The impact of social media on mental health
Individuals with increased levels of social media usage were shown to have a positive correlation with depression symptoms, meaning as social media use increased, depression symptoms also increased.
Abstract
Introduction: Given the prevalence of social media use, it is vital to understand the impact it plays on mental health. The purpose of this study was to shed light and better understand how frequent social media usage can affect mental health. Particularly, this study focused on the frequent usage of social media and its relevance to depression. Methods: A webbased survey gathered data from a total of 200 participants who met the following criteria: 18 and over, residing in California, in a relationship, and current social media user. Results: I Individuals with increased levels of social media usage were shown to have a positive correlation with depression symptoms, meaning as social media use increased, depression symptoms also increased. Conclusions: This study showed that social media use has the potential to affect individuals’ mental health.