Understanding The Effects Of Facebook Anxiety And Depression

2022 studies found that the average American checks their phone around 350 times daily, around once every four minutes. In addition, a 2021 global study found that those aged 16 to 64 spend almost 2.5 hours on social media daily. 

For some, the desire to connect with others online comes from what might be referred to as "the fear of missing out" (FOMO). FOMO has a connection with social anxiety, depression, sleep problems, distractibility, and a decline in productivity. Understanding how depression and anxiety are connected to social media platforms like Facebook may offer insight into mental health and its connection with technology.

Early research on the internet and its connection with mental health

One of the first studies on the impact of the internet on mental health was done in 1998. Researchers found that internet usage often led to increased depression symptoms and loneliness. A few later studies hinted that extended computer use had a negative impact on children's social skills development. These studies were performed before Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and other social media networks existed.

Facebook went online in 2004 for college students and became popular within a few years. Even as the novelty of Facebook began to wear off, individuals started to spend more of their free time on the internet and less time communicating in person with their families and friends. While technology can make it possible for children, adolescents, and adults to connect with their peers online, some online relationships may be superficial and challenging to sustain. 

Research on social media and mental health

In a study of high school students, researchers found a correlation between depressive symptoms and the amount of time spent on social media networks. Below are a few primary studies on how Facebook specifically might impact mental health. 

Melissa G. Hunt's study

In a study at the University of Pennsylvania, psychologist Melissa G. Hunt surveyed 504 millennials to understand if there was a connection between social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat and major depressive disorders. Her results showed that young adults who met the DSM criteria for major depressive disorder had higher scores on the Social Media Addiction scale.

The findings 

Hunt found that millennials who spent significant time on social media often compared themselves to people they felt were better than them. People living with major depressive disorder tended to have fewer followers than people without depression. Hunt's study also found that people who drastically decreased their time on social media sites often saw a notable improvement in symptoms of depression and a positive turn in self-compassion. The rates of loneliness decreased significantly for people who spent less time on social media.

Further research 

A consecutive study called "No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression," also by Hunt's team of researchers, used seven scales to test students' mood and sense of well-being in relation to the amount of time they spent on social media sites. (Half of the participants used social media sites as they usually did. The other half limited their social media visits to only 10 minutes daily for each site, including Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.

The results showed that students who cut back on social media time had clinically significantly lower rates of feelings of depression and loneliness than the control group, which saw no improvement in their rates of depression and loneliness. Hunt noted the irony that lonely and depressed people like to use sites like Facebook because they're seeking more authentic social connections. Yet, her study showed that Facebook and other popular social media sites made people feel lonelier and more depressed.

Hunt's hypothesis 

Hunt offers up two possible reasons that people may experience Facebook-correlated depression:

As Hunt noted, social media sites have become an integral part of society, making cutting them out challenging. However, the study encouraged people to cut back on their time on social media. Ten minutes a day may be sufficient for connecting with others and focusing on your mental well-being. 

How does social media impact social well-being? A Stanford study

Researchers at Stanford University and New York University surveyed 2,844 Facebook account holders before the 2018 mid-term elections. Over half of the participants were asked to deactivate their Facebook accounts for four weeks. They aimed to assess how staying off Facebook would affect their individual and social well-being.

The results of the study 

The results indicated that deactivating their Facebook accounts increased their well-being drastically. Participants reported having more significant levels of happiness and satisfaction in their lives and decreased feelings of anxiety and depression. 90% of those surveyed reported that staying off social media accounts positively impacted them and that they felt more appreciation for the significance that Facebook played in their lives.

The survey's results showed that knowing the impacts of the study also had an impact on participants. Many opted to stay off Facebook and other social media after the study ended. Those who reactivated their Facebook accounts reported that they decreased their time on social media platforms by 23%. 

Those who deactivated their Facebook accounts gained an hour in their daily schedules. Ultimately, when people took a break from Facebook, they added free time to their schedules and could break the habit of constantly pulling up their social media accounts. Instead of filling up time with other types of digital media, they engaged in more meaningful activities.

Conclusions from the study 

The study also highlighted a potentially harmful effect of taking a social media break, especially during election time. People who deactivated their social media accounts started to lack knowledge of current events in a broad sense. They tended to know less about current events and politics than when they spent time on social media, and they also spent fewer minutes per day consuming news reports. Those who deactivated their social media accounts also reduced some of the polarization that often characterizes our engagement with politics.

It can be valuable to note that the relationship between Facebook and mental health disorders remains inconclusive. Most recent studies enlisted young, well-educated, and political leftist Facebook users. New research may be beneficial to look at various age groups and other demographics to clarify the correlation between Facebook depression and anxiety.

Counseling options 

Social media can be easy to get lost in. Some people experience dependency after using these networking sites, which can be challenging to cope with alone. If you feel most comfortable online, working with a therapist through an online platform like BetterHelp may help you cope with symptoms of depression and anxiety or the impacts of social media usage. 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based modality for treating depression and anxiety, and it has been shown to be effective for social media dependency, as well. CBT helps clients change thought processes about feelings and habits to learn how to adopt healthier behaviors. 

Online therapy is often as effective as in-person therapy, which may make it easier to get started. With online therapy, you can work with a therapist from the convenience of your home or anywhere with an internet connection at a time that works best for you. Online therapy also gives you more options in finding a therapist who specializes in your specific area of concern.