As social media use increases all across the globe I've piqued an interest in finding out the affects (both positive and negative) of social media on the human brain, particularly in adolescents.
I spent a few weeks doing as much research as possible, compiling it into a lovely (and definitely well-organised) notes page and got to writing. Here is what I found:
First let me start with a simple definition. Social media, "is a collective term for websites and applications that focus on communication, community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration." (Lutkevich 1)
Social media has recently become a prominent part of the lives of many around the world. Contemporary research has raised troubling questions about the effects of social media on the health and development of young people and its advantages and disadvantages. While the research is still in its early stages and not yet definitive, it is compelling enough to warrant that young people consider at least reducing their social media usage.
The statistics showing increased social media usage have made it more urgent for researchers to study whether or not social media is beneficial for the brains of young people. Now, more than ever, social media has a powerful hold on society. Recent studies have collected data on the use of social media among various age groups. It found that 88% of people aged 18 to 29 and 78% of people aged 30 to 49 reported having some kind of social media use (King 1). Even more surprising, perhaps, 64% of people between the ages 50 and 64 reported using social media (King 2). While this age group has lower usage than the other groups, it is interesting to note that this age group did not grow up with any form of social media and, until about 10 to 15 years ago, it did not have the same popularity as it does now. This makes it all the more important to figure out how damaging social media might be.
A prominent issue related to social media use is increased rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness in the population. The question researchers have is whether social media is related to this. A study done in the UK assessed the emotional investment in social media of students in secondary school. The study found “significant positive correlations between higher anxiety levels and greater social media use, and emotional investment in social media.” (Taylor-jackson and Moustafa 6). Similarly, the study reports higher levels of depression, lower self-esteem, and less sleep (Taylor-Jackson and Moustafa 6). The study concludes that there is a clear relationship between greater social media use and increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness, as well as a feeling of inadequacy in young people.
Greater emotional investment in social media can also have an impact on young people’s interest in real-life activities and concentration. In a study collecting factors relating to depression symptoms and social media use it found that “spending more time on social media was associated with higher levels of loss of interest in offline activities, concentration problems, fatigue, and loneliness.” (Taylor-jackson and Moustafa 10). As young people are going through critical developmental periods, it is likely these implications will carry on into adulthood bringing up a cause for concern in researchers and society. Because of higher knowledge and communication about mental health, this study calls attention to the importance of considering the role social media might be playing in an increase of poor mental health among young people.
While there is a correlation between negative mental health and social media usage, it is also uncertain as to whether it is a direct cause, due to a lack of research. Along with this, there are arguments that social media can have positive outcomes on the mental health of young people. A national survey was done in 2018 for 14 to 22 year olds to measure the positive opportunities social media has to offer. Data found that individuals were using the internet to search for help with mental health issues. This included, “researching mental health issues online (90%), accessing other people’s health stories through blogs, podcasts, and videos (75%), using mobile apps related to well-being (38%), and connecting with health providers through digital tools such as texting and video chat (32%).” (Taylor-Jackson and Moustafa 12). In this case, evidence shows that social media enabled people to feel like they were not alone in their struggles and helped them understand more about what they were going through. In developmental stages, it is especially important for young people to have a sense of relatability and connectedness. Along with this, the study demonstrates a heightened awareness and stronger communication about mental health. This allows for a reduced stigma around mental health issues which is especially important for young people who might feel alone or embarrassed about how they feel. With more discussion about mental health it might be argued that social media offers positive effects on the health and development of young people. This suggests that social media is not “all bad” or “all good”. There are some positive elements to social media. The question is: are the benefits worth the dangers which research is increasingly warning us about.
Following the above indications that social media might be negatively affecting the mental and social health of young people, new research has been exploring the neurological impact of social media. A study was done to examine how adolescents’ “checking behaviours” on social media is associated with longitudinal changes in functional brain development. It found that:
Adolescents who engaged in high (habitual) checking behaviours showed distinct neural trajectories when anticipating social feedback compared with those who engaged in moderate or low (non habitual) checking behaviours, suggesting that habitual social media checking early in adolescence is associated with divergent brain development over time (Maza et al. 17).
An article on this study identified the importance of these results, stating that young peoples’ brains “are going through the most development and reorganisation…making them more susceptible to environmental influences” (Holcombe 12). This ‘divergent brain development’ included an increased sensitivity in the parts of the brain that control and react to rewards, punishment, and anxiety. These conclusions are concerning, as these neurological changes are believed to have negative effects on the development of young people that could carry into adulthood. As social media use increases, it is essential that these effects be studied further to better understand their implications and what can be done to reduce any potential harm.
As researchers grow in their understanding of the effects of social media and place importance on this research, it is just as important to think about what solutions there might be. A BBC medical podcast dedicated to providing simple habits in one’s life to improve mental health investigated social media habits. It found that “the time we spend on [phones]… can interfere with our sleep, mood, and productivity”(Mosley [00:02:32]). In this podcast, it is acknowledged that it would be unrealistic to get rid of social media altogether. The host of the episode–himself a medical professional–reported about a study in which 619 people were split into two groups: those who did not use their phone at all, and those who reduced their usage by just one hour. While both groups had benefits, the study found that the people who simply reduced their phone usage had benefits over those who stopped phone usage altogether. Reducing your phone usage by just an hour and limiting your social media usage to 30 minutes a day can boost your brain power, improve your wellbeing, and reduce loneliness, stress, and anxiety. This simple strategy has many benefits. Until more definitive research has been done on the topic of social media and mental health, this practice of “simple reduction of usage” could be a wise path to improve the wellbeing of young people.
Research on the effects of social media on young people will continue into the future, as social media and phone usage increase over the whole population. While there are benefits to these technologies, it seems there are also some emerging negative impacts. Until better information is available, a simple step to take might be for people of all ages to consider reducing their social media use as a strategy to improve their mental and social health.
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