How does social media affect your mental health?

funnysag

It’s been time consuming but I have mostly had a positive time from using it.

ConnieG

I have two social media accounts and can say that with fb I felt very triggered in various topics about covid resulting in me leaving it many times .

Con D. Oriano

Social media is largely a mistake.

It offers a lot of conveniences but has been co-opted by shady organisations harvesting our personal information, and exploiting our psychology to keep us hooked on scrolling endlessly.

It’s hurt my mental health by twisting my expectations to reflect the advertising “glamorous” lifestyle and feel like I’m missing out not going on holiday or going out more etc.

It was pretty bad during lockdown, because Europe had reopened and I was seeing a lot of posts from my friends there. During winter.
And it’s summer there.

margaretjulia

I only use facebook and only allow my overseas family access it. That way I see what my grandchildren are up too and avoid all the stress of the wider social media

suki31999189

The only social media I have is Instagram for work. But only use it once a week max.

Everything in proportion.

Personally I’m not the biggest fan of social media. Yes it has great outlets and opportunities. It’s also a great way to connect with friends.

But it can have an impact on our mental health. I think something we can all agree on.

Comparison is the thief of joy and when you consume too much of something it can have side effects.

Social media is a highlight reels, but if you are having a bad day it can be triggering to see someone post, story, or page. The comparison can take a toll on your mental health and can ultimately be toxic. Set boundaries are important and so valid. Definitely necessary if you use social media for work!

But social media has helped me feel less alone. Like youtube watching vlogs can make you feel less alone especially during lockdown. Like a friend through the screen. So yes it’s helpful but can be too much if consume regularly.

Danni30723977

I think it isn't good for mental health. You are shown photos and images which are photo-shopped and staged. The negativity in peoples comments where they would not say them to peoples face yet happy to hide behind a keyboard. It is also time consuming taking you away from friends and family time.

Rissbee

I use instagram, Facebook and sometimes TikTok (if I’m bored!)
I’ve recently uninstalled all social media apps on my phone because I spend so much time on the and seen to use them as an escape. I don’t think they’ve been good for my mental health because rather then having time to think or wind down I always pick up my phone. As a habit really! Trying to break that.

heeleen

I have one social media accounts that is facebook, I had a lot of friends and family on facebook which is the main reason I used it, but in the last few years a lot of them have gone off facebook, they were sick of the fake news, stupid and annoying comments from other people, so I find I do not use it as much either, I am not really interested in going onto any others, though a few have now joined instragram.
I think during the pandemic and still now there was so much fake information, pro and anti people commenting, it did my head in to a point and I can see how young people get bullied and have their mental health impacted for social media, the expectations for everything today placed on young people is mind boggling. I think parents need to really check their childrens accounts and see what is being posted and said, for their mental health and their safety. I am in my 60s and I have seen so many hurtful comments from people who do not even know me, everyone is entitled to their opionions be it right or wrong , and just because you do not agree with that person it is not necessary to then call them names or put them down.
I find it very sad how people today , are losing the art of actually being with others in person .

margaretjulia

I do not use social media as I believe it can be very determintal as it contains very biased comment in many cases. I have a granddaughter who has been very adversely affected by others using social media. She no longer uses it but the damage has been done.

Prad

It depends upon the person using social media.

Vanessa 32284508

I use two platforms of social media. It has helped me keep in touch with friends and colleagues during the time I had my child.

I do see how it can impact teenagers and young adults negativity. Watching what everyone is doing/wearing/ hanging out with etc is not healthy for people to constantly see for their own mental health.

victory

I limit myself when I use social media, I try to use as a gift not a must do

Mondayitis

I can't be bothered with it, especially Fakebook. I've seen too much nastiness, trolling and self-aggrandizing. I won't publicise my personal life or get roped into unnecessary dramas

Ruskie30748487

I'm okay with it, but my daughter has issues, seeing things about her sister and father interactions makes her feel jealous and helpless as she lives a long way from them. So, she has given away Facebook and now only concentrates on messenger.

