Lauren Brown

Professor Campbell

UWRT 1104

4 December 2018 2018

Like Over Life: How Social Media Affects Mental Health

From Friday night lights to opening a college acceptance letter, these are the things that

teenage students look forward towards in the four short years that they spend in high school.

Unfortunately, not all students get to endure these precious memories. Sadie Riggs was a victim

of a silent but deadly killer: social media. The 15-year-old hung herself after being bullied in the

halls of her school and on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. (Chuck,

2017) Riggs’s Aunt and caregiver Sarah Smith, states that she went to the police, the school, and

even contacted Instagram headquarters, however no one did anything to help her niece. (Chuck,

2017) Why do we as a society give victim’s the attention they deserve after they have taken their

life? Is it because we do not know how to handle situations as such, or do we simply disregard

mental health as a legitimate issue?

Failing to Protect Our Children Formatted: Font color: Text 1

The movie Cycbu//y, starting Emily Osment, is the perfect example to show young social Formatted: Font color: Purple
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media users how the effects of cyberbullying and suicide impacts an individual. In middle Formatted: Font color: Text 1

school, we were allowed to watch the movie in health class. To begin with, I found it to be too

realistic and inappropriate for kids our age. However, now that I know the magnitude of online

harassment, it should be highly suggested for teenagers to watch the film. Cyberbullying today

has the ability to reach a wider audience at all times throughout the day. According to Children’s

Society, young individuals who are currently experiencing a mental health problems are three
times more likely to have been bullied online in the last year. The society has three approaches

** The problem with major social media companies is that they neglect to enforce the age

minimum rule for having a social media account. Platforms such as Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube,

and Instagram specify that users must be 13 years old to have an account. However, The

Children’s Society found that 61% of young people had their first account at the age of 12 or

under. (The Children’s Society and YoungMinds, 2018 ) Many children reported having Formatted: Font color: Text 1

numerous profiles online, including multiple on the same social media platforms. (The

Children’s Society and YoungMinds, 2018 ) Due to this, social media companies need to make a Formatted: Font color: Text 1

greater effort to identify children under 13 years old and gain appropriate consent. It was also

found that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the impact of cyberbullying, given the rapid

neurological development that takes place during this time. Unfortunately, the consequences of

cyberbullying can have a lasting impact through adulthood. (The Children’s Society and

YoungMinds, 2018 ) So how are the big companies responding to the cyberbullying epidemic? Formatted: Font color: Text 1

The answer is simple… they are not. As for now, social media companies do not consistently

record and report on the nature, volume and outcomes of complaints made within their systems.

(The Children’s Society and YoungMinds, 2018 ) The Children’s Society states that this makes Formatted: Font color: Text 1

for it almost impossible for the major social media companies to accurately assess the scale of

issues such as cyberbullying. (The Children’s Society and YoungMinds, 2018 ) case Inin Formatted: Font color: Text 1
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addition, 83% of young individuals are calling for social media applications to tackle

cyberbullying on their platforms. The key points that young users raised included unclear

reporting processes and delayed responses, unclear communication about rights and

responsibilities – including community guidelines, and safety features within the platforms, and

finally, lack of support when people report online bullying. (The Children’s Society and
YoungMinds, 2018 ) In Sadie Riggs’s case, her Aunt Sarah Smith contact Instagram Formatted: Font color: Text 1

headquarters to report her nieces’ harassment on their platform. Unfortunately, their lack in

response time left a young girl lifeless. How many lives have to end shortly and tragically for

social media companies to step up their safety?

Society Progress with Mental Health Formatted: Font color: Blue

For so long, mental health was discarded as a topic not to be discussed. In today’s times,

more people are becoming aware of their own personal health and of other’s around them. Where

we lack in progressing the mental health movement is disbarring the myths. For instance, 24

percent of individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 believe that a person with a mental illness is

dangerous. Less than half believe that someone with a mental illness can be successful at a job,

and only 27 percent believe that a person with mental illness can recover. (“Mental Health”,

2008) According to the federal government website youth.gov, mental health is defined as “a

state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling

relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity.”

