Mental Health and Social Media: Its Effects and How Counseling Can Help

By Victor Alfons

We live in the age of social media. A study from 2020 showed that half the world’s population use social media in some form. People are connected across the globe through their online platforms. They can instantly connect and communicate with others through messages and posts. Social media allows for people to keep up with their friends and their favorite public figures in real time. However, not all that glitters is gold when it comes to social media. Like almost everything, there are benefits and downsides to social platforms, especially when it comes to mental health. 

While social media is still a relatively new topic, there has been some research conducted about social media’s effect on mental health. This article will outline the positive and negative mental health effects and will provide a guide on how mental health counseling can help you set boundaries.

If you feel as though you need to address some of the impacts of social media with a mental health counselor, click here to find a therapist near me. 

What Are the Benefits of Social Media for Mental Health and Mental Health Counseling?

The global interconnectivity people experience with social media can bring a myriad of benefits for users. These effects stem from the increased accessibility of resources such as mental health counseling, information, and community networks. Some of the beneficial effects of social media on mental health are listed below.

1. Community Support Networks- Users can connect to networks of people who have similar experiences to them. A person experiencing a mental health condition can connect to millions of people who are dealing with similar situations. There are even subsets of the internet dedicated to asking mental health counselors questions. This capability helps to alleviate some of the stigma surrounding mental health. Those networks can also help individuals know they are not alone and increase the amount of support they feel. The online community networks can also help individuals find therapists near them.

2. Outlet for expression- Social media can also act as an outlet of sorts for individuals and their mental health. Users can take to their platforms and share about themselves. For example, some people have dedicated poetry accounts where they share their poetry works as a form of expression. This can allow for individuals to release some of their emotions and express them, even if it is on a public or private platform.

3. Access to Mental Health Resources and Information- A major benefit of social media in terms of mental health, is the resources it can provide. The accessibility of instant information can increase knowledge about mental health and therapy. Many counseling organizations use social media to educate about mental health. To accompany that, online counseling services such as Lifebulb Counseling and Therapy have options on their websites for their visitors to use the “find a therapist near me” locator. This service makes it easier for people to invest in mental health counseling that meets their specific needs in the area that they live in. We have mental health resources and tools quite literally at the end of our fingertips.

The Negative Effects of Social Media and How Mental Health Counseling Can Help

Social media is by no means perfect. Just as with anything, social media is not without its pitfalls for mental health. The online platforms are designed to keep people scrolling which can lead to over usage of the sites and inability to disconnect from them. Finding mental health counseling and a therapist near you can help to negate some of the harmful effects such as:

1. Cyberbullying: A study from the Cyberbullying Research Center shows that 30 percent of teenagers feel as though they have been cyberbullied at some point in their lives. This is when online users target or make detrimental comments about individuals. That statistic does not even include the adult or pre-teen proportions of social media users. While social media has allowed for people to find online support networks, it has also emboldened the use of online hate. Whether it is comments about public figures or peers, users take advantage of the anonymity which can accompany social media to publish negative commentary. Those comments and posts can have a negative impact on mental health and can be linked to other issues such as anxiety and depression. Mental health counselors can help you address any negative feelings stemming from online hate and work on self-affirmation and self-esteem. If you feel as though you are a victim of cyberbullying, find a therapist near you.

2. Social Comparison: Have you ever looked at the posts of someone’s decor or the photos from their latest vacation and thought: “I wish those were mine”. You are not alone in that thought process. Most people experience some form of jealousy or comparison when examining social media posts. Social Media cultivates an atmosphere where people often want to present only the best parts of their lives. This can lead to false perceptions of perfection and feelings of inadequacy which can be harmful to one’s mental health and self-image. Mental health counseling can help you set realistic expectations for social media and a positive image of your own life.

3. Doomsday Scrolling: This is a term coined to describe the tendency of individuals to spend endless time going through their social media. In its nature, social media can be addictive. If boundaries are not set, a person may spend hours on their online platforms. This takes away from time which can be devoted to family, friends, and other activities. In mental health counseling, you can work on setting boundaries for social media and finding other hobbies and passions.

How Can Mental Health Counseling Help with Setting Boundaries for Social Media?

To take advantage of the positives of social media without falling into traps of dependency or comparison, it is important to set firm boundaries. Those limits can help improve mental health

and still allow individuals to feel connected to the world around them.  A trained professional can help you in figuring out your goals and preferences for social media and with setting boundaries. Mental health counseling can help you with the following strategies for setting those boundaries: 

1. Setting a daily time limit: This is a set number of hours or minutes spent on social media each day. A mental health counselor can work with you to establish a realistic goal for that time. The act of limiting how much time you spend online allows you to be more purposeful with your time. For example, it could allow for a user to focus on posting and finding information about their passions instead of mindlessly scrolling through their feed.

2. Curate your feed: A beneficial feature of social media is that, to a certain extent, you can control the people you interact with. Mental health counseling can help you to figure out what is beneficial for you to see in your feed and what is harmful. This can allow you to find creators that you connect with and to not engage with online users who may make hateful comments. If you are passionate about topics like mental health, you could follow professionals within the field and companies that provide resources on the topic. 

3. Separate Online from Reality: One of the easiest things to lose track of with social media is that it is not always a perfect lens into real life. It is important to take steps back from online postings and realize they may not be an accurate reflection. A mental health counselor can help you with determining the cues for when you need a break. For example, they can help you identify when you are turning to self-comparisons and then you can realize that might be a good time for a break. Mental health counseling can also help you with developing healthy habits for those breaktimes, such as engaging in a hobby or going outside. 

Conclusion 

Social media can be both positive and negative. When using your online platforms, make sure to set healthy boundaries for yourself. Those can help you take in more of the good and less of the

online negativity. Mental health counseling can help you cultivate the positive effects while diminishing the negative ones. If you would like to reach out to a mental health counselor about social media or boundaries, find a therapist near me today!

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