Social media has become an integral part of most people’s lives in the 21st century. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok have billions of users across the world. While social media has many benefits like allowing people to stay connected with friends and family, get news and information quickly, and provide entertainment, it also has a dark side. Many people find that spending time on social media makes them feel anxious, depressed, lonely and inadequate. This article will explore the psychological, social and cultural factors that cause social media to negatively impact mental health and self-esteem.
Social Comparison
One of the biggest reasons social media usage can lead to negative feelings is because of social comparison. Social media gives us access into the lives of hundreds of other people, and human nature makes us compare ourselves to others. When you continuously see other people who appear to have more friends, more exciting lives, more money, better vacations, and better looks, it is easy to feel like your own life does not measure up. Researchers have found that spending time on social media makes people feel more negative about themselves and their lives compared to people who spend time offline.
Upward Comparisons
We tend to compare ourselves to people who are doing a little better than us, which is called upward social comparison. For example, seeing posts of acquaintances who have great jobs, just bought a house, or are traveling the world can lead us to feel worse about our own career, financial situation or exciting life experiences. These upward social comparisons have been linked to negative mood and lower life satisfaction in research studies.
Selective Self-Presentation
Another key factor is that the information we see from others on social media is carefully curated. People generally post highlights and positive life events, not the full, unfiltered reality. Researchers call this selective self-presentation. This creates an illusion that everyone else’s life is amazing and perfect, which is impossible to live up to. In reality, we all have ups and downs, successes and failures, exciting and mundane moments. But social media distorts things, leading to an inaccurate social comparison.
Feedback Seeking
Many people also go on social media looking for positive feedback and validation through likes, comments, shares and followers. This forms a feedback loop – posting content leads to social validation, which feels rewarding so we post more content and seek more positive feedback. But it can quickly become addictive and even just a few negative reactions like lack of likes or negative comment can be devastating. This makes people dependent on ongoing positive feedback for mood boosts and self-esteem.
Number of Likes and Followers
The number of likes, reactions and comments someone receives can have a strong impact on their self-esteem and mood. Research has found that people evaluate their own worth based on the amount of positive feedback they get on social media. Not getting enough likes or comments can negatively affect self-esteem. On the other hand, when people receive a high number of likes and followers, they are more likely to feel positive about themselves. But this feeling is fleeting and requires ongoing validation.
Social Exclusion
Seeing photos and posts of events you were not invited to or groups you are not part of can lead to feeling left out and lonely. Even being ignored or not receiving likes/comments on your own posts can lead to feeling excluded. Research has found social exclusion on social media activates the same parts of the brain as physical pain. This social pain is another way social media usage can lead to negative feelings about oneself and lower self-worth.
Unrealistic Expectations and Standards
Social media also contributes to unrealistic expectations and standards for beauty, happiness and success. Through curated posts, airbrushed and filtered photos, and social media influencers, social media platform create distorted ideals that are impossible for most people to live up to in reality.
Beauty and Body Image
The constant streams of ads, fitness models and influencers showing off perfect bodies contributes to unattainable new beauty ideals and body standards. Even models and influencers use editing, filters, makeup, lighting and posing to enhance their appearance and hide flaws. Exposure to these perfected images is linked to lower self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and poor mental health. Teen girls are especially vulnerable to these negative impacts.
Pressure for Perfection
Social media also presents perfectionistic standards for happiness, success and fulfillment. People only post their best moments, giving the impression their whole life is filled with excitement, adventure, perfect relationships, dream jobs, and non-stop fun. In reality, most peoples’ lives are far more ordinary and imperfect. When we compare our real life to the fake perfection we see online, we feel inadequate. This pressure for perfection also contributes to poorer mental well-being.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
The constant stream of social media content and conversations also leads to a feeling called fear of missing out (FOMO). People worry they will miss out on exciting events, conversations, news or posts if they are not online and connected 24/7. This FOMO drives compulsive checking and engagement with social media. It also contributes to negative social comparisons when we think everyone else is part of something we are not. Researchers have found higher levels of FOMO are linked to worse mood and life satisfaction. This is another way social media fuels feeling bad about ourselves and our lives.
