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EFFECTS OF INTERNET 1

Positive and Negative Effects of The Internet on Psychological Health

Mackenzie Padgett

PSY 495 Psychology Capstone Seminar

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Abstract

The internet has affected people mentally ever since it was brought into the public’s eyes. It is

not always a bad thing that the internet is affecting us. The internet cannot necessarily affect

mentally healthy people long-term as much as it can people who are not as high in self-esteem or

self-confidence. Technology and the internet have both positive and negative effects, but it

depends upon the individual’s mental health as to how they interpret what they observe from

being online. Interpersonal relationships can stem from the time people spend online. Resources

are another thing people have from the internet, which also leads to less stress from having such

easy access to resources. Starting to look at the more negative effects of spending time on the

internet and social media, it can lead to negative social comparison, depression and anxiety,

addiction and triggers, lack of concentration, and a disruption in sleep patterns.

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Positive and Negative Effects of The Internet on Psychological Health

The internet has many benefits that can lead to someone being more mentally stable.

There are a lot of resources available online to people who are willing to look and find them.

People this day and time spend most of their spare time on the internet. We use the internet for

school, work, and pleasure to keep us entertained. Almost everyone gets online to do one thing

or another. It is intriguing to think just what the internet can do to our psychological health.

There have been many issues that are overabundant now compared to what they used to be

before technology advanced and the internet was released to the general public. A few of these

overwhelming issues include addictions and triggers for such addictions, depression and anxiety,

social comparison, lack of concentration, and disruptive sleep patterns. Thinking about the good

for our mental health can include interpersonal relationships, social support, and resources.

To discuss some of the lighter things the internet brings to the table concerning our

psychological health, let’s start with social interaction and interpersonal relationships. The

internet has brought about many different apps and resources for people to be brought closer

together and has allowed for more social connections (Diomidous, et al., 2016). Humans are

meant to be connected and unified. We are not meant to stay alone and ignore others around us.

People all need to have support from the individuals around them. When we are surrounded by

others who do not support us, we may not feel very comfortable or feel like we are accepted.

This is one example of why we need social support from our families and friends. Sometimes

friends move away, and family are not as close as we would prefer them to be. When this is the

case, the internet can enhance those relationships that seem so far away. It is amazing to consider

that you can talk to someone who is miles and miles away and not have to be face-to-face. Now

that we have video calls, it makes it that our support system who is far away can still be here and
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experience life with you. If someone is having a bad day, but their favorite person is not within

driving distance, it really is not that big of a deal nowadays because they can call or FaceTime

and feel like they are with their best friend. In the past people needed to have someone nearby

that they could depend on for social support, but thanks to technology and the internet, our

support can come from across the ocean.

Social media is also a way that our interpersonal relationships can be extended. Yes, our

family and friends are great social support, but what if someone is a loner and does not relate

much to the people around them. This is where social media is a lifesaver. You can find anything

on the internet. If an individual is really into old cars, but they do not know of anyone around

them that is, it is quite easy to find others online that shares the same passion. People who are

odd or even simply shy, have a whole new world in front of them thanks to social media and the

internet. Interpersonal relationships are great to keep one’s self-esteem and self-confidence high.

Without social support and relationships, it can be extremely difficult to get out of a rut when the

bad days come. But someone who has the connections and friends online, even if they do not

have them face-to-face, they will help keep the individual positive and remind them of happier

times. Motivation can come from others on social media and other platforms online.

There are many different types of resources online that some people would not be able to

reach without the ease of the internet. People have access to education online, in the past this

would never have been thought possible. Students can search for and find entire schools online,

or even just information about a topic for class. Online resources have helped students to not

have to stay so late at school. It has made research much easier where students do not have as

much stress on them because they cannot find information in the library. The internet has

allowed for the opportunity of schools online. People who struggle with social interactions have
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greatly benefitted from this option. For parents who want to go back to school and have a

newborn they must stay with, it is amazing that they can now start, earn, or finish their degrees

online without ever having to find a daycare for their child. It allows for a much more stress-free

environment when it comes to education online. Due to the large quantity resources the internet

provides it helps students and individuals have a more open- mind and clear-head. In the past

when a parent wanted to go back to college, it was not as easy as it is now. They would have to

find a babysitter, or daycare, figure out who could work with their schedule, and possibly try to

find a job that would allow them to go to school and work. They also had to figure out when they

would do homework and if they had to go to the library to do research, that would be something

else they would have to consider.

