Time to unfollow?

How social media could be harming your mental health

Story, photo and graphics

By Meghan Cohen

Scrolling through social media. Watching video after video, viewing photo after photo, tweet after tweet. Before you know it, you’ve been scrolling for hours.

More than ever, children and teenagers are reporting feelings of anxiety and depression, and studies have shown social media is, in part, to blame.

It’s Highly Addictive

If you find yourself constantly checking social media, if you feel glued to your phone and unable to pull yourself away, there is a scientific reason you are feeling that way: Social media apps are addictive.

“A lot of people get addicted to social media,” explained Marina Pettinicchi, director of outreach at Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, who teaches about this topic at schools across Long Island. “When we are constantly using social media, if we get a ping on our phone and notification that we got a like, a comment, someone texted us, our brain releases a chemical, the same chemical that would be released if we were to do drugs, score the winning goal on our soccer game, get 100 on our math test.”

Oskar Pineno, a Hofstra University psychology professor, teaches the course “Psychology of Social Media,” for which he leads discussions about the effects of social media, with the students sharing their personal experiences. He has found that most students spend five to six hours on social media each day, with one stu- dent reporting 12 hours a day.

“We know that social media apps are using studies from neuroscience to maximize addiction,” said Pineno. “For example, they know exactly when to deliver your likes. They are withheld and delivered to you when the app knows you are at the breaking point. They know that these likes are going to be very effective to bring you back to the app.

“Their algorithms are basically maximizing what they call engagement,” Pineno explained, “and engagement just means you being glued to the screen. When you think about it, it’s no surprise. I mean, the app is free, right? If you don’t pay for the product, then you are the product.”

Constant Comparison

Social media can cause several self-esteem and self-worth issues because we receive highly curated images of other people’s lives that we then compare to our own lives, leading to feelings of inadequacy.

“It can lead to constant comparisons,” explained Pettinicchi. “It can lead to creating unrealistic expectations. We see people doing these fun things all the time, wearing nice outfits, going to these fun places, traveling, purchasing things, accomplishing things, and we feel that we need to do that, too.”

This leads users to seek likes, a form of external validation, from others to feel good about themselves. “We’re reaching out to our friends, our family for that validation, that positive feedback that says, ‘Yes, that is a great photo, that is a really funny video that you shared, that is a great accomplishment,’” Pettinicchi said. “When we don’t get that, that’s when we start to question ourselves.”

Pineno covers this issue in his class, specifically as it relates to body image, an issue that predominately affects young women.

“Instagram is the app that comes to mind, right?” Pineno said. “There are correlational studies, and it’s quite clear that increased use of these apps is making teens more and more anxious because they compare to each other their body images, which is very distorted with all these filters.”

It’s Worse for Kids

Social media negatively impacts all users, but the worst effects are seen among children and teenagers.

Pettinicchi explained why, saying, “They’re just at that transition stage where they’re really forming their identities and who they are at their core. There is a lot of peer pressure and a lot of pressure to fit in with their friends.”

“The last part of your brain doesn’t develop until the age of 25,” she added. “The last part to develop is the part that’s responsible for things like decision making and impulse control. They’re not thinking about the consequences of their actions. They’re thinking about immediate reward.”

Taking Responsibility

Taking personal responsibility to limit screen time is key. “I always suggest limiting screen time by just not picking up your phone as much, or you can limit your screen time manually,” said Pettinicchi. “Go into your settings. You can limit each app, however many hours per day you want to be on it.”

Pineno said cutting down or eliminating time spent on social media apps not only can prevent damage to mental health, but also can free up time to spend on more productive, healthier activities.

“I think dropping social media is one of the best first moves you can make in order to repair your health and to repair your life,” Pineno said. “And it would be highly advisable to students to drop most of those apps and reduce the consumption of the others and then reclaim all the time and invest it in things that make you happy.”

Also, expose yourself to positive influences and avoid negativity on social media. “If you’re scrolling past something every day that makes you upset or leaves you feeling badly about yourself, block it, delete it, mute it,” said Pettinicchi.

Government Action

A Suffolk County legislator is trying to determine whether social media companies can be sued for the damage inflicted on children and teenagers in the county. Sarah Anker explained that she is trying to “see if we can get a settlement to help pay for additional psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, scientific researchers, to address the social media impact with the mental health of our teen and our children population.”

