How social media habits can affect mental health
Strategies for a balanced digital life
References
further reading
The term “Digital Nutrition” was coined by Sydney-based psychologist Jocelyn Brewer to describe the impact of social media habits on our mental health and provide guidance on developing healthy digital habits and improving our digital wellbeing.
“Digital Nutrition” is a guilt-free philosophy that guides intentional and intelligent use of digital platforms and conscious consumption of digital content.
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How social media habits can affect mental health
Studies investigating the impact of social media use on mental health have produced mixed results. While some studies clearly talk about the potential harmful effects of digital platforms on health, others highlight their positive effects.
The mental health consequences of social media use often depend on the type of content and time spent on various social media platforms. Experience of cyberbullying or exposure to violent, sexual, and hateful content can certainly have serious negative effects on mental health, especially among children, adolescents, and young adults. In turn, social and emotional connections fostered through online platforms can potentially improve the mental health of minority communities who often experience health disparities and chronic health conditions.
A growing pool of evidence shows that people who seek to compare themselves to digitally enhanced images online or compare their popularity with others on social media are more likely to experience negative mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. Similarly, social media use has also been found to trigger body image concerns and increase the risk of fatal psychiatric diseases such as eating disorders.
In contrast, some positive social media experiences, such as chatting with someone online during lonely hours or building healthy social networks, have been observed to be associated with happiness, meaning and purpose, physical and mental health, character, and close social relationships. and financial stability.
Evidence on the impact of time spent on social media shows that being online for approximately 1-2 hours per day can benefit children and adolescents. However, negative effects are more likely to occur when social media use overshadows other well-being-enhancing activities, such as physical exercise, sleep, and offline social activities. Therefore, for safer use of social media, it is important to provide children and family members with clear scientific information about both the positive and negative consequences of social media use.
Doomscrolling is a relatively new field of research in mental health that describes the habit of social media users to endlessly scroll in obsessive search for depressing and negative information. A sharp increase in doomscrolling habit among social media users was observed during the latest coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The unknown nature of the pandemic may have prompted people to seek out all possible information about the disease via the internet and social media, which was mostly negative news.
Constantly feeding the brain negative news can significantly increase the risk of anxiety, fear, stress and depression. Endless scrolling can also disrupt your sleep cycle and drain energy. On a physiological level, endless scrolling is associated with the brain’s constant feeding of stress hormones such as cortisol. Consistently high levels of stress hormones can tax the brain and body, leading to physical and mental health problems.
What is Digital Nutrition?
Strategies for a balanced digital life
The first step to improving digital well-being is understanding the pattern and frequency of digital practice. There are various screen time apps that can be used to set a time limit to track time spent on various digital platforms. It is important to limit digital habits to specific and more appropriate time periods.
It is important to feel or observe the sensations that occur in the body in response to different digital or social media content. The more a person consciously pays attention to negative news, the more likely his body will send signals that will motivate him to put on the brakes. Therefore, one needs to pay attention to how a particular content affects him/her while endlessly scrolling.
Forced scrolling on digital platforms is another malpractice that can potentially impact digital well-being. People often spend time on social media or other digital platforms without thinking much. Thought stopping is a useful cognitive-behavioral technique often used to stop obsessive or anxious thoughts. This technique can be useful to avoid compulsive scrolling behavior.
If digital habits are harming your mental health, it is very important to disconnect from screen time with careful actions. Breathing exercises and meditation can be helpful to avoid digital distractions, relax, and clear the mind of negative thoughts. Physical consumption also helps increase brain levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that improves mood.
Children and adolescents are more likely to be influenced by digital and social media content. Guidance from parents and teachers on how social media works and how social media activities should be perceived can be an effective strategy to avoid the negative mental health effects of social media on children and adolescents. Parents should also provide their children with a safe and empathetic environment when it comes to social media use.
Parents should also engage their children in alternative extracurricular activities to maintain a balance between online and offline life. Another vital strategy is to pay attention to the content children are exposed to every day. It is important to encourage educational, inspirational or entertaining content and minimize negative content directed at children.