Resources also provide a sense of connectedness. This sticks out specifically when the

power goes out or there is a hurricane, this is especially true. Many people nowadays do not

watch the news due to smart-phones and easy access to the internet through tablets, laptops, and

other devices. News channels probably have more views through their online platforms than they

do through television. News updates come across the internet so fast and so efficiently that it

helps to keep us all linked together. This is how humans stay mentally healthy. We need to have

feelings of belonging and involvement.

To look at the more negative aspects of how the internet affects our psychological health,

let’s begin with social comparison. Social comparison can be helpful, for example that is how

people make friends online by seeing what makes them alike. But social comparison usually

tears people down. By comparing ourselves to others through the internet it can lead to self-

doubt (Mental health.). Doubting yourself is an awful cycle to begin. Once the cycle of self-

doubt begins it can be hard to start feeling bad for yourself. There may be something that makes
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you extremely proud of yourself, but social comparison can ruin your talent. If you are great at

drawing and you then compare yourself to one of the top artists online, it may not have positive

effects on your psychological health. One of two things will happen, either you will compare

your drawing skills to the best of the best and strive to be more like that artist, or you will begin

to think all your hard work is pointless because they can draw so much better than you. Most

likely what will happen is that you will start to doubt yourself. It will be interesting because if

drawing is what you believe is your best skill, if you are doubting that you will begin to doubt

yourself in other areas. Once someone doubts their best work, all of their average and below

average begins to be self-questioned.

FaceTune and Photoshop are another negative trait the internet offers for our

psychological health. For photographers who edit photos and want their clients happy and

excited for the finished product, editing apps are wonderful. But for the average person to use

FaceTune and Photoshop every time they post a picture to social media, it is extreme. Not only

does it hurt the individual’s body image who is editing but, it is affecting everyone that sees their

photos. Young people who are struggling with accepting their body is going to make it worse by

looking at and focusing on the perfect Instagram post. Social comparison is harder when editing

apps are used so frequently. It is easy to look at someone online and think wow they are perfect.

Our brain automatically compares others to ourselves. Viewing so many edited and fake pictures

are harming our self-esteem and self-confidence (Study, 2016). Mentally we are drowning when

we compare ourselves to images that are not real. We often forget that some people edit every

picture they post and that what we see online is not what we will see in person.

Distorted body image is a result from social comparison and all of the edited images we

see every time we get online (Children). It easily occurs when we continuously see people who
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appear perfect on social media and other platforms. Depending on the intensity of social media

use, body distortion can lead to problems as substantial as eating disorders and self-harming

(Mental health). People do not realize how much of an impact perfecting the photos they post on

the internet can have. It is difficult for a young female who is already low in self-confidence to

see images online of this tiny, but curvy, tall, but not too tall, perfect girl, and not begin to feel

bad for herself. And the same goes for males looking at what they would consider perfect guys

and not start to pick out their own imperfections. It is challenging for people to see models and

gorgeous people and still keep positive self-talk to encourage higher levels of self-esteem.

For individuals who are not positive within themselves, they may be bullies or allow

themselves to make racists remarks while online. Cyber bullying and cyber racism are two areas

that can negatively affect one’s mental health (Diomidous, et al., 2016; Children). People feel

more comfortable sitting behind a screen and making harsh comments on social media or online

forums than they would if they were face-to-face with someone. Some online racists and bullies

would never be racists or a bully in real life. They feel that it is acceptable to be rude and

obnoxious to others because it is only something they are typing online. This is the most

ridiculous way of thinking! People should never have this attitude because of how much of a

long-term affect it can have on other’s psychological health. Children and young people

specifically take what they read online and make it personal even if the post has nothing to do