Radda

Social media has a more negative impact on young people in particular than a positive one. The body images the so called influencers portray on social media using all the filters in the world is just ridiculous. This is not their REAL life, they hide under a blanket of lies, showing the world how good they look and how happy they are. But the reality is much more harsh, young teenagers mental health deteriorates every day by being on social media and comparing themselves with these influencers. My daughter is going through a harsh time suffering from eating disorder and I am suffering along her, because it breaks my heart, crying every day and praying for her to get back to her old bubbly happy girl. Some teenagers might never recover and will be scared for life, very sad and irreparable damage.

Gerry1945

Do not use...social media. No problems with Covid19.

Con D. Oriano

Social media as a whole is quite depressing and knows how to waste your time. It took watching a pointless 20 minute video on facebook where nothing happened to realise - why am I watching this?

And I never looked back.

.. Okay I did look back, when I needed to procrastinate. But I try not to.

Things like Tinder or Bumble are even more depressing, especially during lockdown, and Instagram is the worst of them all. But during lockdown there was no other alternative.

Michael

I have a handful but I have never had any trouble like hate mail but I did on a Music blog I still, after 20 years belong to. The owner/moderator eventually barred this guy for life. I don't buy from such sites like Facebook, Twitter or Gumtree. I leave that to eBay or people like Amazon where I have protection. Any approach when I am involved in an ongoing discussion to but something are ignored and deleted.I think my mental health is OK and at 73 I hope it stays that way into the future. Sun May 22 2022

sweetis_sin

I use Facebook Snapchat and instagram

Jim32281497

I use Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and Youtube. Social media has overall had a negative impact on my mental health by making me addicted to dopamine and instant gratification, which has worsened my attention span and overall mood. However, it helped relieve boredom during lockdown and I have also learned a lot and discovered new interests through Youtube and Reddit.

faerydoc

I got sucked into so many nasty conversations on Facebook during lockdown, it got to the point where I'd be scared to check it as I knew there'd be something nasty left there. I ended up going cold turkey - deleted the app and didn't use it for a month. Best thing I've ever done for my mental health. I have the app back, but now instead of using it every day I check in once or twice a week, and generally don't engage - no commenting, no matter how much I disagree with anything. Why bother? It only gets me riled up and I'm not changing anyone's mind.

margcafe

I have never used it, don't have any time for it.

Ally32267731

I currently use three main social media apps. But I have recently culled through the amount of people I have on them. I only have close family and friends so we can stay in touch and have removed all the negative people. I found when i had a lot of negative people on my social media it definitely effected my mental health and same when I saw triggering content. Now that I have re structured my accounts to only positive content and very limited close family and friends, I enjoy it a lot more

Ally32267731

I currently use three main social media apps. But I have recently culled through the amount of people I have on them. I only have close family and friends so we can stay in touch and have removed all the negative people. I found when i had a lot of negative people on my social media it definitely effected my mental health and same when I saw triggering content. Now that I have re structured my accounts to only positive content and very limited close family and friends, I enjoy it a lot more

funnysag

I do not let myself get to personal with social media therefore it has little impact on my feelings or mental health.

Ziah

It is the only way I can stay up-to-date with so many of my overseas friends and local friends and family. Many only use social media and won't connect any other way.

Co-moderating a very busy thyroid-support group has also been helpful in making me feel needed at a time when I feel like a huge burden on my spouse - as someone who is immunocompromised and almost 100% in self-imposed isolation (and my one outing in months gave me covid inside 20 minutes, fully masked with a fit-checked N95 mask) who can no longer even look for work outside the home (and can't get any remote work), I feel like a massive burden on him. Feeling needed sometimes helps that not be such a mental health issue for me.

Isolation and my own health issues really make my mental health a huge problem - not to mention the couple next door who abuse their kids daily and who the police and DCS won't touch triggering my cPTSD every day. Hearing the abuse that goes on over there leaves me in tears many times a week. I have sent report after report, called the police, called 000 when the father was audibly laying into one of them and when the parent's fight spilled into the street, to no avail. And I can't get mental health treatment for love nor money.

Elizabeth 31231703

Couldn't get off Facebook till the wee hours. Not good for sleep.