Addictive Quality of FOMO
FOMO becomes addictive because there is always new, exciting content and conversations happening. Even if we just checked social media 5 minutes ago, in those 5 minutes, 30 new posts from friends may have gone up, there could be major breaking news or viral videos, celebrities may have posted pictures. This time-limited, fear-inducing content keeps people compulsively coming back to social media over and over, even when it makes them feel bad.
Not Being Present
The pull of FOMO also prevents people from being present and enjoying the moment they are in. Instead of having a nice dinner with their family, people are checking their phones to make sure they do not miss anything online. FOMO drives obsession with staying continually connected, which means missing out on real life right in front of you.
Social Media Impact on Mental Health
Many research studies have demonstrated a correlation between high levels of social media usage and poorer mental health outcomes like anxiety, depression, loneliness, low self-esteem and disordered sleeping patterns. While social media does not directly cause mental health issues, the constant connectivity, upward social comparisons, feedback seeking loops, unrealistic standards and FOMO seem to contribute to many emotional issues:
| Study | Findings |
|---|---|
| Hunt et al., 2018 | Facebook use predicted declines in self-reported mental health and life satisfaction |
| Lin et al., 2016 | More social media use linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression and poor sleep quality |
| Primack et al., 2017 | More social media use associated with significantly greater odds of depression and anxiety |
| Shensa et al., 2017 | Teens who spent more time on social media were more likely to develop depressive symptoms |
| Verduyn et al., 2017 | Passive Facebook usage linked to declines in mood over time |
Tips for Mitigating Negative Effects
The negative psychological impacts of social media highlight the importance of developing healthy social media habits and balancing online and offline time. Here are some tips to help mitigate these issues:
Limit Usage Time
Set a limit for how much time you will spend on social media – 30 minutes, 1 hour etc. Use timer apps to cut yourself off once you hit the limit. Take regular social media breaks.
Avoid Checking First Thing
Avoid checking social media first thing when you wake up or last thing before bed. Give yourself time in the mornings and evenings for things like self-care, family, reading, hobbies.
Turn Off Notifications
Disable all non-essential notifications so your device is not constantly pulling you back on social apps and interrupting real life.
Follow Selectively
Be selective about who you follow and be aware of how certain people make you feel. Unfollow or mute accounts that fuel negative social comparisons or unrealistic expectations.
Post Less
Post less about your own life and spend more time engaging in meaningful ways. Do not rely on likes and comments for self-validation.
Focus on Real Life
Make time every day for real life interactions and activities you enjoy like exercising, hobbies, socializing, being in nature etc. Stay present.
The Healthiest Relationship with Social Media
While completely abandoning social media is not feasible or desirable for most people, developing a healthier relationship with it is important, especially for mental health. Use social media for things like keeping up with close friends, getting practical news/information and entertainment or humor in moderation. Avoid mindless scrolling and upward social comparisons. Remember people only show their best selves online. Focus on real life for meaningful connections and find validation from yourself, not likes. Limit usage if it makes you feel bad. Be your authentic self both online and offline. With some adjustments to how you use social media, it is possible to leverage its benefits while also preserving mental well-being.
Conclusion
Social media has many advantages, but also some dark sides when it comes to mental health and self-esteem. The constant connectivity, social comparison, feedback loops, unrealistic standards and illusions of perfection on social media can make people feel inadequate, anxious and depressed. Setting healthy limits and boundaries, being selective about usage and comparisons, disabling notifications and making time for real life interactions can help mitigate these issues. Moderation and perspective are key for benefiting from social media without letting it negatively impact well-being. While social media will likely continue evolving, by understanding its risks we can develop a healthier relationship with it.