Social Media Effects On Mental Illnesses

Mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression affect countless people on a daily basis. These illnesses can result in tragedy due to the emotional pain they may bring. Depression can lead to suicide if it is left untreated. According to mental health experts, the rising rates of adolescent anxiety and depression is caused by smartphones and social media. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration noted that in 2016, around thirteen percent of teenagers in the United States, between the ages of twelve to seventeen, had at least one major depressive episode in the past year compared to almost eight percent in 2006. The rates for teenagers ages eighteen and nineteen also increased. More than eleven percent had a major depressive

According to Statista, the average sixteen to twenty-four year old uses social media on average four hours a day (Statista). In another survey administered in 2015 by the Pew Research Center found that 15 percent of Americans between the ages eighteen and twenty-nine were “heavily dependent” on their smartphones for online access (Russo, Marcello, et al). In a study published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication found that young people that gave up their phones performed worse on mental tasks and showed symptoms of withdrawal much like drug addicts. The study found that when phone users were without their phones their heart rate and blood pressure increased along with feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness (Clayton, Leshner, et

Social media has become a huge part of society around the world, and it is only going to increase. Although social media can have a lot of negative effects on mental health, it has some positive sides to it. People use social media for many reasons. It helps people keep in touch with family members and friends that may not live nearby. It also helps create friendships with people within one’s area, community, school, or from around the world. And since much of the world is on social media, news is received much faster and many become educated on things they would have not known about if it weren’t for social media. Social media plays an important role in the life of students especially. It is easier and more convenient to access and provide information through social media. Teachers and students can stay connected through these platforms. Some professors even hold lectures on certain social media platforms such as