Mindful Media is all about reintegrating mental health into our modern lifestyle, and we’ve got some tips to help discover how context is everything in mental health. Social media is synonymous with overreaching advertising. From a business perspective, it’s an extremely efficient marketing tool. But from the mental health standpoint, social media has morphed into a behemoth of toxic addiction that causes depression and anxiety. So where is the middle ground in all of this?
In 2022, there were over 4.59 billion (that’s billion with a B) social media users worldwide, yet 33% of adults reported experiencing loneliness. Studies expect there to be 4.89 billion (yes, billion with a B) social media users worldwide in 2023, which is about a 6.5% increase from last year. Social media is not a human connection; it’s a tool to get eyeballs. And the goal of big companies pulling the strings is for those nearly five billion sets of eyeballs to stay glued to screens and focused on spending resources (money, time, energy) on specifically targeted merchandise, goods, and services.
Spending on social media advertising surpassed $226 billion (again, that’s billion with a B) in 2022. In a recent survey, 59% of Americans reported being influenced by social media to make a purchase, and a daunting 45% reported having gone into debt to purchase something they saw on social media. It appears the schemes are working, but to the detriment of people.
Even some of the mental health ecosystem has succumbed to the prospect of financial gain in social media apps. Recent headlines have exposed therapy apps like Cerebral, Headway, BetterHelp, and Talkspace for various breaches in legal regulations and compliance standards. The use of data from some of these tech startups has been collected and sold to social media platforms and marketing conglomerates, leading to targeted ads directed towards the app users.
We call on mental health ecosystem leaders to step up and ensure privacy and safety are paramount when using apps. And they shouldn’t stop there; we must be more mindful of these apps’ effects. Otherwise, the outcome is dire: social media will continue to dominate our minds and resources, spreading misinformation and disinformation, and targeting people to go into debt.
Social media use is consistently linked to declines in mental health. While the online therapy “pill mills” are still running targeted ads on social media, many mental health professionals are creating content online as well. Just a brief scroll through trending hashtags on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter will reveal many psychiatric-related terms and phrases. But are they being used appropriately and in the right circumstances?
The presence of mental health care information and resources on social media carries with it a plethora of repercussions, both positive and negative. Social media does connect us, and when people share their own struggles of the mental, mental, and behavioral sort, they are able to feel less alone and more seen or understood. Even stigmas can be reduced, bringing awareness to the importance of mental health as more people are talking about it.
However, there is a ginormous issue that is bypassed by the nearly unlimited circumstances that make up the Internet: Context is everything. Mental health care and treatment in its very nature revolves around context. Mental health clinicians are trained to incorporate nearly everything about a person (their history, health, culture, socioeconomic status, etc.) into their diagnoses and treatment plans. Humans are deeply and constantly affected by everything we experience, so all of these things must be considered when seeking mental health care. A random thread on Twitter is not going to provide safe health information that is relevant and applicable to you.
An educated, trained, licensed, experienced professional that knows you and the context you inhabit is a trusted source of relevant, applicable, and safe mental health information, diagnoses, and treatments. It is too easy to misdiagnose yourself (or people around you) from watching TikTok videos. The algorithms don’t help in this regard, as they will constantly inundate your FYP and feeds with more and more mental health content that you have begun to resonate with, furthering your awareness of a specific disorder and the notion that you have it.
A diagnosis from social media, WebMD, or really anywhere on the Internet should not be taken as accurate mental health information. While it does shed light on symptoms, leading them to be noticed and identified, medical professionals reserve the role of diagnosing people and helping them find the best care plan for the individual. TikTok is not your therapist! If you resonate with something you see, read, or hear online, reach out to your healthcare team for help.
The biggest tip to combat the negative effects of social media is by limiting its use. The average person spent 147 minutes on social media per day in 2022, which is the highest it’s ever been. But breaks from social media have been proven to improve well-being and decrease depression and anxiety. Incorporating consistent time away from screens boosts our mental health.
No matter how you use social media, remember what is so enticing about the concept in the first place: connection. The digital, scripted, polished versions of interactions and relationships found on apps cannot provide what real, face-to-face communication can offer. It can serve a purpose and be part of the bigger picture, but as you integrate mental health more into your life, mindful media is a make-or-break piece of the puzzle.
We hate social media. So follow us. ???? We are invested in integrating mental health into all aspects of life, including on social media. We call it Mindful Media, and there must be more of it thrown into the mix of all the rest. The world will continue to utilize social media, so the time to push for healthier habits and uplifting edutainment is now. #MindfulMedia
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