Social media is detrimental to mental health

Question

With technology advancing, social media has become more and more prevalent. Now, when people are bored, they often resort to scrolling through their social media apps. Dr. Kim Johnson from Middle Georgia State University talks about recurring checking your phone to see if you got a notification is like smoking a cigarette because of the immediate rush of dopamine, which can be addictive. Also, your brain does not fully develop until you are 25 years old, so your prefrontal cortex is premature, which is the area of your brain that regulates emotional responses.

Dr. Kim Johnson is a psychiatric and family nurse practitioner at Woods Medical LLC and is an associate professor at Middle Georgia State University. She has gotten some of her research from The American Psychological Association, Pew Research Center, and Emerald Insight.

Answer 1

After investigating the claim that social media is detrimental to mental health, I found this claim to be pretty accurate and supported by multiple reliable sources. Research and studies have shown that overuse of social media can negatively affect mental health amongst teenagers and young adults. However, some studies have shown social media can also provide positive effects, such as social connection and support from others, if used the right way.   

For primary sources, I looked at studies from the American Psychological Association and research published in mental health. These studies looked at the relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. Researchers found that excessive use of social media and constant comparison with others can harm one's mental health. At the same time, some of these studies have found that social media can help people stay connected to their friends and support systems. These researchers focus on understanding online behavior and its effect on people’s well-being. Their findings show evidence that social media can influence mental health in both positive and negative ways.

For secondary sources, I looked at The New York Times and CNN, where they have both reported on this claim. These reports talk about how social media platforms can increase stress and loneliness, especially for people who spend excessive amounts of time online. Other organizations and media outlets have shared similar information, relying on the same scientific studies. These sources all mention how social media can negatively affect mental health when used too much. 

Potential bias is minimal in the primary data as it's based on psychological studies and observed patterns. Some social media outlets might overemphasize the harmful effects of social media while ignoring the positive ones. The evidence is supported and very similar across many different sources, but social media is just one of many factors that can influence one's mental health.  

Attempts to trace this claim back to the original context show that concerns about social media and mental health have increased due to the popularity growth of certain apps. Researchers and experts have studied how excessive social media use can affect one’s overall well-being, especially in young adults. Social media may cuase increase concerns about anxiety, depression, and the well-being of users, but it is not the sole reason for mental health challenges. 

Answer 2

The claims made by Dr. Kim Johnson regarding social media addiction and brain development are mostly accurate. In her 2022 perspective piece for Middle Georgia State University, Dr. Johnson, who is both a psychiatric nurse practitioner and a family nurse practitioner at Woods Medical LLC., compared the behavior of checking one’s phone for social media notifications to the behavior of smoking cigarettes. The U.S. Surgeon General, for example, has published various reports into how social media brands are intentionally designed to provide users with immediate dopamine rushes with their social media platforms. Such a biological mechanism is the same as addictive behaviors like smoking cigarettes. Furthermore, Dr. Johnson correctly explains that the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is responsible for regulating emotional responses, rewards, and impulses, is not mature past the age of 20. While most neuroscientists would note that the age of 25 is cited as the age at which the prefrontal cortex reaches maturity, it is accurate to state that the premature maturity of this portion of the brain at young ages results in those age groups having a relative vulnerability to the digital addictions that are rising in popularity today. Though Dr. Johnson has moved from her previous teaching positions at Middle Georgia State University to Augusta University, her scientific knowledge of the claims she made in her publication remains accurate according to published psychological and neurological sciences research.

• https://inside.mga.edu/2022/06/is-social-media-bad-for-your-mental-health.php

• https://www.woods-medical.com/meet-our-providers

• https://www.augusta.edu/faculty/directory/view.php?id=KJOHNSON46

Answer 3

I thought this analysis was very well done. You incorporated very valid, strong sources and did a wonderful job informing us readers of the potential harm social media has on the brain. I enjoyed your incorporation of the cigarette analogy as a clear comparison between social media and a very well-known harmful substance.

Upon conducting my own research into the topic, I discovered countless other sources supporting your claim, including one from the National Library of Medicine. One thing I found particularly interesting about this article wasn't that it agreed with the statement at hand, but it brought up an interesting point that many people "use social media to share their lived experiences with mental illness, to seek support from others, and to search for information about treatment recommendations, accessing mental health services, and coping with symptoms." I think that is another important point to consider, that while some media can be harmful to mental health, other kinds of content might be able to improve it. Perhaps it is less about all social media in general and more about the type of content you consume. 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7785056/#S12