Most of the spare time these days is utilized by staking pictures or videos on Instagram and Snapchat. But are we aware that these forms of social media have created a negative impact on the minds of young generations in the world? The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and the Young Health Movement (YHM) have published a new report ‘Status Of Mind’, which is based on the positive and negative effects of social media on the young people’s minds and mental health.
Accordion to the report, Instagram have received the worst rating with being a negative impact on young people’s mental health. Snapchat is also in the last lane of the same. YouTube is considered to be the table’s most positive social medium for the mental health of young people.
The survey was conducted in early 2017 (13 February to 8 May), in which 1,500 young people of age 14-24 were surveyed across UK. They were asked to score the social media platforms and their impacts based on 14 health related issues like anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep, self identity, body image etc.
According To The Results, The Table Showed:
What the experts have to say:
“Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol, and is now so entrenched in the lives of young people that it is no longer possible to ignore it when talking about young people’s mental health issues. Through our Young Health Movement, young people have told us that social media has had both a positive and negative impact on their mental health. It’s interesting to see Instagram and Snapchat ranking as the worst for mental health and wellbeing – both platforms are very image-focused and it appears they may be driving feelings of inadequacy and anxiety in young people. As the evidence grows that there may be potential harms from heavy use of social media, and as we upgrade the status of mental health within society, it is important that we have checks and balances in place to make social media less of a wild west when it comes to young people’s mental health and wellbeing. We want to promote and encourage the many positive aspects of networking platforms and avoid a situation that leads to social media psychosis which may blight the lives of our young people,” Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive, RSPH, said.
“For young people, using social media and digital technologies as a tool to help with mental health make sense for many reasons. Social media is a part of their daily lives and so care could be delivered in a lifestyle-integrated, self-managed approach. This holistic perspective could integrate personal interests and activities. It might help improve psycho-education, increase self-awareness of mental health and act as a preventative measure. Young people sometimes feel more comfortable talking about personal issues online. We also have a unique opportunity to communicate with young people on their terms and in creative ways. As health professionals we must make every attempt to understand modern youth culture expressions, lexicons, and terms to better connect with their thoughts and feelings,” Dr Becky Inkster, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Cambridge, said
“Social media has dramatically shifted how we socialize, communicate, and form relationships with each other. Its impact cannot be understated. As we navigate these new digital spaces that have so much to offer, we must be having a conversation about how it can affect our mental health. Because platforms like Instagram and Facebook present highly curate versions of the people we know and the world around us, it is easy for our perspective of reality to become distorted. Socializing from behind a screen can also be uniquely isolating, obscuring mental health challenges even more than usual. As the first generation of social media users become adults, it is important that we lay the groundwork now to minimize potential harm and shape a digital future that is healthy and thriving,” Laci Green, professional health YouTuber (1.5 million subscribers), said.
