There is no doubt that social media dominates our daily lives, and presents a potentially positive resource for social interaction, information gathering, and entertainment. Theoretically, such a thing should make us happier, right?

In my work with clients, I have yet to come across someone who does not spontaneously bring up Facebook or Instagram during therapy as a source of anxious, depressive, and self-judgmental thoughts. The impact and influence of social media certainly varies but in many cases I have seen Facebook (and others) become a primary source, feeding negative self-talk and serving as a platform for “proof” of an individuals perceived failures. This cycle may begin through judging other people’s lives based on their daily posts as “better”, “happier”, or more “successful”, or by lamenting the absence of acknowledgement for similar personal posts about lifestyle in an attempt to fulfill our basic needs for validation.

Where’s the Evidence?

Beyond my anecdotal experience, researchers are beginning to pay attention to the detrimental effects of social media. One study in particular, published in Depression & Anxiety, looked at the influence of social media on likelihood for depression among 1,787 U.S. citizens aged 19-32. The sample was evenly split by gender, with 57% reported as Caucasian. The study found that as an individual’s social media use increases, so does their risk for depression. More specifically, those who checked their social media most frequently (i.e. accessed a device or computer to look at social media) were 2.7 times more likely to suffer from depression when compared to less frequent users. Further, individuals who spent the most time using social media (over 60 min/day) were 1.7 times more likely to suffer from depression.

What does all this mean for me?

While research is pointing to a connection between social media use and depression, we must continue to consider whether depressed individuals seek out and use social media to a higher degree, or do individuals who would not otherwise be depressed become so through increased use of things like Facebook and Instagram.

For my clients, I recommend a simple question to ask when faced with a situation when social media based self- judgment is creating feelings of distress: “Would I feel this way in the year 1996?”. Of course, the purpose of this question is obvious and simplistic, but I believe this is a valuable way to begin generating perspective and awareness of the influence social media has on our lives. If we can remember a time when, logistically, our feelings of depression related to social media would be impossible, then what can we learn about our use of social media and how it is affecting our daily experience?

What Can I do about it?

For more information about the research described here, follow this LINK

If you feel like social media is contributing to feelings of depression, I would suggest the following:

- Seek out a counselor or therapist to discuss your concerns

- Talk to your primary care physician about your feelings of depression/sadness

- Meet with a close family member or friend, in person, and process your current feelings and concerns

- Read more about depression on my blog here, and here

- Talk to your partner about their perceptions of your mood and behavior related to social media use

For more reading about depression:

http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression