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Author Name Priyanka

Title Priyanka
Paper/Submission ID 1647824
Submitted by etdjnu@mail.jnu.ac.in
Submission Date 2024-04-16 14:10:36
Total Pages 8
Document type Others

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 JAWAHARLAL NEHRU
UNIVERSITY
NEW DELHI - 110067

Centre for
5
the Study of Regional Development, SSS

RD-542: Geography of Health

TERMPAPER
Social media addiction and mental health
among Students of India

Prof. Bikramaditya K. Choudhary

CSRD, SSS, JNU NEW DELHI
 - PRIYANKA
CSRD, SSS, JNU NEW DELHI
Enrolment No. – 22/63/HG/022

Social media addiction and mental

health among Students of India
………………………………………………………………………………………………….

ABSTRACT:
Deteriorating mental health among students is a serious worldwide public
health concern. This study aims to examine the linkage between social media
addiction (SMA) and mental health of students. Have collected data from 50
students between March 20 and April 5, 2024 in different states of India. This
study suggests the need to mitigate students’ mental health risks through
reducing social media dependency while encourage students to engage in
offline activities and hobbies.

KEYWORDS: Mental Health, Social Media Addiction, Students, self-

esteem

INTRODUCTION:
People naturally want to feel connected and talk to others (Baumeister &
Leary, 1995 and Wang, 2013). With all this new technology and social media
apps (like Facebook, WeChat, and Instagram), the way we chat with each
other has totally changed (Smith & Anderson, 2018 and Stone & Wang, 2018).
These social media sites that are everywhere and the internet being so easy
to use can make people addicted. This means they use social media way too
much and can't control it, even if it hurts their daily life (Griffiths, 2000-2012).
People are using social media a lot more these days. According to We Are
Social, 2022 there are 4.62 billion people in the world who use social media,
and they spend almost 7 hours every day on it!
4
Studies have shown that being addicted to social media can make people feel
sad, lonely, and even sick, and it can hurt their relationships and how well
they do in school and other things (Echeburua & de Corral, 2010, Kuss &
Griffiths, 2011, and Marino et al. 2017, 2018). Because of this, it's very
important to understand why people get addicted to social media, what
happens because of it, and how to help people who are struggling. This study
looked at how SMA affects students' mental health. We also looked at ways to
help people overcome social media overuse and the problems it can cause.

RESEARCH QUESTION:
- What are the consequences of SMA on mental health of students
(India)?

OBJECTIVES:
2
- To investigate the patterns of social media usage among Indian
students.
12
- To examine the consequences of social media overuse on the mental
health of students.
- To explore the experiences of students regarding mental health
issues.
- To analyze how comparing oneself on social media influences the
self-esteem and mental well-being of students.
2
- To identify effective strategies for promoting healthy social media
usage among students.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
This study employed a qualitative approach to explore the link between social
media overuse and mental health among Indian students. Have collected data
from 50 students through questionnaire survey distributed in various
WhatsApp groups between March 20 and April 5, 2024 in different states of
India. The survey utilized optional questions to capture students' experiences
with social media use, mental health challenges, coping mechanisms, and
suggestions for promoting healthy online habits. Thematic analysis has
conducted on the collected data (sample size n=50) to identify recurring
patterns and gain a deeper understanding of the students' perspectives.
Charts and diagrams are used to visually represent these themes and their
interrelationships.
Note the findings cannot be generalized to the entire student population due
to the limited sample size, this qualitative approach offers valuable insights
4
into the lived experiences of Indian students regarding social media and
mental health.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Demographic Information
From the data of survey, we find that 54% females, 44% males and 2% others
12 2
students participated in survey. Females are more likely to be addicted to
social media than males. However, it is important to note that this is just a
small sample size (n=50) and may not be representative of the entire students
of India.
6
After analysing the survey data, we find that the highest percentage of
students who use social media are between the ages of 22-24 (64.7%). The
second highest percentage is the 19-21 age group (21.6%) The remaining age
groups (16-18, 25-27, 28-30) have a much lower usage rate (between 4% and
5.9%).
According to data 66% students are pursuing Post Graduation, 20% Under
Graduation, 4% Ph.d, 2% high school, 2% intermediate and 6% students are
doing other kind of study. They are from various states of India. 44% students
are from Uttar Pradesh 16% from Bihar, 12% from West Bengal, 6% from
Odisha and 12% are from other states (Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand).

Social Media
11
The survey data shows that a significant portion of students spend more than
7
5 hours a day on social media. 11.76%, 9.8%,31.37%, 17.64%, and 15.68%
students reported spending 1 hr, 2hr, 3hr, 4hr and 5hr per day respectively
on social media. Also smaller portion of students spend less time on social
media. As only 2% students spend time on social media in weekends.
WhatsApp is the most frequently used social media platform, with 80.4% of
students reporting using it most often. YouTube follows closely behind at
72.5%. Instagram (52.9%) is the third most used platform, while Facebook
(17.6%) trails behind. Snapchat (13.7%) and Twitter (11.8%) are the least
frequently used platforms according to the survey.
11
After analysis we find that over half of the students (52.9%) reported feeling
anxious or restless if they could not access social media for a prolonged
period. And maximum students (84.3%) check their social media account
several times in a day. Even they had tried to cut down their social media
9
usage but found it difficult. Two-thirds (66.7%) of students said they had tried
to cut down on their social media usage but found it difficult. Only one-third
10
(33.3%) of students said they had not tried to cut down on their social media
usage or did not find it difficult. This suggests that a significant portion of the
student population are addicted to social media.
Impact of Social Media Addiction on Mental Health

SMA is a relatively new concept, and there is no consensus on its definition

or diagnostic criteria. However, experts believe that it can be a serious
2
problem that can lead to negative consequences, such as anxiety, depression,
and loneliness.
6
Survey data shows the percentage of students who reported experiencing
certain symptoms in the past few weeks.

