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The document summarizes the perspective of a mental health researcher on the impact of social media on mental health. It discusses that while social media has benefits, it can also negatively impact mental health by increasing factors like social comparison, anxiety, and depression. However, the negative effects can be mitigated by limiting social media use, engaging in offline activities, and steps by social media companies and mental health professionals. The researcher believes understanding risks and taking proactive steps can ensure social media continues having positive effects.

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348 views

SNS Now

The document summarizes the perspective of a mental health researcher on the impact of social media on mental health. It discusses that while social media has benefits, it can also negatively impact mental health by increasing factors like social comparison, anxiety, and depression. However, the negative effects can be mitigated by limiting social media use, engaging in offline activities, and steps by social media companies and mental health professionals. The researcher believes understanding risks and taking proactive steps can ensure social media continues having positive effects.

Uploaded by

Tirade Rueful
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: A

Perspective from a Mental Health Researcher


Dr. Jane Doe
April 18, 2023

1 Introduction
Social media has become an increasingly pervasive part of our lives in recent
years. While these platforms have many benefits, such as allowing us to connect
with friends and family and share information, they also have the potential to
negatively impact our mental health. As a mental health researcher, I have
studied the impact of social media on mental health and offer my perspective
on this important topic in this paper.

2 Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media


on Mental Health
Social media can have both positive and negative effects on mental health. On
the positive side, social media can provide social support and reduce feelings of
loneliness, which can be beneficial for mental health. For example, studies have
shown that social media use can be associated with increased social support and
reduced depressive symptoms (Grieve et al., 2013).
On the negative side, social media use has been linked to a range of mental
health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality. For example,
studies have found that excessive social media use can lead to social comparison
and feelings of inadequacy, which can contribute to poor mental health outcomes
(Fardouly et al., 2018). Additionally, social media use can contribute to the
development of addictive behaviors, which can be detrimental to mental health
(Andreassen et al., 2017).

3 Mitigating the Negative Effects of Social Me-


dia on Mental Health
While social media can have negative effects on mental health, there are steps
that individuals and society as a whole can take to mitigate these effects. One

1
strategy is to limit social media use, particularly before bedtime, in order to
reduce the impact on sleep quality (Levenson et al., 2017). Another strategy is
to engage in offline activities, such as exercise or hobbies, in order to reduce the
amount of time spent on social media.
On a societal level, there are also steps that can be taken to mitigate the
negative effects of social media on mental health. For example, social media
companies can implement design changes that encourage healthier use, such
as providing users with information about their usage habits and encouraging
breaks from social media (Lin et al., 2016). Additionally, mental health profes-
sionals can incorporate social media use into their treatment plans, and work
with individuals to develop healthy social media habits.

4 Conclusion
Social media has become an increasingly pervasive part of our lives in recent
years. While these platforms have many benefits, they also have the potential
to negatively impact our mental health. As a mental health researcher, I have
studied the impact of social media on mental health and believe that there are
steps that individuals and society as a whole can take to mitigate the negative
effects. By understanding the risks and taking proactive steps to address them,
we can ensure that social media continues to be a positive force in our lives.

5 References
Andreassen, C. S., Pallesen, S., Griffiths, M. D. (2017). The relationship
between addictive use of social media and video games and symptoms of psy-
chiatric disorders: A large-scale cross-sectional study. Psychology of Addictive
Behaviors, 31(8), 959-964.
Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., Halliwell, E. (2018). Social
comparisons on social media: The impact of Facebook

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