How Social Media Is Directly Affecting Your Mental Health

Emotional Well-Being

Social media has also been linked to stimulating the emotions of envy, jealousy, and loneliness when used. Researchers at the University of California have reported a positive or negative mood amongst users on social media can spread like wildfire, depending on the emotional content of the posting. They concluded positive content shared on social media was a more powerful influencer rather than negative posts. However, it remains unsolved if positive posts truly boost the mood of the user.

Envy is another common emotion users can feel when interacting with social media. In one study involving six-hundred adults, one-third of social media made them feel negative emotions, specifically frustration and envy due to users comparing their lives to others’. However, envy is not necessarily destructive but rather can make an individual work harder to achieve the same level of perceived success as their counterparts. Continue reading to discover how social media impacts loneliness and isolation.