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Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and other social networking sites are great ways to connect with others, see what is going on in the world, and, well, kill some time. They might seem like obvious sources of overwhelming joy—baby announcements, rekindled friendships, adorable pictures of kittens! However, new research suggests a link between usage of social media and depression in young adults.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine surveyed men and women between the ages of 19 and 32 on their social media habits. Researchers also asked this group of 1,787 them to take an established depression assessment.
More social media, more depression
The researchers sorted the participants into four groups based on social media use. People who used the most were 2.7 times more likely to be depressed than people who used the least.
Researchers also looked at the total time spent on social media each week. Those in the highest category (28.6%) were 1.7 times more likely than those in the lowest (24.7%) to be depressed.
This survey was unique in its size and demographic representation. Its expanse separate it from other surveys looking at similar subjects that returned less conclusive data. The 1,787 were 97% nationally representative and sorted for criteria including gender, age, race, relationship status, total household income, and education level. Also important for this particular survey: Just 3.2% of participants reported not using any social media.
The senior study author was Brian A. Primack, M.D., Ph.D., the director of Pitt’s Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health. He discussed the real-world utility of this research and the tightrope mental health professionals must walk when it comes to social media use and their patients.
Social media is now an integrated component of human interaction. It is important for clinicians interacting with young adults to recognize the balance to strike in encouraging potential positive use, while redirecting from problematic use,
Primack says.
Serious FOMO
Lead author Lui Yi Lin, a student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, offered several theories. Use (or overuse) of the platforms themselves likely lead people toward depression. However, it also possible that platforms might be attracting those suffering from depression. Envy comes out of idealized representations of online friends and other interpersonal connections. Another suggests that social media may feel like wasted time, which can negatively impact mood.
Notably, neither the type of data collected support any of these hypotheses over another.
Social media platforms, however, are taking notice of users in need of resources to combat depression. Tumblr and Facebook stood out in this respect. Those platforms have either implemented or experimented with tools that reach out to users exhibiting behavior that is indicative of possible depression.
When a user searches for a term like “depressed” or “suicidal” on Tumblr, the site immediately prompts them with a message that includes links to resources. On Facebook, meanwhile, developers tested a feature in 2015 that allowed users to anonymously report worrisome posts from friends.
Our hope is that continued research will allow such efforts to be refined so that they better reach those in need,
said Dr. Primack.