May 22, 2017.
British researchers have investigated whether social media has an impact on the mental health of its users. And it would appear to be the case.
Instagram and Facebook exacerbate anxiety
Young people are more and more addicted to their smartphones, especially because of social networks. An addition that would not be without consequences for their personal balance. This is in any case what reveals a study conducted by a team of researchers from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). According to this work, the most harmful social network for the mental health of young people is Instagram.
To reach this conclusion, the researchers asked nearly 1,500 Britons, aged 14 to 24, to answer a questionnaire. They found that half of the people questioned believed that Instagram and Facebook exacerbated anxiety. And 7 in 10 young people agree that Instagram made them feel bad about themselves. Retouched photos and the staging of a dream life end up creating frustration and jealousy.
Young people shape their identity on social media
Another interesting lesson: 7 in 10 young people have already experienced bullying on social networks. Harassment which is the source of significant stress. When we know that 90% of young people are present on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and YouTube), we are entitled to wonder about the harmful consequences that such an addiction could cause.
Social networks ” have become a place where we build ourselves, we express ourselves, we deepen relationships, and where we shape our identity », Explains Shirley Cramer, representative of the Royal Society for public health. These platforms ” are inevitably linked to our mental health “. According to the authors of this work, in 25 years, anxiety and depression increased by 70% in young people. This might explain that.
Marine Rondot
Read also: Adolescents: avoid screens to protect sleep
