Social Media with Internet Addiction

One of the largest ways that the advancement of technology can be an avenue to depression or anxiety is social media. Social Media has grown exponentially to every corner of the world. In 2015, over 90% of teens in the US had used social media in some way. That’s nearly 36 million teens! Social media can also go hand in hand with internet addiction, often causing people to replace real life interaction with online interaction. There are many different ways social media can cause depression. A study by the Child Mind Institute states, “teenage and young adult users who spend the most time on Instagram, Facebook and other platforms were shown to have a substantially (from 13 to 66 percent) higher rate of reported depression than those who spent the least time” (Miller 1). This quote explains that people who use social media often than others are also more likely to have depression. The study also states, “Some experts see the rise in depression as evidence that the connections social media users form electronically are less emotionally satisfying, leaving them feeling socially isolated” (Miller 1). Although social media connections may provide a temporary “high”, it does not last long.

The rewarding feelings that come from developing connections in real life provide a much more genuine, satisfying, and intimate response from the brain. Real life connections also last much longer than connections through social media. As soon as the social media connection ends, the person is left feeling stranded and alone, ultimately leading to feelings of depression. Another way social media can cause depression is through cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullying is bullying that can happen over any digital device, many time this being social media. Over 70 percent of teens have admitted to seeing or being bullied online (dosomething.org). Bullying is a cause that has lead people to depression and even suicide for decades. Having the access to anyone in the world has created new opportunities for bullies, damaging more and more people.

Social media can also cause anxiety. Social Media is filled with different ways teens can compare themselves to their peers. Whether it be likes, followers, comments, or general popularity, negative comparisons can lead to low self esteem (Miller 1). Seeing people react to another person’s post more positively than your own creates feelings of inferiorness. Inferiorness can eventually make a person feel as if no one cares or likes them. To avoid these feelings teens feel a constant drag to do whatever they can to get more likes, followers, or just look more attractive. This continual feeling can cause extreme anxiety. 

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