Social Media and Mental Health

1. Social Media and Mental Health

2. What is ‘Social Media’? ‘Forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content’ (Merriam-Webster).

4. Facts about Social Media • 75% of 12-15 year olds have a profile on a social media or messaging site (Ofcom, 2017) • 32% of 12-15 year olds say Snapchatis their main profile (Ofcom, 2017) • Over half of 9 to 16 year-olds say that they use a smart phone on a daily basis (Heads Together, 2018) • 1 in 10 12-15 year olds who go online have ‘gone live’ (broadcasted a video of themselves) on a social network (Internet Matters, 2018)

5. How does Social Media impact on mental health? Firstly… What is mental health?

6. Mental health could be described as… Good mental health means being generally able to think, feel and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life. But if you go through a period of poor mental health you might find the ways you're frequently thinking, feeling or reacting become difficult, or even impossible, to cope with. This can feel just as bad as a physical illness, or even worse.

7. Positive impact of social media on mental health • Being able to connect with friends and family (especially with those who live far away) such as by sharing pictures and videos • Making new friends, particularly with people who share our interests • Having greater involvement in our local community (e.g. charitable work or political activism) • Developing and sharing our creativity through online videos, blogs and podcasts • Developing our own sense of identity • Collaborating on projects through online communities (e.g. a homework Whatsappgroup) • Being able to access health information online and finding supportive networks of people with similar conditions

8. Possible risks of social media on mental health Sharing too much • Research has shown that social media users are more likely to share personal information or display more intense behaviour than they would do offline, including anti-social behaviour such as rude language and harsh criticisms. 45% of 12-15s who go online say that in the past 12 months they have seen ‘something hateful on the internet directed at a particular group of people, based on, for instance, their gender, religion, disability, sexuality or gender identity’ • 17% per cent of 8-11s and 29% of 12-15s who go online say they have ever seen something online that they found worrying or nasty

9. Possible risks of social media on mental health • Sending of nude images or inappropriate information online 2% of 12-15 year olds reported ‘feeling under pressure to send photos or other information about themselves to someone’ 5% of 12-15 year olds reported having ‘sent a photo or video of yourself to a friend that you now regret sending’ 4% of 12-15 year olds reported having ‘sent personal information such as your full name, address or phone number to a person you’ve only had contact with online’ 5% of 12-15 year olds reported having ‘sent a photo or video of yourself to a person that you’ve only had contact with online’

10. Possible risks of social media on mental health Cyberbullying • Sending or posting abusive or threatening messages • Creating and sharing embarrassing photos or videos • Sharing secrets about someone online without their consent • Intentionally leaving someone out of an online activity or friendship group • Voting on someone in an abusive poll • Creating a website with mocking or critical content about someone • Hijacking online identities or creating a fake profiles • Sending explicit messages • Cyberstalking: continuously harassing another person (including threats of physical harm) Cyberbullying, like offline bullying, can have a negative impact on our confidence and/or self-esteem

11. Possible risks of social media on mental health Body image • The use of smartphone cameras, and easy access to ways of altering images (e.g. ‘filters’) has led to a rise in the popularity of ‘selfies’. • This means that we are frequently exposed to unrealistic, photoshopped images and idealised images of ‘beauty’. • What impact does this have on our feelings about our own appearance? • Time spend by teenage girls on social media linked with body image concerns, including lower body esteem (Tiggerman & Slater, 2015)

12. Possible risks of social media on mental health ‘Extreme Internet Users’ • Over a third (37.3%) of 15 year olds in the UK are ‘extreme internet users’. • An ‘extreme internet user’ is defined as someone who uses the internet for more than six hours outside of school on a typical weekend day. • This is much higher than the most other countries.

13. Possible risks of social media on mental health The impact of excessive time spent online • Research has linked excessive internet use and/or social media use with: • Depression (ONS, 2015) • Poor sleep quality (Punamaki et al. 2007) • Other social and emotional problems , e.g. anxieties and the need for ‘likes’; 25% of 16-24 year olds said that they feel nervous and/or anxious when they are offline (a phenomenon sometimes described as FOMO or ‘fear of missing out’) (Ofcom, 2016) • Sense of belonging and loneliness at school (PISA, 2015) • Bullying (PISA, 2015) • Life satisfaction (PISA, 2015)

14. Video Social Media vs Reality

15. What can I do if social media is having a negative impact on my mental health? • Consider the pros and cons of social media (e.g. ‘would I feel happier and more connected to others by speaking to them online or meeting them face to face?’) • If you fit into the ‘extreme internet user’ bracket, try to gradually reduce the time spent online/on social media sites. • If you find that you are relying on social media and instant feedback (e.g. ‘likes’ or ‘shares’) to feel good about yourself or your life, try to find other things that make you feel positive or successful. • Make sure you know how to block or report harmful messages on social media. • Make sure you know how to change your privacy settings so fewer people can view your social media profile. • Protect your online reputation:  ‘think before you post.’ Content posted online can last forever and could be shared publicly by anyone. • Be aware that not everything you see on social media is accurate or realistic. • Talk to someone you trust

16. Where else can I go for help? • Young Minds - https://youngminds.org.uk/ • Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/children-and-young-people • Digital Resilience - https://www.digitalresilience.org.uk/ • BBC Own It - https://www.bbc.com/ownit