Heavy Use of social media is linked to mental illness

Question

The article in The Economist draws attention to the mounting worries regarding the negative impacts of excessive social media use, especially on mental health. It talks about how spending too much time on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and others is linked to higher levels of loneliness, anxiety, and depression, particularly in young people. Continuous exposure to well chosen, romanticized depictions of other people's life might cause mental pain by encouraging feelings of inadequacy and self-comparison. However, the Facebook study "Examination of Neural Systems Sub-Serving Facebook Addiction" delves deeper into the brain effects of this compulsive use. It demonstrates that impulsive brain regions are more active in heavy Facebook users, making it difficult for them to avoid monitoring the site. This is similar to drug or gambling addiction tendencies, when the impulsive brain regions take precedence over the more regulated, decision-making areas. In essence, the Facebook study describes how social media use might alter brain function, making people more prone to obsessive behavior, whereas the Economist article concentrates on emotional effects like worry. Both pieces point to similar conclusions: social media can lead to negative outcomes when used excessively. However, the Economist emphasizes emotional and mental health impacts, while the Facebook study explains the brain mechanisms behind this compulsive use

Answer 1

The article "The Social Dilemma: Social Media and Your Mental Health" written by McLean Hospital claims that social media is addictive, and has been associated with anxiety and depression. McLean Hospital states that social media can lead to FOMO or fear of missing out, and these feelings of missed experiences can lead to increased negative thoughts anxiety, and depression. The article cites a 2018 study by the University of Pennsylvania which showed a decrease in loneliness and depression after limiting social media usage to 10 minutes daily. McLean Hospital is an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and has been ranked as the number-one hospital in the country for psychiatric care. Based on my findings I think that the claim of heavy social media use leading to mental illness is true.

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

Answer 2

The Economist article discusses the causation of mental health affects linked to social media use. Overconsumption of romanticized content, unrealistic media and instilling a sense of FOMO in users can promote depression and anxiety. The article cites a poll taken of various people and how different apps impact their wellbeing in different regards. https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2018/05/18/how-heavy-use-of-social-media-is-linked-to-mental-illness

A McLean Hospital article backs this by discussing the design of social media apps. They are designed with he intention of keeping users on the app as long as possible, promoting a reliance or addiction for the app. Through this, they are associated with anxiety and depression. "According to the Pew Research Center, 69% of adults and 81% of teens in the U.S. use social media. This puts a large amount of the population at an increased risk of feeling anxious, depressed, or ill over their social media use." The quote shows that increased mental health issues young people likely correlates to excessive social media use.

Answer 3

The University of California Davis has done a study regarding the affects of Mental Health due to social media, and their claims back up the fact that Social Media has many negative affects on an individuals mental health. They noted the "increase(d) feelings of anxiety and depression, specifically in teens and young adults." as well as "The addictive nature of social media activates the brain's reward center by releasing dopamine. " ( health.ucdavis.edu ). There is also a massive issue surrounding cyberbullying, and in their study they found that " In 2020, 44% of all internet users in the U.S. said they have experienced online harassment. " ( health.ucdavis.edu ). Overall there are many negative affects that social media can have on an individuals mental health. 

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05#:~:text=Social%20media%20can%20negatively%20impact,in%20teens%20and%20young%20adults.

Answer 4

This article claims that heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness. Just off the bat, there are many case studies about this topic all supporting the direct connection between mental illness and social people. Some sources of these articles include schools such as MIT, Stanford, Yale, and other organizations such as the American Psychological Association. Without looking deep into this article, the evidence proving this claim to be true is astounding. Looking into one of the surveys mentioned in the article, the survey was conducted by legit neuroscientists and was pretty extensive in linking the platform of Facebook with addictive parts of the brain. I would say based on the surveys this article has used as evidence and based on the amount of other studies done that affirm this article, the claim that mental illness and social media are linked is true.