Suicide in the third leading cause of death for youth between ages 10 and 24 and according to

youth.gov, 13.8 percent of these teens reported that they had seriously considered attempting

suicide, while 10.9 percent had made a plan for how they would attempt suicide. (“Mental

Health”, 2008) One of the most important ways to prevent another young life from ending is to

know the warning signs. Youth.gov provides an excellent list of signs and behaviors that

everyone should be aware of. These include poor grades in school, severe anxiety, frequent

physical complaints, sever mood swings, depression, and many more. What a Difference a

Friend Makes is an anti-discrimination campaign that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration has launched. They promote that recovering from a mental illness is
more likely in a society that is accepting and that provides education on mental illness. (“Mental

Health”, 2008) School-based mental health is becoming more prominent in the lives of students.

Youth.gov explains how the Now is the Time plan trains school teachers in early detection and

response to mental illness. The benefits on this program have shown to improve schoolwide

discipline rates, increase the graduation rates, and help create a positive school environment. The

National Alliance on Mental Health list critical ways to end the mental health stigma. These

include talk openly about mental health, educate yourself and other, encourage equality between

physical and mental illness, and choose empowerment over shame.

To Have or Not to Have

Dr. Victor Schwartz who is a chief medical officer at the JED Foundation states that our

smartphones are a means of suicide promotion instead of suicide prevention. (Chuck, 2017)

There is a world full of knowledge awaiting at the tips of a young child’s fingertips and having

access to all kinds of information is deadly. This idea raises questions about whether it is

favorable for young teenagers to have smartphones. Dr. Delaney Ruston, a primary care

physician, explored the use of smartphones and her research concluded that holding out on

giving a child a smartphone is not always the best answer. (Chuck, 2017) Ruston explains that

during middle school ages, phones are the dominant source of interaction, and a kid can feel very

isolated by not being a part of that online world. (Chuck, 2017) Growing up, I did not have a

cellphone until seventh grade. I often felt left out of inside jokes, and friend groups due to the

fact that no one could communicate with me outside of the school walls. My parents felt that

having a cellphone during middle school was “too young” because it would lead to exposure to

inappropriate things. Although I understand that my parents were trying to protect me, I feel that

I missed out on interacting with certain friend groups because of the lack of communication. Dr.
Schwartz reflects that there are ways to limit the effects of negative cellphone usage without

impairing a child’s social wellbeing. For instance, setting a digital curfew and putting power cord

in a separate room so that teens do not have the option of staying up online all night. Bark, an

online application, uses artificial intelligence to monitor digital communications and flag parents

of any possible dangers. (Chuck, 2017)

How Social Media is Associated with Psychiatric Disorders.

Watching my friends struggle with their self-esteem and depression throughout high

school was difficulta struggle. The key issue was experiencing them comparing themselves to

other girls in our class and question why their peer’s life appeared better than theirs. I began to

wonder why individuals seek out others and compare their lives side by side and what could be

gain by obsessing other others?

According to Igor Pantic, researchers have found a link between being an active user of Formatted: Font color: Blue
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social media and psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. In one

of the first research studies, it was concluded that the increased time spent online has a direct

correlation to the decline in communication with family members and social circle which lead to

increased feelings of depression and loneliness. (Pantic, 2014) Pantic tells that one of the main

reasons time spent on social networking sites is associated with depressive symptoms is that it

often leads to wrong impressions of other site users. For instance, a research study conducted on

425 undergraduate students stated that they felt other users on Facebook appeared happier.

(Pantic, 2014) The results of this behavior showed that individuals who suffered with low self-

esteem tend to be more active online and had more self-promoting content on their profile pages.

(Pantic, 2014)
 We often associate addiction with drugs, alcohol, and smoking. However, does society Formatted: Font color: Blue

consider social networking as a form of addiction? One of the main symptoms of addiction is

neglect. We often associate this with choosing drugs over a family member or buying beer

instead of dinner for a family. The same concept is found in individuals who are addicted to their

social media platforms. As reported by Pantic, those who have a mental preoccupation of social

networking sites, result in neglecting family and offline friends. It may not seem as simple as it

sounds, but there are steps implemented to wean overused individuals off of social media.

