Do you find that your emotions are tied to what happens on social media? Does it seem that all your friends have amazing lives and you are alone with your phone? Unfortunately, our relationship with social media can lead to depression. Researchers have found the rise in social media use is contributing to the high rates of depression, especially among young people.
The rise of social media has brought with it unintended consequences for mental health. Several studies have found associations between excessive social media use and depression and anxiety.
Depression and social media
Depression is very common and affects more than 300 million people worldwide. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, during the year 2016, an estimated 16.2 million adults in the United States suffered from at least one depressive episode over the past year. The problem seems to be increasing, as the numbers for 2017 were higher with 17.3 million adults reported having a depressive episode (NIMH).
Rather than making us feel more connected, social media can do quite the opposite for some people. Engaging in social media can bring up issues of comparison against the unrealistic portrayals of other people’s lives. People tend to share the best details of their lives on social media while keeping their personal challenges private. The result is, it looks like everyone’s life is much better than our own.
Symptoms of an underlying problem
Depression around social media use can sometimes surface as a mask for underlying trauma. If we’ve experienced traumatic events in our childhood or were raised in dysfunctional families, the long-term impact may be showing up in unhealthy social media use. For those struggling with trauma and early abuse or neglect, they often develop low self-esteem and ideas of low self-worth. Social media use can enhance the problems of feeling bad and comparing ourselves unfavorably to others.
If you are feeling sad, anxious, or lonely, it is important to understand that depression and anxiety are among the most treatable disorders. If you are dealing with the effects of unhealed or unresolved trauma, therapy can help you uncover the core reasons for the difficulties you are dealing with.
It is possible to feel better.
Therapy in Los Angeles
Donna Groves, MA, LMFT, is a therapist and life coach in Los Angeles. She is within traveling distance from Malibu and Santa Monica. Donna works with people struggling with addiction, trauma, anxiety, depression, and more, in-office and online.
If you would like to learn more, you are welcome to arrange a complimentary consultation or appointment by calling or filling out the contact form and click Send.