The internet is a remarkable invention, as is the concept of social media. However, the online, faceless nature of this concept has led to some common mental health issues that are unique to this space. Here are four of those issues:
Isolation
Many people use the internet for social media and collaboration, which is designed to bring people together. This may however have the opposite effect if it is used excessively.
Isolation means that individuals perceive themselves as lonely and left behind. This is known to be detrimental to psychological wellbeing.
A study from 2017 found that use of social media may be related to the levels of perceived loneliness. (Primack, Shensa and Sidani, 2017)
Addiction
Internet addiction can be a serious issue, so much so that in some cases, local government has had to step in to provide rehabilitation.
This is when people become too accustomed to using the internet on a very regular basis, so much so that they have trouble leaving it unused for a short while.
South Korea is regarded as one of the worlds most internet-connected countries, and has been battling with serious cases of internet addiction. Rehabilitation camps have been instituted by communities as part of combating this addiction.
In these camps, young people are denied access to their cell phones and are encouraged to take up new hobbies such as learning the guitar. (Fifield, 2016)
Depression and anxiety
Interactions that are negative and are held on the internet can lead to increased instances of depression and anxiety. These are psychological phenomenon that are not made any easier by engaging in argumentative or negative talk with strangers on the internet
An academic review from 2016 found that the results in terms of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety from the use of social networking depended largely on the interactions that were experienced. (Seabrook, Kern and Rickard, 2016)
If the user engages in negative or argumentative interactions like exchanging insults, this worsens these factors while if they engage in more positive, supportive interactions like sharing personal interests, this improves these factors.
Disinhibition and cyber bullying
Online, anonymity is possible and this causes people to act differently to how they would in a face-to-face interaction. This is called the online disinhibition effect. If you don’t have many personal details associated with an account (on any website), you feel more free to act however you would like to act. This causes many interactions online to be more negative and this leads into cyber bullying or harassment.
Cyber bullying is harassment and aggravation that is made toward a certain victim on the internet. It is often a more serious issue than ordinary physical bullying, as the victim in question cannot ‘get away’ from the bully save deleting their accounts that are known to the bully. So, as you explore the fascinating depths of the internet, make sure to watch out for these negative effects.
References
Primack, B., Shensa, A. and Sidani, J., 2017. Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S.. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, [online] 17(1), p.97. Available at: https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(17)30016-8/fulltext [Accessed 31 July 2020].
Fifield, A., 2016. In South Korea, A Rehab Camp For Internet-Addicted Teenagers – The Washington Post. [online] Washington Post.com. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/in-south-korea-a-rehab-camp-for-internet-addicted-teenagers/2016/01/24/9c143ab4-b965-11e5-85cd-5ad59bc19432_story.html [Accessed 31 July 2020].
Seabrook, E., Kern, M. and Rickard, N., 2016. Social Networking Sites, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review. JMIR Mental Health, [online] 3(4). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5143470/ [Accessed 31 July 2020].
Digital Citizenship 