Mental Health + TikTok
How Social Media Impacts Mental Health
I think most of us have heard that social media can have some serious implications for our mental health. Various research studies have shown a connection between social media and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, social media has also been linked to an increase in comparison with others, isolation, and sleep disturbances, as well as a decrease in mindfulness and attention span.
But what if social media isn’t all bad? What if we can not only point to ways in which social media negatively impacts our mental health, but positively impacts it as well? Let’s first take a look at some of the reasons why social media may not benefit us:
Negative Impact of Social Media on Mental Health:
We all know how prevalent bullying can be, especially online. When we’re behind a screen, we can be quick to judge and comment on others’ lives in ways we wouldn’t do face to face.
On many social media platforms, and in my opinion especially on TikTok, it can be hard to monitor exactly what is coming across your feed or page. That can mean triggering content that you might not even be able to proactively filter. If you’re not prepared to cope, or don’t have the proper coping skills yet, some of what you see can send you into a spiral.
Lastly, certain types of social media, like TikTok, have algorithms that create a space for negativity. What I mean by that is that people on TikTok get more screen time when they get more interaction from others. But much of the time, we interact with content that is frustrating, negative, or harmful much more than we interact with content that’s happy or neutral. That being said, you might find that what often comes across your page is not the type of content you actually want to be seeing. This type of algorithm motivates drama, hate, and bullying, which clearly has a negative impact on our mental health.
Now that we’ve reviewed that, what about the benefits of social media?
Positive Impact of Social Media on Mental Health:
Social Media provides us access to a lot of helpful information we may not have access to otherwise. I have a lot of clients who come to me with information they’ve seen on TikTok or instagram, and while sometimes that information is incomplete or inaccurate, many times it really does provide us with interesting content to process and adds to how we understand the client’s struggles.
Additionally, one intervention I use with clients is to have them proactively create an account which cultivates more information I want them to be consuming. For example, with clients who struggle with body image or an eating disorder, I suggest they create an account which highlights bodies of every size and food or recipes that are devoid of shame and “healthy” or “unhealthy” language. When my clients create these accounts, they often share how helpful it is to have a safe and helpful way of consuming social media.
While social media often gets a bad rap for motivating isolation, I believe social media can do the opposite as well, especially for individuals in marginalized groups or individuals living in more rural areas where diversity may not be as present or accepted. Social media gives these individuals a space to meet other people like them, to see that they are not alone in this world and that while they may be “different” in comparison to their neighbors, they can be accepted and valued in other communities around the world.
The truth of the matter is, we can’t make a blanket statement about whether social media is good or bad. In fact, part of the way that social media affects us comes from our genetics, and whether we’re predisposed to certain mental illnesses or unhelpful thought patterns.
Here are a few ways to make sure your social media use stays helpful, not harmful:
Willingness: If you know that social media has not been helpful for you in the past, keep that in mind as you make decisions around social media moving forward. On the flip side, if you don’t notice a negative impact of social media for you, then keep on using it if you please! Being willing to make the changes that you know are good for you is incredibly important.
Boundary Setting: Knowing your limits is key to healthy social media use. If looking at social media feels fine in the morning but triggering at night, then set reminders to shut it off at a certain time of day. If you enjoy social media to an extent, but know that you can get lost in numbing yourself by scrolling, then set limits to how much social media you can use while on your phone each day. If you know that certain accounts or types of social media trigger more mental illness for you, cultivate content on your feed or page that helps you to feel good.
Talk to Someone: If you’re struggling with your social media use, or have concerns about your mental health in general, find a trusted professional you can talk to. You don’t have to struggle alone.