Social networking and the risk of depression

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Extract from the article: A study published in the US Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology may well make social networking addicts pull the plug for a while. According to the results, the more you use social networks, the greater your risk of

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A study published in the US Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology may well make social networking addicts pull the plug for a while. According to the results, the more you use social networks, the greater your risk of depression.

Researchers at the University of Houston, led by Mai-Ly Steers, studied the social networking habits of thousands of students. They found that the more time they spent there, the more likely they were to develop depressive symptoms. This phenomenon is linked to the mechanism of social comparison.

On social networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Tik Tok, everyone is more or less trying to show off, by publishing the most interesting details of life, the funniest photos, and by ignoring everyday problems. On the newsfeed, this kind of watered-down information about friends' lives is constantly scrolling by. And, inevitably, we can't help comparing ourselves to them. Which sometimes leaves us feeling that our lives aren't quite as exciting.

In 2014, a study linked intensive use of social networks, particularly WhatsApp, with feelings of loneliness. Another study from the University of Queensland linked being ignored on social networks to a feeling of having a less meaningful existence. In 2013, researchers at the University of Michigan found that the more time people spend on social networks, the more unhappy they become. This doesn't mean that social networks cause depression, but rather that depressive feelings are closely associated with time spent on that social network, and with comparing oneself with friends. Using social networks during the day and over-investing disrupts sleep quality. Over-investment is also associated with lower self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression.

It all depends on how you use it. If, for example, you use Facebook or WhatsApp simply as a means of keeping in touch with others, which is its original purpose, you risk nothing. It's also important to think about how children use social networks, and when to stop.

William O.