A well-known and loyal social media user, the political activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, elected to the US congress on November 6, 2018, publicly announced that he would come out of Facebook Because he believed it was “a threat to public health”. Despite having widely entrusted to social media to be elected, he has more recently achieved the belief that they contribute to “greater isolation, depression, anxiety and dependence”.
It is not alone. Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a study on childhood depression, from which the possibility that social media has played a role in the increase in suicides found among adolescent girls. In the United Kingdom, however, the government is considering the opportunity to put social media restrictions to protect children and adolescents.
Mental health in teenagers is in decline
The World Health Organization has listed depression as the main cause of health and disabilities problems. Also a recent study that takes into consideration data on the US population relating to a large time span (from 2005 to 2017), showed a high increase in mood disorders and suicides at that time between teenagers and young adults.
The identification of the possible causes of these results has been directed, among the various research guidelines, also to the possibility of establishing a connection with the ever greater Use of social media by young people.
Although it is quite evident that these two growth trends can theoretically occur in an absolutely independent way, some researchers have asked themselves in recent years if a correlation between these data could be demonstrated. More recently, various large -scale epidemiological studies have been published having the purpose of collecting clues on how social media could influence young people.
The media research center, technology and health of the University of Pittsburgh (USA) published in 2018 the results of a study that affected 1730 young adults (aged between 19 and 32). Were divided into five groups based on the amount of time spent on social media, thus analyzing the extent of the Symptoms of depression and anxiety within the various groups.
The result was a directly proportional connection in a straight line: to a growing commitment in social media, it corresponded to a greater feedback of depression and anxiety disorders. In the same investigation, similar associations were identified between the use of social media in the subjects examined and the tendency to social isolation, problems in the food field and sleep disorders.
These results are in line with another recent analysis conducted in the USA, Canada and Australia on a large sample of teenagers. In addition to the use of social media, this study also included that of video games and found that users with high volumes of use of these tools (> 5 hours/day) had 48% -171% more likely to report Symptoms depression or suicidal ideation Compared to users with low volumes of use (<1 hour/day).
Observe beyond appearances
Although the results of these investigations can appear alarming, various researchers suggest a lot of caution in drawing about conclusions about causal links between these data. With almost 3.5 billion people who actively use these technologies, the variables to be considered are countless and studies risk achieving confusing results if they do not take into account all the factors that contribute to these results.
That said, dr. Primack (PhD at the aforementioned center of Pittsburgh), adheres to the theory that supports a link between use of social media and mental problems of depression, anxiety and solitude. In his opinion, in fact, online socialization reduces direct interactions between people, who know for sure they represent a positive protection factor on the psychological level.
An objection to this approach could be represented by the fact that the association could be self-selective, since those who already have mental health problems can be more led to contact social media to improve their conditions. “In reality – he says even firstck – if a person is in a more vulnerable state and enters the social environment, develops the impression that all others are experiencing a better, happier and more productive life than hers and is very easy then that this comparison further worsens his self -esteem“.
Many researchers believe that it would be more useful, in the epidemiological investigation works, consider with what objectives the subjects subjected to the study use these platforms, rather than evaluating only the frequency during the day. He says in this regard even before: “Two people can both use 2 hours of social networks per day, but the person A could simply look at photos of babies and puppies and click ‘like’, while the B person could implement angry interactions with other users on politics, religion and other ‘hot’ themes, evidently with very different meanings and emotional repercussions in the two cases“.
Primack’s recent work also brings other interesting data to analyze these phenomena. In the first place it indicates that the passive use of social media is correlated to higher Depression rates Compared to active use (for example, creating their content, perhaps even in connection with friends). In addition, a linear relationship was found between the number of platforms used and the risk of depression and anxiety. The latter, in fact, is higher in those who use a greater number of platforms (from seven to eleven) than those who use them less (from zero to two), while taking into account the data relating to the total time dedicated to the use of social networks.
Social media: lights and shadows
Many other data suggest that social media can represent a positive factor for many people. Studies have shown considerable benefit when social support networks grow to help disabled people or with mental problems. It is certain that social media can improve general health by promoting, for example, the cessation of smoke and more correct eating habits.
On the other hand, a community experience can encourage the sharing of a traumatic event, multiplying its stressful consequences. These results have come to various Research on cyberbullying and on the negative repercussions on a psychological level that derive from it, not only for victims but also for the performers, in complicated succession of interactions between agitates and restitution of their harmful effects on the mental health of young people.
How to get out of it?
Beyond what emerges from the research of the specialists, the US public opinion is already widely sensitized on the problems related to the excessive use of social media. Just think that in October last year, the New York Times has An article that illustrated the efforts of the workers of Silicon Valley to keep their children far from digital technology is published.
The knowledge of these problems implies that doctors, in the face of teenagers suffering from psychiatric problems, in addition to investigating other risk factors, also ask questions about how frequent theirs is Use of digital platforms. At the same time, it must be taken into account that you can find ourselves in the face of the perplexity or incredulity by a teenager who is said that an activity that dominates almost all aspects of his social life could be harmful to him.
This is why some scholars recommend that they have a lot of caution in transmitting only messages of blame for adolescents excessively dependent on digital media, for the risk of increasing their feelings of guilt. Equally counterproductive could prove to be the temptation to completely prohibit access, thus subtracting the use of the various positive experiences that these tools allow.
For the most serious cases of addiction, with symptoms of malaise that reflect those of drug dependence or alcohol, in the United States it is recommended to turn to real rehabilitation structures that welcome adolescents and adults, whose existences have been destabilized by the compulsive use of digital media. In these residences a first “detoxification” period is implemented which generally lasts 1-2 months, followed by a “re-education” program which lasts for an additional 6-9 months. It starts from the assumption that living in the 21st century and avoiding digital media is almost impossible, so that a “reset” of mental habits must be carried out essentially, with the aim of learning to use electronic social communication devices in a healthy and productive way.
Bibliography
- Tubman K. AOC: ‘Social Media Poses a Public Health Risk to Everybody.’ Yahoo News. April 15, 2019.
- Guy J. As Concern About Kids’ Mental Health and Social Media Use GroWs, Authorities Take Action. Cnn. Febration 5, 2019.
- World Health Organization. “Depression: Let’s Talk” Says Who, As Depression Tops List of Causes of Ill Health. March 30, 2017.
- Primack Ba, Shensa a, Sidani Je, et al. Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the US AM J Preve Med. 2017; 53: 1-8.
- Twenge JM, Cooper AB, Joiner Te, Duffy Me, Binau Sg. Age, periods, and cohort trends in mood disorder Indicators and Suicide-Related Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Dataset, 2005-2017. J abnorm psychol. 2019; 128: 185-199.
- Sidani Je, Shensa A, Hoffman B, Hanmer J, Primack Ba. The Association Bethaeen Social Media Use and Eating Concens Among Us Young Adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016; 116: 1465-1472.
- Levenson JC, Shensa A, Sidani Je, Colditz JB, Primack Ba. Social Media Use Before Bed and Sleep Disturbance Among Young Adults in the United States: A Nationally Representative Study. Sleep. 2017; 40.
