Investigating Psychological and Health Implications of Socaial Media

I’m sure most of you reading this have used some sort of social media today, whether it be Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok or another. Don’t worry - I’m in the same boat as you. Technology is seen all around us, and with social media increasingly becoming a necessity in our daily lives, it poses many benefits, such as maintaining connections with those across the world, or being accepted in new communities. It is naturally assumed as a mere advantage, however we must consider the other side of social media, and more importantly its implications on teenagers like myself. It is expected that the average person will spend a total of 6 years on social media across the timeframe of being 16 to 70 years old. So, what exactly makes it so addictive to keep us in such a chokehold?

A Stanford article shows that the addiction links to dopamine, a chemical secreted from “certain nerve tracts in the brain” after completing a rewarding experience, initially exemplified by indicators of increasing odds of survival. Social media similarly does this, through sending notifications such as likes or mentions, and stimulating the mind with bright colours - they establish ideal scenarios in a user’s mind, strengthening the allure of opening the app. This provision of endless immediate rewards and dopamine keeps users hooked, mirroring the risk factors of addiction: easy accessibility, and speedy reward. Algorithms subsequently cater to users’ interests to keep them accustomed to these dopamine levels, and provoking withdrawal symptoms in users.

These addictions to social media can raise questions on further implications on individuals. The more apparent effects on individuals are mental health issues, including loneliness, anxiety, and fear of missing out (FOMO), as well as social comparison and body image distortion in the encouragement and idealisation of disordered eating behaviours and certain body types. While concerning, these effects are apparent, and vary person to person. It is less grave as it shows an ability to be reversed.

There are more ‘unexpected’ effects to be seen from this as well:

1. Reading abilities: One study found that social media usage and reading ability had a high correlation, and that social media has a 39% effect on reading ability. These impacts are exacerbated when it comes to children - a worldwide conducted study found that due to social media, there was a higher reluctance to read attributed to levels of distraction and lack of willingness. This risk of reading incompetency and infrequency can end up causing a higher rate of high school dropouts, lower salaries as adults, and a higher risk of involvement in the criminal justice system.

2. Brain neuroplasticity and atrophy: The consistent use of social media leads to the loss of ability in overlooking distractions, and ultimately can cause shrinkage in parts of the brain that are used for concentration - this change is known as neuroplasticity. A group of USC scientists deduced from MRI studies that spending too much time scrolling on a feed may cause brain atrophy (deterioration), especially seen in the amygdala. Smartphone addiction overall was correlated with atrophy and decreased brain activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is associated with empathy, impulse control, emotion and decision-making. Although Brian Snelling, a neurosurgeon, says that a mild degree of brain atrophy is "not always a concern", it is not possible to reverse brain atrophy after occurrence. 

3. Lack of individuality: The trends as overconsumed by social media users can end up complicating teens’ freedom to “choose their own conscious self”. Being online gives teens the freedom to take on certain personas and copy such behaviours. However, in being preoccupied with these trends, a need to conform to standards is emphasised and uniqueness in individuality is lost. An increasing cognitive load and collectivist ideals shown in social media can weaken understanding, and discourage different opinions (as seen in cancel culture).One example is the amount of “guide to achieving [x] aesthetic '' seen on social media. When a character trait is turned into an aesthetic (such as being a ‘clean girl’), it is glamorised to have certain conventions, or steps to achieve the look. It may obstruct individuals from personal experimentation and may result in many people having a similar appearance, and showing a lack of self-expression through style as there are no varying representations of the aesthetic.

4. Lack of social skills: The increased use of social media can lead to anxiety when communicating in person because of all the conversations occurring online rather than in real life. Nonverbal skills and abilities to pick up on cues such as eye contact and body language see a lack of development, and misunderstandings can arise more from social interactions that occur only online.

5. Physical disadvantages: As backed by a 2018 British study, social media use has been tied to poor sleep quality which can cause depression, memory loss, and poor academic performance. Anxiety and depression can also turn into nausea, headaches, muscle tension, and tremors.

While these implications may be hard to take in, remember that you aren’t the only one - I am no exception to the addictive algorithms of social media. But, please keep these issues in mind when using your phone. In essence, despite social media’s social benefits, it has a largely personal impact that is negative. It is understandably hard to alleviate such effects, but here are some tips to make your online experience better:

• Restricting your use of social media to certain times (Apps such as Forest, BlockApp, Flipd, and Freedom come in handy here!)

• Blocking accounts that don’t reflect good ideals

• Turning off unnecessary app notifications

• Setting a timer before scrolling, to stay conscious of time used

• Planning your days before, with dedicated time leisurely activities to be entertained in more fruitful ways

• Maintaining accountability by restricting usage alongside your friends

• Turning your phone on grayscale to reduce susceptibility to the impacts of colour

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