Anonymous

Helps most times

claremd12345

I was just thinking earlier about this. A well know government run venue promoting promoted child covid vaccines on their Facebook page today . There were so many anti-vaxers downgrading people who are doing the right thing. The comments are disgusting. Social media can break or make your day far too easy.

Zanyt

I only have Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family that do not live near me but otherwise I do not use any other social media so my mental health is not affected by it.

ivory

No harm here as I don't use it, but I have seen how it can make some people even commit suicide!

Avocado Green

I think the messaging side of social media has been great for connecting with people during lockdowns and thereby preserving mental health. I think the posting side has been very unhelpful for mental health though. People felt like they were missing out on life, missing out on their friends life events and scrolling through all of the things they wish they could have been doing. Also very distracting while working from home during lockdown. Easy to become a zombie and waste your time, ignore the family you do have with you and deteriorate your mental health! I intend to keep my messaging platforms but trying to pull away from the rest of the posting world... Which is difficult because there is definitely an addictive element!

Cassandra31961148

I was lucky to remove myself from social media before lockdown but found it difficult to resist. My mental health has dramatically improved since giving up social media

Kiwi47

Not me personally but my grandchildren have had a negative impact covid has made it worse for kids.

godsbaby

I don't think I've been impacted by social media but I think as you get older you are more likely to allow different opinions. Also less easily offended.

funnysag

I don't think I've been impacted by social media but I think as you get older you are more likely to allow different opinions. Also less easily offended.

That’s true for me and if I see negative comments on any post I switch to another post.
Life is too short to listen or read others negative opinions.
I prefer positive & productive people in my life & although I keep an open mind on most things as soon as the topics comments are heading in a downhill slide I find it shows the horrible side of some people.

Zedd

When I have had mental health issues, it's never been because of social media. Maybe kids could get bullied online and not know how to handle it. As adults, we should know not to put up with that garbage. It's all up to you how dependent you are on social media. If your mental health is suffering because of it, it could be that you're too dependent on it.

My mental health does suffer if I spend too much time online. Only because I'm not being active enough, not going out, and just wasting my time. It's not due to the actual contents of social media.

Alex S

I use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Whatsapp.

People think social media is bad for your health, but it all depends on your privacy settings and who your contacts are. I don't follow anyone or have friends on social media that I wouldn't want to hear from in real life. I can see how social media would be bad for people who are less discerning in who they communicate with online, but for me it's a positive thing. On the odd occasion that it gets negative I walk away. Life's too short to get worked up over what someone said online.

Tragk

I use Tumblr mainly, but Facebook for talking to a select few friends. Reddit too for discussions.

If anything, social media has had a positive impact for me during the ongoing pandemic as it's given me something of a support system, e.g people I can talk to.

In some ways though, it definitely has been harmful. You're constantly exposed to negativity and online "mobs" posting threats etc towards people, which is disgusting in itself, but then others come along and continue to normalise this abhorrent behaviour, so I don't really engage with social media now as much as I used to.

With lockdown specifically, it definitely helped just to have people I could reach out to who were going through the same thing, but it did hurt when you're constantly being barraged with reminders of how people are suffering.

Generator

I use it to keep in touch with my friends & what is happening in their lives as we hardly have time to catch up.

Ashash

I only use Instagram and Twitter. I use to use FB but find it boring and "friends" posting stuff I couldn't care less about. I would honestly delete it if I didn't have important stuff on it that I still need.

Overall I believe SM is harmful to our mental health

Jeena32130897

It makes me question my beauty and body shape, all the time. Also it questions my life decisions by showing the successful lives of others. I have to talk myself out of it by telling myself I am beautiful and that everyone's time line is different.

uruz

I agree with Captainc44, social media just doesn't interest me

Captainc44

Social media doesn't affect me - because I don't, and never will use it. I value my privacy and mental state. You don't need it - the world will continue regardless.

