Social media is a major part of everyday life for many people. It helps users connect, share, and learn, but it can also affect how they think and feel.
Ashley Myers, University Counselor, said that social media keeps people coming back for more. “The nature of social media inherently provides instant gratification and dopamine release through the constant stream of new videos, likes, comments, and content,” Myers said it can work like a gambling addiction because users keep scrolling for the next reward, even when it causes stress or loneliness.
Myers said that many people do not realize how much time online affects their well-being. “Most people do not fully understand the impact of long screen times.” She said that when students spend less time outside, they tend to feel more insecure and are less present in daily life. “They often do not blame social media first.” said Myers. This critical lens of social media urges users to look at social media’s ability to isolate its users from reality.
James Geisler, Director of Wellness Services, felt similarly about how social media affects mental health. He introduces a new perspective, that social media’s effects are dependent on personal choices. “Social media has the potential to impact mental health in many ways and to varying degrees,” said Geisler. He feels that it can be positive when people use it to connect and stay informed, but it can also become harmful without limits. “Boundaries are so important when it comes to social media, as how much we choose to absorb and what we absorb play a critical role for well-being.”
The positive aspects of social media like staying informed about current events and connected with peers, Geisler claims the negative effects only come into play without proper boundaries set. This idea shows that it is not social media itself that can be damaging to users’ mental health, but rather the way and frequency in which it’s used.
Geisler also said that social media and mobile devices have made it harder to focus. “It’s hard to argue that social media isn’t distracting, when we consume content at a rapid pace, our brains crave that fast paced environment, making it harder to concentrate and sustain attention.”
Senior McLean Signora said that spending too much time online can take away from more meaningful activities. “The time spent scrolling on social media can be spent sometimes in other wellness areas.” She said that it also encourages comparison. “It creates this constant need to compare yourself to what others have or what they look like, and it takes away from being yourself.”
Signora said that social media has also changed the way students learn. “Social media has ruined attention spans. People are having a lot of issues being able to focus or critically think. I can even say I used to be a better speller before I relied so much on autocorrect.” She added that social media can help people feel less alone. “A really great thing about social media is that it can take people away from feeling alone…,” said Signora.
Kenta Minamitani, Stanford LLM 2024, said that mental health problems linked to social media are now a national issue. “Mental health problems have become a major public health issue in the United States.” He said that higher rates of depression and anxiety among young people are connected to heavy screen use.
Minamitani said that government leaders are starting to respond. “New York City has taken the unprecedented step of classifying social networking sites as a public health threat.” He said that the city’s lawsuit against TikTok, Meta, and YouTube aims to make companies responsible for how their platforms affect users’ mental health.
Experts agree that awareness and balance are key. “The best way to know is to be aware of your own relationship with it, notice how you feel, and be able to tell when you need to log off.” said Myers. Social media can be both helpful and harmful.
Paying attention to how social media affects mental health and setting healthy boundaries can make a major difference in overall well-being.
