(Second of four parts) Last week, we looked at US psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s contention that indiscriminate social media use is a direct cause of poor mental health in young people. Age may play a role. In a 2023 study of 1649 people in the UK, United States, Norway and Australia, the increase in loneliness was more pronounced in younger groups, while those middle-aged or older were found to be less socially lonely.
But even this study concedes harm for those using social media primarily to maintain social contact, rather than for those using it for other reasons. READ: Social media causes poor mental health “High levels of social media use relate not only to loneliness, but to mental distress ..
. in general,” says Norwegian researcher Tore Bonsaksen and his team. “Paradoxically, ‘social’ media appears .
.. to hinder rather than promote .
.. social well-being.
The underlying mechanisms may concern the addictive properties ...
so people who have problems with self-regulation may be less able to ‘log off’ and experience social media fatigue and/or addiction as a result ...
People’s perception of social media content ...
is often in the form of texts and photos conveying a positive message of joy, fulfillment, adventure, or success of some kind. More time spent digesting other people’s happiness ..
. may accelerate one’s own feelings of loneliness and distress, possibly fueled by envy ..
. In the opposite case, observing social media posts displaying the cha.
