Another important factor to add is the digital age of vulnerability. https://www.mcleanhospital.org/essential/it-or-not-social-medias-affecting-your-mental-health

Answer 10

This article claims that heavy use of social media has negative mental health impacts, particularly on 14-24 year-olds. Their data suggests a strong connection between a lack of sleep, bullying, FOMO (fear of missing out), and anxiety and depression due to social media usage. This information appears accurate. The effects of social media on mental health is backed by scholarly studies and sources such as Yale Medicine, McLean Hospital, and Stanford Law, which all assert that growing evidence suggests a direct correlation between social media and negative mental health side effects.

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

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

https://law.stanford.edu/2024/05/20/social-media-addiction-and-mental-health-the-growing-concern-for-youth-well-being/