2023-06-12 21:00:00
It might be time to reconsider how often you browse social media apps known for stylized images and calculated visual content.
It turns out that an app like Instagram is the worst app among social media and platforms due to its negative and profound impact on the mental health of young people.
Studies on the impact of social networking sites
According to a scientific study published in the Journal of the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom, researchers evaluated 1,479 people between the ages of 14 and 24, and studied the emotional and emotional impact they had when using the applications Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, in order to measure whether They were feeling in a positive or negative way, and how intense the effect was.
In the study, participants answered a total of 14 questions regarding each popular social media platform, including whether or not they experienced feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness while using the apps.
Instagram and Snapchat have the worst effect on mental health
According to the study, Instagram made participants feel the worst possible score in terms of psychological well-being and well-being, followed by Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter.
The research revealed that Instagram and Snapchat were considered the worst social media platforms in terms of negative effects on mental health and well-being.
While Instagram focuses on “likes,” Snapchat focuses on “surprising and continuous content.” You can build your “content pipeline” by uploading photos and videos every day.
If followers stop opening Snaps, the account holder loses their streak of content and stories. Obviously, this in and of itself can lead to feelings of rejection when a person builds up their self-esteem according to the interaction and attention they receive through social media.
In addition, Snapchat was one of the first social networking sites to allow the addition of “filters” and modifications to retouch personal images and enhance features to users’ videos and photos, which are characteristics that cause severe negative effects on self-image, rates of self-satisfaction, general appearance and sense of confidence.
YouTube most positive app
On the other hand, the popular video application YouTube turned out to be the only platform that has an average positive effect on users, especially young people.
The study also found that all the platforms studied, with the exception of YouTube, contribute to an increase in anxiety, by reinforcing the need to be online and browse at all times due to the fear of missing out and missing out on content.
The negative impact of apps on sleep has also been confirmed, which has similar adverse effects on mental health. In addition, cyberbullying appears to be a growing problem, with 7 out of 10 young people reporting being bullied due to these platforms.
The impact of social media platforms on self-identity
The study highlighted the fact that social media exacerbates self-identity problems for 16-24 year olds who use social media a lot.
As it turned out that 7 out of 10 users of different ages, and 9 out of 10 young men and women, that the Instagram application, which depends mainly on images, made them feel as if they were not good enough.
This comes at a time when social media platforms are considered more addictive than cigarettes or alcohol, and their frequent use has been linked to an explosion in global rates of anxiety and depression among young people and young adults, by as much as 70%, over the past 25 years.
Limited positive effects
But at the same time, the study found two positive effects of social media: it allows teens and young adults to share experiences regarding health and get more information from experts, even if it needs revision.
These platforms can also provide a form of emotional support and social togetherness.
In terms of feeling psychologically supported, 71% of young people surveyed felt that they received support in one way or another through social media when they were going through a difficult time and shared that with their followers.
Duration of use and its impact on mental health
The report also found that it is not just what young people interact with on social media, but also how long and for how long they interact with it.
According to the study, young people who spend more than two hours a day connected on social media are more likely to report poor mental health, including depression and psychological distress.
To address this, it is necessary for different social media sites to promote new features across their platforms that are responsible for warning users that they have been using the app for too long.
It is true that these characteristics are not an effective option in radically treating the problem, but they may be the beginning of treatment, and a step towards mitigating the impact of social networking sites on people’s lives and on their psychological and mental health.
Source: Arab Post
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