Suffolk County is yet to file a suit, though, because lawmakers are trying to determine if one is possible. Liliana Canela Magarin, an attorney for the county, explained the problem, stating, “There is the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which has a provision known as Section 230, which appears to shelter a lot of these social media platforms from any liability arising out of content that is posted by users onto their platforms.”

The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing cases involving individuals who are trying to sue social media platforms. The Supreme Court’s decision on these cases will help determine how this law holds up and will likely influence what steps Suffolk County, as well as other local governments around the country, will take.

Anker has other ideas for helping combat the negative effects of social media. “On a county level, I can create awareness with- in schools,” said Anker, who has asked the non-profit Children and Screens for a presentation to bring to schools.

Educating children and their parents about the impact of social media on their mental health can help them make smart, healthy choices involving their social media use. Anker said she wants to ensure this is done in schools throughout the county as a step toward protecting young people from the mental and even physical harm caused by social media platforms.

Positive psychology is a relatively new field that studies the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Unlike traditional psychology, which often focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, positive psychology emphasizes the promotion of positive emotions, personal strengths, and healthy relationships.

The benefits of positive psychology are numerous and can be seen in various areas of life, including personal well-being, workplace productivity and even physical health. Here, we will explore some of the key benefits of positive psychology and how it can positively impact our lives.

1. Increased life satisfaction

One of the primary goals of positive psychology is to increase happiness and life satisfaction. Research has shown that individuals who practice positive psychology techniques, such as gratitude journaling to chronicle what you’re grateful for, meditation and positive self-talk, experience a significant increase in positive emotions and overall life satisfaction.

Moreover, individuals who have a more positive outlook on life are better able to cope with stress and are less likely to develop mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.

“I am currently taking Dr. Froh’s class learning and practicing positive psychology, and I can honestly say I have already seen a significant improvement in the quality of my life and well-being,” said CJ

Story and photos by Sam Johnston

2. Improved relationships

Positive psychology also emphasizes the importance of positive relationships in our lives. It highlights the role of social support, empathy, and forgiveness in building strong and healthy relationships.

In Dr. Jeffrey Froh’s positive psychology class, students are often assigned to connect with friends, family or acquaintances on a deeper level. While these are assignments, the techniques are used to show students that deepening relationships can strengthen your sense of belonging, which ideally results in an increase of gratitude.

Research has shown that individuals who practice positive psychology techniques, such as empathy and forgiveness, have better communication skills, are more resilient and have more satisfying relationships. Positive psychology interventions have been found to improve relationship satisfaction and reduce relationship conflict.

3. Increased resilience

Positive psychology emphasizes the development of personal strengths and virtues, such as optimism, gratitude and self-efficacy, or self-love, which can help individuals become more resilient.

Research has shown that individuals who practice positive psychology techniques, such as gratitude journaling and positive self-talk, are more resilient and better able to cope with stress and adversity.

Positive psychology interventions have been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and improving the well-being of individuals who have experienced trauma.

“For me, one of the greatest takeaways from Dr. Froh’s class was learning to distance myself from my phone and social media and spend that time focusing on making myself happy,” said Angel Azoulay, a Hofstra senior. “These times are typically when I wake up and when I go to bed. It has made an enormous increase in my well-being and overall happiness.”

4. Improved physical health

Positive psychology interventions have also been found to have a positive impact on physical health. Research has shown that individuals who practice positive psychology techniques, such as mindfulness and gratitude, experience improvements in cardiovascular health, immune function and pain management.

Positive psychology interventions have been found to be effective in improving the health behaviors of individuals, such as increasing exercise, improving sleep quality and reducing alcohol consumption.

Positive psychology is a powerful tool that can help individuals and communities thrive. Its emphasis on positive emotions, personal strengths and healthy relationships can have a significant impact on personal well-being, workplace productivity, and even physical health. By practicing positive psychology techniques and interventions, individuals can increase their happiness, improve their relationships, become more resilient and achieve their goals.

Dr. Froh’s mission is to help as many people thrive as possible so he wrote a book called Thrive: 10 Commandments for 20-Somethings to Live the Best Life Possible. His goal in mind when writing was to “give people a map for life,” Dr. Froh said.

You can learn more about Thrive or purchase a copy by scanning the QR code to the right.