As social media use continues to increase for teenagers and young adults, users have begun to experience side effects, such as depression or anxiety, and researchers have taken notice.
Nicole Muscanell, a doctoral candidate in The University of Alabama’s department of psychology, said social media websites can be an opportunity for negative experiences as users are constantly exposed to what everyone else is doing.
“Students may compare themselves with their friends on social media sites, and research shows that sometimes this can lead to increased negative effects such as jealousy, feelings of loneliness and anxiety,” Muscanell said. “Additionally, students who are more prone to using social media to compare themselves to others may be more likely to experience anxiety or worry about their own self-worth based on what others are doing on social media.”
The use of social networking sites among teens and young adults has increased in recent years, with 73 percent of American teens now using social networking websites, a significant increase from 55 percent in 2006, according to a study by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.
Lee Keyes, executive director of the UA Counseling Center, said there are several patterns that can emerge from excessive use of social media.
“First of all, it’s time- consuming,” Keyes said. “If people aren’t exercising good time management skills, it can distract them from doing things they need to get done.”
Keyes also said patterns of interpersonal warfare, cyberbullying or making passive aggressive statements are likely outcomes of excessive amounts of time spent on social media.
UA alumna Katie Stewart said she likes to use Facebook because she can keep up with friends and family who are far away or friends she doesn’t get to see often.
Stewart said she has experienced anxiety while using various social networks because of pictures of animal and human abuse showing up on her timeline and because of blackmail and bullying.
“I personally have received an unexpected message from a person being mean,” Stewart said. “It creates anxiety because it’s hurtful, and you never know when it’s going to happen. It also bothers me that people say things to be mean to one specific person in their status. Usually the person won’t be named, but it still looks really mean and immature to do that basically in public.”
Muscanell said the important thing to note about social media is the way you use it directly correlates with what kind of experiences a student will have.
“Some research shows that some of these negative effects may be more likely to occur for those who use sites like Facebook in a passive, non- personalized manner,” Muscanell said. “In other words, students who use sites like Facebook to see what their friends are doing as opposed to engaging in more direct communication may be the ones who feel disconnected or feel more anxiety.”
According to a March 2013 Fox News article, mental health consultant Stefanie Weiss said social media can cause anxiety in kids and teens because they find self-worth in the number of followers, friends, likes and comments they have on a particular social media site, because they are unable to take back the things that they post and because they are concerned with their parents finding out about their online activity.
Keyes said the Internet is a rapidly evolving animal, and there is always something new coming.
“Some things burn out naturally,” Keyes said. “Some age demographics are already leaving Facebook and moving on to other things. Students change and, preferences go in both directions.”
Stewart said if she sees something sad or someone sends her an ugly message, she does her best to ignore it.
“I have to realize that it is a social network and I cannot control what others do,” Stewart said. “It’s not up to me to decide what other people do. It’s not worth it to get too wrapped up in Facebook – it’s supposed to be fun.”
Keyes said students experiencing anxiety caused by excessive use of social networking need to make sure they strive to create and maintain a healthy balance between online activity and actual face-to-face activity.
“If we’re not pursuing live relationships and interactions, it can get out of balance, and there are some skills we need to learn and develop that can only happen in face-to-face interactions,” Keyes said.
Students who want to learn more about getting help for anxiety caused by social media can visit the UA Counseling Center’s website and find information or make an appointment at the Counseling Center.