Phantom vibration is the phenomenon where you think your phone is vibrating but it is Formatted: Font color: Purple

not. (Hu, 2013) As someone who frequently checks their social media accounts, I can attest to Formatted: Font color: Text 1
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this phenomenon. Larry Rosen, a research psychologist states that people who are constantly

picking up their phone do not look much different from someone who is constantly washing their

hands. (Hu, 2013) 9 out 10 participants in a study of college students said that they felt phantom Formatted: Font color: Text 1

vibrations on a weekly or monthly basis. While Rosen is pro-technology, he recommends

weaning ourselves off of our technology for short periods of time to keep anxiety levels to a Formatted: Font color: Text 1
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minimum. (Hu, 2013)

Viatcheslav Wlassoff, who is an extensive publisher in the medical science, provides Formatted: Font color: Purple

insight to a study conducted on subjects known to be addicted to social media and the results

were astonishing. The study identified changes that display impulsive behavior. An MRI Formatted: Font color: Text 1
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confirms that there is a bilateral decrease in grey matter in the amygdala without any changes in

the nucleus accumbens. (Wlassoff, 2017) The study revealed both similarities and differences Formatted: Font color: Text 1

between the structural changes in the brain associated with social media addiction and in

addiction related to substance abuse or gambling. (Wlassoff, 2017) Formatted: Font color: Text 1
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 According to Rob Marvin from the PC Magazine, the first step is to change the

notification setting to off. Seeing the notifications on a certain social media app are visual cues to

check on them. Without the visual cues, there is no reason to open an application. The Center for

Humane Technology gives input into using the grayscale instead of the traditional color scheme.

(Marvin, 2018) It is stated that the colorful icons reward our brains every time the phone is

unlock. Converting to the grayscale teaches the brain to check for notifications less often.

(Marvin, 2018)

Viatcheslav Wlassoff, who is an extensive publisher in the medical science, provides Formatted: Font color: Text 1

insight to a study conducted on subjects known to be addicted to social media and the results

were astonishing. The study identified changes that chararized impulsive behavior. An MRI

confirms that there is a bilateral decrease in grey matter in the amygdala without any changes in

the nucleus accumbens. ( ) The study revealed both similarities and differences between the

structural changes in the brain associated with social media addiction and in addicition related to

substance abuse or gambling.

Can Social Media Be Used as a Positive Outlet?

Time and time again, we have been presented with evidence for why social media is

negatively impacting the lives of teenagers and how it can be stopped. As stated in the article by

Taylor Bennett in Thrive Works, social media can have positive effects on mental health.

Bennett argues that social media allows individuals to stay connected with distant friends and

family, and it can be used to promote positive ideas. Robyn Treyvaud, an expert in online safety

and digital citizenship speaks on the influence social media has on the wellbeing on teenagers.

She states that 68 percent of teenagers claim that social media provides them with support during

difficult times and 46 percent of teenage girls agree that social media empowers them to speak
out. Treyvaud also writes about how social media offers educational benefits and exposure to

diversity. For instance, she claims that teenagers use social media platforms to complete

assignments and it provides students with a place to share ideas, work on task, and upload

completed work to received feedback. (Treyvaud, 2017) Importantly, YouTube help teenagers

to develop various skills. These skills include cooking, fixing household items, or learning how

to speak other languages. YouTube also acts as an outlet for teenagers to become inform of

certain contemporary issues. (Treyvaud, 2017) Treyvaud voices that social media allows and

encourages teens to connect with other teenagers that differ in culture, language, and ethnic.

Taking a Look at Our Cultural Differences

Perhaps if we examine other countries and how they handle mental health, we could

better ourselves as a society. Looking at Chile’s health reform policy, it includes a National

Depression Treatment Program. This program allows for psychologist and practitioners to work

together to provide therapy and interventions. (Wainberg 2017) Luxembourg teaches teens to

discover their own strengths which effectively creates happier and more productive citizens.

