The digital age is here to stay. With so much of our lives lived online, understanding social media’s impact on our mental health is more crucial than ever. From the positive connections we forge to the potential pitfalls of overuse, we’re sharing expert mental health advice on how our online habits shape our mental wellness and ways to protect our emotional well-being online.
“There is a lot of good to be found, but significant time spent on social media can have a progressively negative impact on your mental health,” says Matt Swies, LISW-S, LICDC, OhioHealth independent clinician. “If it goes unchecked, it can consume your time and energy until it feels like an overwhelming problem or results in symptoms of social media anxiety or depression.”
Online habits and mental health
Swies explains that social media is designed to leave you wanting more. Every like, comment, follow or friend request releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. And the pull of social media can be incredibly challenging for adolescents and young adults to resist.
“Teens are working to develop and establish their personal identity. They crave social acceptance and often lack impulse control,” says Swies. “When you mix those factors with a dopamine-releasing activity, such as social media, it can be a recipe for disaster.”
Parents and caregivers can help by working to understand what your child is getting from social media. Different platforms might feel like they are providing social connection, but Swies says they often decrease face-to-face contact with people.
Signs that social media is negatively impacting your mental health can include:
- Feelings of anxiety or depression
- Difficulty sleeping or interrupted sleep
- Memory loss
- Lack of concentration
Swies explains that once social media starts to impact your daily functioning, such as school or work activities or face-to-face socialization, it’s a problem.
“When you spend your time checking on other people and what they are doing online, you aren’t living in the moment or enjoying your life,” says Swies. “The comparison trap can have a negative impact on your mental health.”
It’s not all bad
While time spent online doesn’t foster the in-person communication we all need, Swies explains that healthy social media use can give us a more global perspective. In addition, it can be a great way to learn, share and develop a sense of self-expression, as well as network and explore career opportunities.
The key to healthy engagement is to monitor how much time you spend on social media and how it makes you feel. Swies says that some people start to feel a sense of discontent very quickly, while those feelings might come on more gradually for others. It is important to regularly take stock of the accounts and friends you follow, what they post and whether the content gives you a boost or drags you down.
“Digital age wellness centers on mental health awareness and how vital it is to your day-to-day well-being,” says Swies. “A few mental well-being strategies can help you to manage your time online and protect your overall health more effectively.”
Digital detox tips
If you are overwhelmed by social media use, Swies says that limiting the time you spend online or taking a break for a while can be a good idea. As a parent or caregiver, it’s important to create balance and prevent screentime burnout. The Surgeon General, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend less than two hours of screen time a day. Swies says that monitoring your child’s screen time, the accounts they are following and who they are communicating with is crucial.
Tools to track your screen time are available on your phone. This includes reminders to let you know how long you’ve been online or using social media. The trackers can help boost your awareness of how long you’ve been scrolling and help you decide how much time you want to spend using online platforms each day or week.
Because social media is often used in schools, Swies also suggests having conversations about limiting social media use (and screen time, in general) early. Explaining the risks to your child’s mental health can help you set expectations and prevent struggles if you need to limit social media use later.
“Taking time to step away from your social channels can be beneficial. Making room for more face-to-face socialization, whether you walk down the hall to speak with a coworker or have dinner with your family, can help you reset,” says Swies. “Make a plan to take a break and let people know about it so that you are accountable. You might inspire others to do the same thing.”
Topic:Healthy Living
Categories:Mental Health
