Social Media and Mental Health

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Introduction

This lesson explores some of the possible issues your students may face when over-using social media; the warning signs, effects, consequences and ideas on how to mitigate it.

Instructions

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Learning Objective:

To examine some of the risks associated with overusing social media, understand what some of the negative effects are on your health and explore ways you can regulate your own social media wellbeing.

How do you feel about social media?

How does social media affect your mental health?

1. Cyberbullying.

Harassment, negative comments, threats or exclusion are all forms of cyberbullying. Shockingly, up to 25% of young people have experienced cyberbullying in one way or another.

Often, the people bullying others do so to jump on a trend, or feel safe doing so because they are behind the 'protection' of a screen - so the real life consequences aren't a consideration.

Tragically, these can sometimes be fatal.

The effects of cyberbullying can be life-changing, leading to depression, isolation, self-harm and even suicide. It is important that you consider your own actions online, report someone if you know they are bullying and seek help if you receive, or are a victim of cyberbullying as soon as possible!

2. Social Comparison.

Social comparison is an unavoidable, but unhealthy practice, where you compare your own lifestyle to the ones you see online.

Social media is full of people posting about how great their lives are, how much money they have, and how popular. It is important to remember that anyone can post any picture and put any caption.

With that in mind, don't believe everything you see, and remember that you're not seeing their real life.

social comparison is heavily magnified and often made more harmful by social media. Constant exposure to curated, unrealistic portrayals of others' lives, bodies, and achievements can lead to negative mental health outcomes like anxiety and depression.

Why do we compare ourselves with others?

3. Privacy Concerns.

Young people are much more likely to overshare their personal details online on social media.

Revealing too much about your personal life to people you don't know can have terrible consequences and could leave you open to being harassed or blackmailed.

Ensure you only share things with your friends, ensure your accounts have strong passwords and do not interact with anyone you don't know.

7,062 offences related to "Sexual Communication with a Child" were recorded in the UK in 2023/24.

This is a record high and represents an 89% increase since the offence was created in 2017/18.

The NSPCC found that in 2022/23, almost 34,000 online grooming crimes against children were recorded since 2017/18.

In cases where the communication platform was known in 2023/24, nearly half of the offences (48%) took place on Snapchat.

OK to share 👍

Shouldn't share 👎

What are examples of things we could / shouldn't share online?

4. Negative Body Image.

Unrealistic beauty standards due to highly edited, filtered and staged photos has been a rising epidemic in recent years.

Comparing yourself to anyone is dangerous for your mental health, but comparing yourself to a picture so highly edited means you are comparing yourself to someone that doesn't even exist!

Take a break from your favourite influencers and find your own personality and style out on your own - in reality.

A Mental Health Foundation survey found that 40% of teenagers said social media images had caused them to worry about their body image. 

One study showed that 62% of young people are worried that social media is damaging their mental health, and 69% say it negatively affects their mood. 

The same Mental Health Foundation survey found that 35% of teenagers had stopped or restricted their diet due to body image concerns. 

Social media makes me confident in my 'looks'.

5. Sleep Disruption.

This isn't just something that your parents or carers say to trick you to going to bed.

It is scientifically proven that being on your phone, tablet or computer before sleep suppresses your brains melatonin production (the thing that helps you sleep, relax and clear your mind).

This can lead to being overtired, irritable, depressed, anxious, FOMO and physical conditions associated with not getting enough rest.

Teenagers are particularly vulnerable due to a natural tendency toward later bedtimes and a high rate of social media use, with some reporting being online "almost constantly".

Research shows that heavy social media use is associated with poor sleep, later bedtimes, and a greater likelihood of waking during the night.

The effect on sleep is linked to increased symptoms of insomnia, depression, and anxiety, which can impact academic performance and overall well-being. 

6. Fear of Missing Out.

FoMO (or the 'fear of missing out') is real.

It is the culmination of seeing other peoples' lives on social media and getting anxiety around why yours isn't the same, or what you will miss. FOMO is a result of compulsive behaviour, which is an early indication you might be addicted to your socials.

We should be focussing on the real moments we have with our friends, and working on planning the next ones together.

Anxiety and stress:

It is often linked to anxiety and can lead to stress related to feeling left out. 

Problematic use:

FoMO is consistently associated with problematic social media use, which includes excessive time spent online and compulsive behaviours. 

Emotional well-being:

It can negatively impact emotional well-being, particularly in adolescents. 

Impact on self-esteem:

Some research suggests FoMO can influence self-esteem and social comparison, which in turn may lead to problematic use, notes the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

7. Addiction.

Being addicted to your phone has become a bit of a catchphrase. But tech addiction is real and now has medical backing.

When being on your phone, checking social media and always being 'up to date' starts to impact other areas of your life (like neglecting real life friends or not completing jobs) then, just like it would be, if we replaced the above with alcohol or other substances, you have developed an addiction.

Addiction in any form is something to be concerned about, luckily there are ways to change

Several factors contribute to social media addiction among teenagers. Psychologically, low self-esteem and mental health issues like anxiety and depression can drive excessive use, as social media offers a coping mechanism and validation.

Because it can stop you from getting dopamine from more 'usual' sources, such as completing a job, finishing some work or doing real social events - phone addiction can have a crippling effect on your mental health, relationships and overall wellbeing.

8. Pressure to Conform.

Feeling the pressure to fit in is a normal experience in life. It becomes dangerous to our mental health when the people we are trying to 'fit in' with are creations of social media, designed to win likes, look the best and seem the most successful - which puts an unsustainable amount of pressure on our own sense of worth and outward persona.

In worse cases, it can also encourage us to act differently and join in on behaviours we would never consider in person due to online trends.

Confirmation bias is the human tendency to seek out, interpret, and favor information that is consistent with one's pre-existing beliefs while ignoring or downplaying contradictory information. Social media's design magnifies this bias through several mechanisms. 

Remember that sometimes you need to break free from the grasp of your socials. Focus on embracing the experiences, achievements and friends you have in real life.

If you are struggling with your mental health: Young Minds, the mental health charity, has a dedicated, confidential helpline.

Call them on 0808 802 5544 (9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday)