Socio-Spatial Studies

Socio-Spatial Studies

The impact of social media on mental health: A critical examination

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Niloufar Nosraty1 1
Sahand Sakhaei 2
Roya Rezaei 3
1 Doctor of Medicin, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
2 BA Student in Law, Payame Noor University, Bostan Abad, Iran
3 Bachelor of Educational Sciences - Management and Educational Planning, Payame Noor University, Ilkhchi, Iran
10.22034/soc.2021.212042
Abstract
The rise of social media has transformed modern communication, creating connectivity and fostering new platforms for self-expression. However, this shift has raised significant concerns about its effects on mental health. This article critically examines the relationship between social media use and mental health. While social media can provide valuable social support and facilitate the sharing of personal achievements, evidence suggests it may also contribute to heightened anxiety, depression, and body dissatisfaction, especially among adolescents and young adults. The article analyzes how social media algorithms, the pressure to present an idealized self-image, and constant comparison with others create an environment where self-esteem and mental well-being are often compromised. Furthermore, the long-term implications of social media use, including its impact on attention spans, social isolation, and self-worth, are discussed. Ultimately, this article emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing social media’s influence on mental health to create healthier digital environments.
Keywords
Social Media
Mental Health
Anxiety
Depression
Body Image
Self-esteem

 

Copyright © The Author(s);

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-By-NC: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode.en), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.

Akbari, M., Seydavi, M., Palmieri, S., Mansueto, G., Caselli, G., & Spada, M. M. (2021). Fear of missing out (FoMO) and internet use: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 10(4), 879-900. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2021.00083
Alfonzo, P. (2019). Mastering mobile through Social Media: Creating engaging content on Instagram and Snapchat. ALA TechSource.
Anani, P. W., Mintah, F. D., Danso, A. A. A., & Churcher, E. W. (2024). Filtered reality: exploring the motives and socio-demographic factors of smartphone beauty filter usage among university students in Ghana. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 11(1), 2392381.
Aparicio-Martinez, P., Perea-Moreno, A. J., Martinez-Jimenez, M. P., Redel-Macías, M. D., Pagliari, C., & Vaquero-Abellan, M. (2019). Social media, thin-ideal, body dissatisfaction and disordered eating attitudes: An exploratory analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(21), 4177.
Bowler, L., Knobel, C., & Mattern, E. (2015). From cyberbullying to well‐being: A narrative‐based participatory approach to values‐oriented design for social media. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 66(6), 1274-1293.
Clemons, E. K. (2009). The complex problem of monetizing virtual electronic social networks. Decision support systems, 48(1), 46-56.
Cuthbertson, R., Furseth, P. I., Ezell, S. J., Cuthbertson, R., Furseth, P. I., & Ezell, S. J. (2015). Facebook and MySpace: the importance of social networks. Innovating in a Service-Driven Economy: Insights, Application, and Practice, 145-158.
D’Arienzo, M. C., Boursier, V., & Griffiths, M. D. (2019). Addiction to social media and attachment styles: a systematic literature review. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 17, 1094-1118.
de Segovia Vicente, D., Van Gaeveren, K., Murphy, S. L., & Vanden Abeele, M. M. (2024). Does mindless scrolling hamper well-being? Combining ESM and log-data to examine the link between mindless scrolling, goal conflict, guilt, and daily well-being. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 29(1), zmad056. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmad056
DeVito, M. A. (2017). From editors to algorithms: A values-based approach to understanding story selection in the Facebook news feed. Digital journalism, 5(6), 753-773.
Festinger, L. (1957). Social comparison theory. Selective Exposure Theory, 16(401), 3.
Jordan, J. M. (2024). The Rise of the Algorithms: How YouTube and TikTok Conquered the World. Penn State Press.
Kharazmi, Z., & Mohammadi, S. (2020). Persian-Language Media Overseas as the Western Tools of Public Diplomacy: Framing COVID-19 Pandemics in Iran by VOA and BBC. Journal of World Sociopolitical Studies, 4(1), 1-36.
Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, B. S. (2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media. Business horizons, 54(3), 241-251.
Macït, H. B., Macit, G., & Güngör, O. (2018). A research on social media addiction and dopamine driven feedback. Journal of Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Economics and Administrative Sciences Faculty, 5(3), 882-897.
Martini, M., Heinz, A., Hinterholzer, J., Martini, C., & Sachse, P. (2020). Effects of wakeful resting versus social media usage after learning on the retention of new memories. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 34(2), 551-558.
Maza, N. A. (2022). Examining personal self-concept, social self-concept, and external validation seeking as predictors of problematic social media use in 18 to 22 year olds. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Milyavskaya, M., Saffran, M., Hope, N., & Koestner, R. (2018). Fear of missing out: prevalence, dynamics, and consequences of experiencing FOMO. Motivation and emotion, 42(5), 725-737.
Mohammadi, S., & Kharazmi, Z. (2021). The Remote Higher Education over COVID-19 Pandemic: the Case Study of Provisions and Priorities of the University of Tehran's Official Website. Journal of World Sociopolitical Studies, 5(2), 255-294.
Nolan, E. (2017). Do health-and-fitness magazines influence males’ and females’ perceptions of health and fitness differently? (Doctoral dissertation, Griffith College).
Pilgrim, K., & Bohnet-Joschko, S. (2019). Selling health and happiness how influencers communicate on Instagram about dieting and exercise: mixed methods research. BMC public health, 19, 1-9.
Rutkowski, A. F., & Saunders, C. (2018). Emotional and cognitive overload: the dark side of information technology. Routledge.
Sabbar, S., Masoomifar, A., & Mohammadi, S. (2019). Where we don’t know how to be ethical; A research on understanding plagiarism. Journal of Iranian Cultural Research, 12(3), 1-27.
Sampasa-Kanyinga, H., & Lewis, R. F. (2015). Frequent use of social networking sites is associated with poor psychological functioning among children and adolescents. Cyberpsychology, behavior, and social networking, 18(7), 380-385.
Smith, D., Leonis, T., & Anandavalli, S. (2021). Belonging and loneliness in cyberspace: impacts of social media on adolescents’ well-being. Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(1), 12-23.
Suler, J. (2005). The online disinhibition effect. International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies, 2(2), 184-188.
Sümen, A., & Evgin, D. (2021). Social media addiction in high school students: a cross-sectional study examining its relationship with sleep quality and psychological problems. Child Indicators Research, 14(6), 2265-2283.
Taylor, A. S. (2022). Authenticity as performativity on social media. Springer Nature.
Terren, L. T. L., & Borge-Bravo, R. B. B. R. (2021). Echo chambers on social media: A systematic review of the literature. Review of Communication Research, 9.
Treadaway, C., & Smith, M. (2010). Facebook marketing: An hour a day. John Wiley and Sons.
Vogel, E. A., Rose, J. P., Roberts, L. R., & Eckles, K. (2014). Social comparison, social media, and self-esteem. Psychology of popular media culture, 3(4), 206.
Wallace, L. N. (2021). Differences in social media monitoring practices based on child and parent gender. Family Relations, 70(5), 1412-1426.
Socio-Spatial Studies
Volume 5, Issue 1
Winter 2021
Pages 1-12