(Rodriguez-Cayro, 2018) Germany seeks to work with the community. They provide mentally ill

individuals with financial support, access to healthcare services, and help find work. (Rodriguez-

Cayro, 2018) Finally, Norway provides psychiatric casualty clinics. These clinics are emergency

rooms for people with mental health issues so that they can seek immediate help. (Rodriguez-

Cayro, 2018)

As citizens of the United States of America, we should not be afraid to talk about mental

health. Our lack of progress has left individuals in a vulnerable place and childless parents. It is
time to break the stigma that mental illness is not real and reach out to those who are suffering.

More importantly, as a country we should reflect on how our obsessive usage of social media is

overtaking our lives and what we can do to break the cycle.

Work Cited

Bennett, Taylor. “Contrary to Popular Belief, Social Media Can Have Positive Effects on Our

Mental Health”. ThriveWorks, 13 December 2017, https://thriveworks.com/blog/social-

media-positive-effects-mental-health/. Accessed 5 November 2018.

Chuck, Elizabeth. “Is Social Media Contributing to Rising Teen Suicide Rate?” NBCUniversal

News Group, 22 Oct. 2017, 6:01 am , www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/social-media-

contributing-rising-teen-suicide-rate-n812426. Accessed 23 Oct. 2018

Greenstein, Lauren. “9 Ways to Fight Mental Health Stigma”. National Alliance on Mental

Health, 11 October 2017, https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/October-2017/9-

Ways-to-Fight-Mental-Health-Stigma. Accessed 8 November 2018.

Hu, Elise. “Phantom Phone Vibrations: So Common They've Changed Our Brains?” NPR, NPR, Formatted: Line spacing: Double

27 Sept. 2013, www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2013/09/30/226820044/phantom-phone-

vibrations-so-common-they-ve-changed-our-brains. Accessed: 4 December 2018

Marvin, Rob. “How to Wean Yourself Off Smartphones and Social Media.” PCMAG, 25 Sept.

2018, www.pcmag.com/feature/360420/how-to-wean-yourself-off-smartphones-and-

social-media/8. Accessed 5 November 2018.

“Mental Health.” Youth Topics | Youth.gov, Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, 7

Feb. 2008, youth.gov/youth-topics. Accessed 23 Oct. 2018

Pantic, Igor. “Online Social Networking and Mental Health.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior and

Social Networking, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 1 Oct. 2014,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4183915/. Accessed. 23 Oct. 2018.

Rodriguez-Cayro, Kyli. “This Is How 9 Countries Worldwide Treat Mental Health

Issues.” Bustle, 24 Aug. 2018, www.bustle.com/p/what-does-mental-health-care-look-

like-abroad-this-is-how-9-countries-treat-mental-illness-2885010. Accessed 5 November

2018.

The Children’s Society and YoungMinds “Safety Net: Cyberbullying’s impact on young

people’s mental health.” The Children’s Society, February 2018,

https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/resources-and-publications/safety-net-

the-impact-of-cyberbullying-on-children-and-young. Accessed 4 December 2018

Treyvaud, Robin. “The Positive Effects of Social Media on Teenagers.” Family Insights, 23

November 2017, https://familyinsights.net/advice/positive-effects-of-social-media-on-

teenagers/. Accessed 8 November 2018.

Wainberg, Milton L., et al. “Challenges and Opportunities in Global Mental Health: a Research-

to-Practice Perspective.” Current Psychiatry Reports, U.S. National Library of Medicine,

May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5553319/. Accessed 5 November

2018.

Wlassoff, Viatcheslav. “Social Media Anxiety Disorders: What's Going on in the Brain?” Brain Formatted: Line spacing: Double

Blogger Do Fluorescent Lights Give You Headaches Youre Not Alone Comments, 27 Dec. 2017,

brainblogger.com/2017/12/27/social-media-anxiety-disorders-whats-going-on-in-the-brain/.

Accessed 4 December 2018