Bob

As I never use any 'Social media' it has zero effect on me. :-)

Sloane31965547

I have relatively all the social media apps which for me at my age probably isn’t the smartest of idea, but with all the models I see and the food people eat sometimes it can put me to shame and makes me feel off about myself and the food I usually eat and all social media platforms are different but in the end they are all kinda the same, every social media platform has the online bullying which also affects me and my friends and others too, the models, the people who photoshop their bodies and the list can go on, social media is a really toxic place now than what I remember it to be when I was younger

Anonymous

I have different social media apps for different use. For instance, Facebook is used to keep in touch with people who I know and maintain a 'professional' impression whereas I use Wechat for personal life and will kind of loose up a bit. Social media has definitely created some anxiety for me as I constantly am comparing my life to others. Especially in these
lockdown times, I find myself looking for how other people are doing.

Brooklyn32147026

I have recently taken a break from social media. (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) and definitely felt like my mental health was improving. I think social media is toxic and gives people the impression that they are missing out or not doing enough when people are constantly posting travelling ect. I love taking photos myself but social media sometimes sets this expectation often letting people down when they aren’t gaining enough followers or likes. I imagine this impact would be on people who have an income from social media platforms.

Carla30692808

I only have Facebook and instagram, and I probably only check Facebook half a dozen times a year- usually if I have something to.post, eg, kids birthday, and get off the app as soon as possible.
In 2020 there was so much negativity online, I was becoming angry and depressed, so I shut it all down, and actually have no desire to get back in the swing of social media, which considering I am doing a course which focuses and is majorly based on Facebook, is a little bit of a downside, but the desire is still not there.
I'll be keeping my kids off it for as long as possible, until I feel like they are a bit more mature... 🤞🏻

Marie32218685

I used to be a freak on social media having every app on the system now I only use WhatsApp and iMessages to communicate. I think social media is just so toxic everytime I go on it and see stuff it makes me question my life and that’s so negative this I keep away from it. During lockdown many people were stuck and thus they didn’t really post much

pap

Social media is both a great part of technology or a dangerous place. Many children and teenagers receive verbal abuse and bullying through social media. But social media during the pandemic has alo been a life saver, keep you in touch with family members and friends near and far away.

Isabella32239928

I use my a lot of different social media apps and found that my phone was the first thing that I would turn to in the morning as soon as I woke up. I started having the first half hour of my day as a 'no phone morning'. I feel like it's really helped me to start my day off better. I'm able to focus on what needs to be done instead of being distracted for ages on tik tok or instagram.

Sally32245095

My new years resolution was to use my phone less. I was using it far to much because during lockdowns there wasnt much else to do. it was distracting, a waste of time and unfulfilling. My mental health suffered due to overuse of social media, though it was bitter sweet. I enjoyed using it and it was something to do, but at the end of the day it was hurting my health.

capfantastic

It’s difficult to explain the effects as they intertwine both positive and negative just as in real life. I try to be real and consistent in my posts however sometimes you are not liked for your opinions and, just as in real life, you must accept that not everyone is going to like you. Even the most beautiful and rich have their enemies. So I would say do not interact with strangers unless you feel that you have something positive to bring to their lives. This may not be as straightforward as it sounds, as there are times when positive intent turns into a negative outcome. It would be better if people were less politically motivated and more focused on what would benefit society as a whole.

AdelaideM

I use and love them all, but I deliberately curate all my feeds.
On insta I only follow body positive or overall helpful or educational accounts, or personal friends. I do the same thing on tiktok.
On facebook I have exclusively personal friends because I use it mostly for messenger. For me, it's a good way to be aware what's going on in the world, keep in contact with friends, and be creative, but I definitely think you have to spend the time being mindful about setting them up!

Trina32082520

,🙄

ab

I don't do social media so, no impact, positive or negative, on my mental health. But I did feel a sense of relief when I gave it up. 😀

hanns

I use quite a few different ones - both personally and for my business. I do find at times it’s hard to shut off from it all and I do believe that at times it has had some form of impact on mental health. It does have its positives - I have a lot of family overseas so sites like facebook do make it easier to keep in contact with them and during lockdowns it’s been a good way to keep in contact with friends but the fact that you can’t go a single day without something Covid related popping up does after a while become very draining and I am bit over it

heeleen

I only use one, Facebook, and it is mainly to keep in touch with family and friends around the world, and Australia. But since covid I have noticed a lot of misinformation and people pushing their opinions and beliefs about this. So much so that I am going crazy with it all, most of it is not true but so many people are believing it and as such peoples mental health are worse. I have a sister who is a real anitvaccination person , and she is driving me mad with all the things she is posting and saying, we have enough problems with the world at the moment without misinformation making it worse. So I say fact check everything you read on social media before you just take it for granted and believe it.