with them directly. But when one makes a remark or post and calls someone out, it can ruin

someone’s self-esteem and self-confidence. It is hard for people to forget negative statements

that have been directed towards them. People can easily forget all the positive comments that

they have received in a day, it only takes one harsh or rude remark to have a bad day. When

bullies and racists hop online and make comments, the victims can read those posts over and
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over again. It is an awful cycle that continues. The targets of cyber bullying and racism are most

likely individuals who deal with such ordeals in person, and then for them to go home and have

to deal with it online makes life that much more difficult. The consisted attacks they receive can

lead to self-doubt, lower self-esteem and self-confidence, may lead to body distortion and eating

disorders, depression, and anxiety.

As mentioned above, the internet can lead to depression and anxiety. Suicide is a drastic

affect that stem from depression and anxiety. Since the internet has been available to society, it

has been noted by researchers that suicide rates have been on the rise (Diomidous, et al., 2016).

There is one specific core from which anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts come from,

which is self-doubt. Self-doubt again comes from social comparison and observing the fake

photos that are posted online (Mental health). Something as simple as editing a photo can lead

someone to suicidal thoughts. That is an extremely deep observation. People take in what they

see online, and essentially it is killing them mentally and sometimes physically. Suicide has been

around for many, many years but why is it so high now? The internet allows for easier access to

everything. Everything means all the good, but still all of the bad. Depression is a nasty cycle

that once it begins, it is so difficult to climb out of. Anxiety falls hand in hand with depression.

Anxiety can be about one’s weight, hair, height, freckles, face shape, or material objects

compared to others online. Social comparison is what everything falls back on. Once you start to

feel sorry for yourself, you will begin to dig yourself deeper to more negative thoughts from

what you are looking at on the internet. A decrease in positive mood has been showed to result

from higher internet use (). The more negative thoughts that one has the more likely they are to

become depressed which leads to a higher chance of suicide. People should not be worried about
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what others have to say about them. We should keep in mind that none of us are perfect, nor will

we ever be.

Addiction is another huge negative effect the internet brings to the table (Diomidous, et

al., 2016). Addictions can be focused on anything that draws an individual in and keeps them

coming back to an extent that it is unhealthy. A lot of society is addicted to social media, Netflix,

movies, porn, gaming, and/or electronic gambling. Families cannot go to a nice restaurant

nowadays and eat together without at least one family member being on their phone, if not the

entire table. It is kind of ridiculous that people would rather sit on the phone and ignore their

family, especially since some families are not able to be together that often due conflicts in work

schedules and lifestyles. People have a hard time getting off of social media and not refreshing

their feed. People want that constant feeling of connection and this can lead to the addiction of

craving to know what others are doing every day.

Electronic gambling is something that the internet has made more readily available

(Diomidous, et al., 2016). Much of society has gotten caught up in cyber gambling and becoming

addicted to it. Gambling is something that individuals have dealt with ever since the game

existed. The option to gamble online has made it universally more obtainable. Due to the fact

that anyone can access the internet and funds are able to be transferred electronically, it has led

to more addictions. People who gamble online are able to do so in the privacy of their own home

without the public having knowledge of their issue. Individuals typically do not want others to

know about their addictions. This is why online gambling is so popular and can be become so

addicting for some.

For individuals with eating disorders, or who self-harm, or have had any issues in the

past, the internet can be a trigger for these issues (Children). When self-doubt sets in, it can
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trigger anyone who has struggled to accept themselves or is having difficulty doing so, to go

back to their eating disorders or self-harming. People who are jealous of the nice things people

have or upset with their lives may be more likely to self-harm. It is terrible to think that

something someone sees online can affect them so tremendously. If someone posts a photo

online that has been highly edited, it can lead someone to want to look like that altered picture.

The image is not realistic, when someone strives for something that is intense, it can lead to them

generating an eating disorder. People who alter their photos to make them look smaller, and tiny,

can trigger another person to feel that they have to starve themselves so that they look perfect

too. This can affect someone’s mental health to the point that being on social media or other

platforms may prompt their depression and anxiety to flare up which could lead them to self-

harm.

