Some studies are rising to indicate that there exists a possible link between social media and depression. These studies show that young people who are most likely to develop an addiction to social media become depressed eventually.
In several recent research, findings show that young adults and teenagers spend the most time on social media platforms than people above 40 years. Therefore, they have 13 to 66 percent chances of increased depression arising from social media use than those who spend minimum time there.
Besides, some research objects the belief that social media use can cause depression. Meanwhile, studies that link social media with depression have the following evidence for the possible causes.
- Poor sleep
- Poor self-esteem
- Less healthy activity
- Potentially poor mental health
Social Media and Depression Link
One main difference between the current young generation compared to the earlier one is they spend much less time bonding with their peers personally. Instead, they spend more time connecting remotely, mainly through social media.
Some experts believe the rise in depression as evidence that remote connections using social media are less emotionally fulfilling, leaving young people feeling socially lonely.
Social Media and Poor Sleep
Scientific research has indicated that depriving yourself of sleep can trigger depression or worsen it. Usually, when young people spend lots of time on social media chatting with friends during the night, they sometimes deprive themselves of sufficient sleep.
Inadequate or disrupted sleep can lead to increased irritability and tension. Poor sleep can also lead to fatigue, which eventually forms a vicious cycle of inactivity and disrupts sleep. Later, it causes both physical and mood-related symptoms such as depression.
Social Media and Self-esteem
The other theory behind the cause of depression is the loss of self-esteem, particularly in teenage girls. This condition happens when they compare themselves with other superstar models or the so-called “slay queens” who appear to be gorgeous, fashionable and wealthy. These kinds of attitudes can likely reduce the self-confidence of their appearance and lower self-esteem.
Additionally, surveys from Instagram photos show that the account has many young female adults who report feelings of depression and anxiety concerning their standard body image.
Less Healthy Activity
The other possible cause of depression is likely due to inactivity from young adults when they spend lots of time on social media. Chances of depression can increase if there is less physical activity or failure to do things such as learning new skills and developing talents that bring a sense of accomplishment.
If youngsters spend lots of time spent on social media, they have less time for extracurricular activities that can build a sense of achievement, confidence, and connectedness.
Teenagers who spend lots of time on social media using technology devices never get enough benefits that can make them feel good about themselves, which is a symptom of depression.
Finally, though these theories might be true, researchers need to carry out more comprehensive researches about links with social media and depression and any hypothesis involved.
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