May 5, 2018 5 min read

How long has it been since you checked your Facebook feed? Have you been on Twitter today? Instagram in the last hour?

While social media can be fun, useful and even educational, it also has downsides.

“Of course it affects mental and physical health,” said Bob Senay, a teacher and musician from Washington. “I’ve lost friends for political posts. The stress of trying to keep my mouth shut or be me is certainly trying.”

Like many of us, Senay remembers all of the arguing and “unfriending” that happened during the last presidential election. It’s easy to get upset, anxious or angry about what others post. Replying in the heat of the moment can make things even worse.

“At times, I see people posting things that aren’t true, and I have a hard time understanding why they don’t fact-check,” said Senay. “I hate things that attack people, especially without facts and context.”

Is all of this “socializing” on social media actually anti-social? Is it bad for our mental health? The American Academy of Pediatrics warns of potential negative effects from social media in kids and teens, including cyber-bullying and “Facebook depression.”

Adults are also affected, and several studies show social media can be addictive, trigger sadness, incite jealousy and envy and can lead to feelings of social isolation.

“Although there is some positive effect, I believe the negative effect has been more significant,” said Dr. Gary Swanson, a child and adult psychiatrist with Allegheny Health Network. “Humans are social creatures. We need to interact with others, and the quality of our relationships with others has a significant impact on our emotional well-being.”

Dr. Swanson noted that while social media allows us to connect with others, it can be problematic since those interactions are not done face-to-face. Much of our social interaction is dependent on nonverbal communication like facial expressions, eye contact, gestures and posture. Voice tone, volume and inflection also play a role and are impossible to convey through social media.

“It is difficult enough for two people to communicate clearly when they are still in the same room,” said Swanson. “It is even more difficult to do so when they cannot see each other.”

Communication via social media, text or email lends itself to misunderstandings.

“Emojis, GIFs, pictures, the use of capital letters and punctuation represent attempts to convey additional meaning over and above the actual words used,” said Swanson. “But I believe that miscommunication is more common when social media is used.”

Miscommunication in a relationship can cause tension, frustration, anxiety and sadness.

Swanson said, “These problems would naturally seem to have a negative impact on one’s mental health and well-being.”

The impact of social media on the mental health of adolescents can be profound, especially when it comes to social development.

“Teenagers and young adults have brains that are still developing,” said Swanson.

While they’re still in the process of developing relationships with others, time spent on social media may take away from development of relationships in person, and that can lead to feelings of isolation – just the opposite of what you would expect from “social” media.

“This may affect their ability to interact with others in person, including not fully recognizing nonverbal and subtle verbal communications,” said Swanson.

Is there an upside to social media use?

Yes, said Swanson, who credits it for allowing communication between people who might otherwise be isolated and disconnected.

“Social media has been used by people with various mental health problems to discuss and share their experiences and to help each other to cope with and recover from their problems,” he said. “This can also be somewhat problematic as social media has been used to take advantage of or bully people, and in some instances, has been used to target people with mental health problems.”

If social media allows you to connect with others, and you enjoy that connection, then continue.

But, Swanson warns, “Recognize that even the best of friends or the most happily married couples don’t spend time together 24/7 or expect an immediate response from each other when they are apart.”

Overall, there are benefits to social media, but it can also negatively impact our mental health. It can keep us connected over distance and put us in touch with friends around the globe. But mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds just to kill time may actually leave you with negative thoughts and reactions.

Dr. Swanson has some tips on how we can all use social media in a healthy way:

• Parents should set limits on time children are allowed on social media sites so that it doesn’t interfere with family time or external social activities.
• Parents should model appropriate social media behaviors for children.
• Adults need to monitor and limit their own use. Don’t use social media while driving, eating dinner or spending time with family.
• If you find yourself getting upset or angry while on social media, ask yourself if its use is necessary or helpful. If not, don’t do it.
• Consider whether what you are posting is really going to be helpful or might make things worse.
• Remember that many posts last forever. Think about whether what you share is something you want anyone to see.
• Use of social media is often forbidden while at work. Consider the risk to your job. In addition, many employers hold employees accountable for any social media that might reflect badly on the company. Think before you post.