Kellie32087333

50/50 - I like being able to see friends and other people create new content, get depressed when I don’t get interactions on my own content

Dena31948125

Mainly I use facebook, instagram and whatsApp.
Honestly, social media has negative impact on me when it comes to satisfaction. I see many people on social media their luxurious life soI feel that I would like to own more stuff and make more money.

Flibberdejibbet

I have too many social media apps - most I don't use, like Telegram, Peanut, Instagram, Twitter, pinterest. Some I use a lot, like Reddit, Facebook, and Whatsapp. I had to get off Facebook for most of last year, but I'm starting to circulate again. This year, I'm finding Reddit to be very toxic regarding Covid over-information. I just have to switch off. Whatsapp is good because I can closely monitor the groups I'm in, and it's way more personal

Jackson32080171

On an on-and-off basis, I use more than one. But regularly, particularly none. However, on the question posed here, yes, social media does tend to affect us in ways we scarcely have come to imagine. Let alone, deign to talk about to our close friends and family members, or members of the public.

Why?

It is what it is. There is no easy way around it. People and their rhetoric and vitriol are more of the same. Our words and actions, regardless of the form they take or where it is said. It does not matter on that front. On the whole, it can come from anywhere and at any time. And all the same, whether intentionally or not, it will have a direct or indirect impact later on in their lives.

Be it good or bad.

Often, without the party to the conversation, online or offline, knowing about it.

Or they have yet to catch on to the negative innuendos and connotations. Usually, leaving them damaged and scarred, in one form or another. Since the start of the internet revolution, our world has never been more connected and in cahoots with someone from the other side of the world. But is it always a good thing?

No, it is not. The simple reason that the reason is unrestricted in the current age is not what it could have been that led to less than savoury cases for the public to discover along the way. Humanity, as a whole, is capable of so much more. Thank you so much for your time.

Stephanie31083282

During lockdown I definitely had to turn off my phone, delete apps and turn off notifications, as I felt I was spiralling through content and feeling flat. Turning to walks, calling friends on the phone and reading has helped disconnect and have a better relationship with social media.

Jackson32080171

I have several accounts on multiple platforms, but I rarely, if ever, use them frequently. So I may or may not be the best person to answer this. But from my point of view, how we use social media can both be a pro and a con depending on what we do with it and how often we use it.

jtmorri

I use facebook. I don't use twitter, snapchat, Instagram, tiktok, pinterest.
My facebook use is for keeping in contact with family and nothing else. Social media hasn't impacted my mental health at all as I don't look for validation from others, nor do I compare myself to others. I view social media posts on instagram etc as unrealistic, fake and manipulated. Anyone can pretend that their life is better than it is on such platforms. I personally don't see vanity, ego and affluenza as anything to aspire to. Unfortunately younger, impressionable, insecure people (especially when at high school and uni as they are developing their identity) are unable to see it for what it really is, allowing it to negatively affect their mental health, as they don't feel worthy and have FOMO.

In the context of keeping in touch with family on social media has neither negatively or positively impacted my mental health, as they are all people I see regularly in person anyway. I don't have any family etc dispersed nationally or internationally. I do accept that facebook could be very positive for those feeling isolated and having family not close by for keeping in contact etc.

Bernie32160549

I think its entirely dependent on the person and their age. I'm a little older at 40 and love technology but the internet wasn't even around until after I left school. I use my apps often and love seeing what's going on in the world around me. I'm under no illusions about life online verses off-line though. I've travelled and love my life and have seen what goes on in the world so I know what is real and not real. I find it easy to disconnect and like not being able to be contacted when I want just me time.