Another negative trait from how the internet affects our mental health, is with the lack of

concentration it has produced. Dependency on the internet has grown greater over the years.

Being over-reliant towards online resources and social media is affecting us greatly (Study,

2016). It is difficult for students to get their work done, without procrastinating online.

Something as simple as writing a one-page paper takes so long nowadays due to the internet

being so easily disruptive. The procrastination transpiring from the internet can lead to stress and

anxiety when the due date is getting closer for assignments and work-related tasks. This is why

lack of concentration is ruining our mental health.

Students also have a hard time focusing in class, as well as employees do at work. Thanks

to smart-phones, laptops, and tablets it is easy to take the internet with us just about anywhere.

Most students and employees take at least one of these devices to work and school with them.

Social media has taken such a toll on people that it is addicting. Students have difficulty staying
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focused in class due to how easy it is to check their device and see what their friends have posted

or what their favorite celebrity is sharing online. Teachers have a much tougher time these days

keeping student’s attention because of how distracting resources online are. Students do not reap

any benefits from not paying attention in class. The students who are easily distracted in the

classroom, will suffer from more stress and anxiety when test time comes around. The internet is

so distracting that it is constantly leading to more anxiety and stress, worsening our

psychological health.

Individuals also have a difficult time coping without access to the internet (Study, 2016).

For instance, when the power goes out or the Wi-Fi shuts down, people begin to go into panic

mode. We do not know what to do without the internet or availability to the resources online that

we are used to. If professors told students they could not use any online resources for their papers

or assignments, most students would completely freak out, I know I would. The internet makes

life easier, but we are overly reliant on it. This is not a good thing whatsoever. People should be

able to function without having online resources, at least to the extent to survive without it. In

social settings, most people never put their phone away. Too much dependence on anything is a

bad thing. Children who depend too much on their parents struggle to do things alone. These

children will have a much harder time when they move out, or if something happens to their

parents, to complete simple tasks. The same is true for being over reliant to the internet. Humans

should be able to function without dependency on something that is apt to change, such as social

media or other online resources.

Sleep deprivation is the final negative effect of internet use to discuss. Young people are

especially having a hard time balancing their sleep and daily life. Online gaming and social

media are two main platforms that are affecting how well we sleep at night (Children). Students
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who stay up later will have a harder time waking up in the morning for school. Anyone who

stays up too late will be tired, irritated, and stressed the following day. “Greater social media use

is associated with poorer sleep, with a significant link found between playing video games in the

evening and sleep deprivation” (Children). Individuals who enjoy video games typically play

them during their free time, which for most people is at night when they are not at work or

school. Online gaming is addicting which is why when individuals start playing it may be

extremely difficult to put down the controls and go to bed. Even for the ones who are capable of

shutting off the game, by playing videogames late at night it can affect their sleep. Social media

use has also been found to affect our sleep habits (Children). Lack of sleep really hurts our

mental health, due to the amount of stress it can cause.

The positive effects of the internet seem to be slacking in comparison to how much

negativity online resources cause our psychological health. Social interactions are helpful to keep

us connected and feeling motivated. Along with these social relations comes social comparison,

which really hurts everyone’s mental health. The internet is a great place for resources but does

the positive assets outweigh the negative. The information I learned from this paper really

opened my eyes to how much the internet has control over our psychological health. Most of us

get online every day, are we so reliant on social media and other areas of the internet that we

overlook the anxiety it causes. Before I wrote this paper, I knew how much social media was

influencing my mental health. I did not realize how much anxiety, depression, negative thoughts,

social comparison, addictions, self-doubt, and distorted body image comes out of online

resources. The internet could be ruining us, but how would we function without it? The internet

is something we have brought into the world, and we need to figure out how to not let it creep

into our psychological health so negatively.

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References

Children & young people’s mental health in the digital age. (n.d.). Shaping the Future. [PDF

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Diomidous, M., Chardalias, K., Magita, A., Koutonias,P., Panagiotopoulou, P., & Mantas, J.

(2016). Social and psychological effects of the internet use. Acta Inform Med, 24(1), 66–

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