Social media is a great way to connect with friends and family whether they live close by or far away. The problem with social media is that it can have unexpected repercussions to our mental health if we let what people post affect us. It is important to be aware of how social media can lead to depression so that you know how to use it in a healthy way.

The Association for Psychological Science had an annual meeting where they presented a study of how certain behaviors on various social media sites linked to depression. 500 undergraduate students were analyzed who used Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or Snapchat as well as an online survey to examine certain social media behaviors that were symptoms of depression. The study showed that people do not go on social media because they are depressed. It can because they are bored, for entertainment, or to catch up with news.

The study did show that the way people use social media could link to depression. For example, comparing yourself to others who you think are better off. Maybe it shows they are in a successful relationship or landed their dream job. You can feel like after you graduated, everyone around you got to where you wanted to be while you are still working at it. It is important to remember that what you see on someone’s social media account is not everything occurring in their lives. That person can just be showing the good stuff and not the bad.

Another sign in this study was how people gave themselves a high score in the survey that they have tried to cut down on social media without success and how it has impacted their job and school. These people may want to quit but they are too absorbed to not look at their social media feeds. The study said that people who are depression get upset when they are tagged in an unflattering photo and are less likely to post pictures of themselves or others. People who do not like themselves will live in isolation and will feel if a picture of themselves is posted by someone else, they are losing control. More studies need to be done for older adults such as the middle-aged. This study should help determine the signs of depression as well as how to use technology better to prevent developing depression.

Located in Tacoma, Washington, Bayview Center’s mission is to offer clinically-driven programs and services to treat a number of substance abuse disorders along with anxiety and depression using cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, trauma therapy, yoga therapy, and more for a successful recovery. For more information, please call us at 888 570 7154 as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.