Social media psychology:
Bottom Line: New research has shown that social media is unfortunately the go to for most people who are lonely and/or are battling depression. This according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Here were key findings:
- Social media is the most common destination for lonely people to interact with others
- Those who are lonely/depressed are most likely to be more active on social media
- They're likely to share more personal information publicly than the average user
So here's the concern. We've learned from other research that the average user of Facebook leaves feeling worse than when they checked it out in the first place. You can see where this can be a real issue for those who're most emotionally vulnerable. Facebook has had a string of devastating Facebook live video's of suicides and related attempts. Those are the most visible examples of what can go wrong when people in need of real counseling seek social media instead. If this is you or someone you know - it's worth having the conversation that a psychologist, not social media, is the better path forward for one's mental health.