The Cost of Connections

Today's world is more interconnected than ever before. By 2021 there will be over 3 billion active social media users across the globe (Gordon). Social media plays a key role in the function of society. The usage of devices and social media specifically triggers the brain to release neurotransmissions called dopamine, a feeling associated with happiness and satisfaction in life (Nakaya). This rush of dopamine satisfies one’s need for instant gratification, and lack of this feeling quickly leads to anxiety, and depression, and enhances loneliness (Edmonds).

The usage of social media builds societal guidelines for a utopian and unrealistic lifestyle and is detrimental to achieving healthy sleep patterns (London). Though often overlooked the relationship between mental health and social media needs to be recognized and advanced to help spread awareness and prevent further issues.

Social media usage negatively affects sleep patterns (Sleep) and simply consumes an immense amount of time in the day (Goden). Being unable to get the proper amount of high-quality sleep can lead to greater feelings of depression and anxiety (Sleep).

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Cortisol is a chemical that tells the brain to be alert and keeps the mind awake and active (Monroe). Devices such as computers and phones release more cortisol than the sun. The recommended amount of sleep for living a happy and healthy lifestyle is over nine hours every night (Sleep). This is especially crucial for teens who enter into an important stage of life consumed with extra stress, hormones, and puberty. Few teens reach this number because they cannot fall asleep because of their active brains resulting from social media usage (Monroe).

In a study conducted by the University of Glasgow, studies found that social media usage at night prevented the brain from relaxing, thus preventing healthy sleep (Edmonds). Social media addictive apps are addictive and consume tremendous amounts of time. San Diego State Professor Jean Twenge says, “it boils down to the amount of time that teens spend online,” Not only is less time spent doing healthy activities such as sleeping but less time is spent socializing and communicating with other human beings (Golden). The time spent interacting online is much less valuable than true face-to-face communication. Deep empathetic connections between two individuals are close to impossible to achieve through arbitrary contact (Miller). Caroline Miller, the renowned author, and employee for the Child Mind Institute says, “ the more superficial relationship the less likely you are to be connected” (Miller). Social media usage stimulates the brain, is a counterproductive use of valuable time in today’s interconnected world, and deteriorates important relationships.

Social Media usage leads to excessive feelings of anxiety and depression (Miller). Fear of missing out, often referred to as FOMO is attributed to negative comparisons present while using social media. FOMO is unintentionally promoted through various social media platforms and is directly contributed to lower life satisfaction and a worse mood (Edmonds). Feelings of FOMO are exemplified by greater usage of social media and create very excessive feelings of anxiety (Miller). Depression and anxiety are other issues encountered while using social media. The renowned Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that from 2010 to 2015 in multiple studies from 12-25-year-olds in the US, depression rates have risen by over 50%. These rates almost perfectly correspond with the increase in the popularity of social media usage in the US (Miller). Teens who are active social media users have a 66% higher chance of depression compared to offline teens. Social media creates negative feelings of anxiety and depression with the continued usage of the platforms (Miller).

Social media can be an important platform for widespread advertising and communication in today’s online world. For many people, social media is used for simple documentation and f enjoyable purposes. Many teens across the US utilize social media as a healthy platform to have fun and talk to friends (Gordon). But social media is the main platform for harassment and cyberbullying which affects many teens (Price). Since the introduction of platforms such as Instagram, suicide rates have risen by 71%. Visits to counselors and therapists at colleges as well as high schools and individual professions have rapidly increased as well (Miller). In a study with around 3,000 high school students, studies showed a prominent linkage between negative mental health to excessive social media usage in individuals (Mosley). Not only is there a negative mental effect, but students simply cannot manage their time while using social media, utilizing social media platforms in a challenging learning environment limits the brain’s successful ability to do work (Miller). Although social media is a good platform for advertisement, the downsides outweigh the benefits.

Social media has many negative effects on mental health from its relationship to social anxiety to the decrease in valued personal interactions (Miller). The numerous issues it causes in schools across America need to be recognized and better understood. The natural reaction present from opening apps including Snapchat, or Instagram is inevitable and nothing really can be changed to stop the usage of these pastimes. But how social media is regulated and controlled is a viable solution. With 3 billion users on the near horizon, it is more important than ever to address issues involving mental health reflecting social media.