- Over half of the students (60.7%) said they had difficulty in

concentrating.
- An even greater percentage (66.7%) reported changes in their sleep
patterns, either sleeping too much or too little.
- More than half (51%) said they felt anxious or worried.
- Around a third of the students (31.4%) said they felt sad or
depressed, and lost interest in activities they used to enjoy.
- Close to half (45.1%) reported low energy or motivation, and 41.2%
said they felt irritable or easily angered.
- A significant portion of the students (25.5%) said they had feelings
of worthlessness or hopelessness, and nearly 6% (5.9%) reported
having thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

27.5% students diagnosed with a mental health condition while 72.5%

students did not face any kind of mental health condition (e.g., depression,
anxiety).

Social Comparison and self-esteem

3
Chart shows that social media can be a breeding ground for social
comparison. 43.3% of students reported comparing themselves to others on
social media at least “sometimes,” with nearly 20% admitting to doing so
“often”, 27.5% doing rarely and 5.9% “always”. Only 13.7% who reported
never comparing themselves to others on social media. Social comparison can
be negative for mental health, as people tend to focus on the positive aspects
3
of others’ lives, which can make their own lives seem inadequate. This can
lead to feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and depression.

The pie chart shows that over half (55%) of the students said that using social
media has no impact on their self-esteem. A smaller percentage, 22% said
that using social media makes them feel better about themselves, while 23%
said that it makes them feel worse about themselves.

Challenges and Supportive Strategies

11 1
The data shows that over half of the students (54.9%) said social media has
both positive and negative impacts on their overall well-being. A sizable
number of students (19.6%) does not have significant impact. A smaller
7
percentage of students indicated that social media has a positive (5.9%) or
negative (11.8%) impact on their overall well-being. While 7.8% students are
not sure about social media impact on their overall well-being.
3
And social media can have both positive and negative effects on mental
health:

 51% of the students said social media has both positively and
10
negatively affected their mental health. This suggests that social media
can be a complex issue, with both upsides and downsides.
 11.8% of students said social media has negatively affected their
mental health by fostering feelings of inadequacy and comparison. This
could be due to the curated feeds people tend to create, which can lead
others to believe that everyone else’s life is going better than theirs.
  11.8% of students said social media has positively affected their
mental health by connecting them with supportive communities. Social
media can help people find groups with similar interests or experiences,
which can help them feel less alone.
2
 17.6% of students said social media has not had a significant impact
on their mental health.
 While 7.8% students do not prefer to answer this question.

5
To reduce the use of social media and improve the mental health, the students
(52.9%) use setting time limits as a strategy to manage their social media use.
This is followed by unfollowing or muting negative accounts (43.1%) and
engaging in offline activities (33.3%) to reduce reliance on social media.
Interestingly, a significant portion of the students, (23.5%) don’t actively
manage their social media use.
13
When we ask about suggestions for promoting healthy social media habits
among students. The most popular suggestion, endorsed by 70.6% of
students, was to encourage students to engage in offline activities and
hobbies. This suggests that many people believe students spend too much
time on social media and would benefit from spending more time doing other
1
things. The second most popular suggestion was to educate students about
the potential negative effects of excessive social media use, with 66.7% of
students endorsing this option. This suggests that many people are concerned
3
about the potential negative impacts of social media on students. Less popular
suggestions included promoting positive online behavior and digital
citizenship (45.1%) and providing resources and support for students
9
struggling with social media addiction (47.1%). Only 11.8% of students said
they had no suggestions at this time.

So, the survey data suggests that there is a general concern about social
media use among students and that many people believe that students would
benefit from spending less time on social media and more time engaged in
offline activities.

CONCLUSION:
The ubiquitous presence of social media platforms has become an integral
part of daily life, particularly among the younger population. However,
1
concerns have arisen regarding the potential adverse effects of excessive social
media use on mental health, especially among students. The analysis of
responses revealed that a significant proportion of students spend several
8
hours daily on social media platforms, with platforms like Instagram and
WhatsApp being the most frequently used. A considerable number of
participants reported feeling anxious or restless when unable to access social
media for an extended period, indicating potential signs of addiction.
Furthermore, the study found a correlation between excessive social media
use and various mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and
difficulty concentrating. Social comparison on social media was identified as
a contributing factor to decreased self-esteem and heightened feelings of
inadequacy among students. Participants highlighted both positive and
13
negative impacts of social media on their mental health, emphasizing the need
for effective management strategies. Suggestions for promoting healthy social
media habits included digital detoxes, setting usage limits, and fostering a
supportive online community.

REFERENCES:
- Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for
interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation.
Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497-529.
- Wang, Q. (2013). The autobiographical self in time and culture. Oxford
University Press.
- Smith, A., & Anderson, M. (2018). Social media use in 2018.
- Griffiths, M. (2000). Internet addiction-time to be taken
seriously?. Addiction research, 8(5), 413-418.
- Griffiths, M. D. (2010). The role of context in online gaming excess and
addiction: Some case study evidence. International journal of mental health
and addiction, 8, 119-125.
- Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Facebook addiction: concerns, criticism, and
recommendations—a response to Andreassen and
colleagues. Psychological reports, 110(2), 518-520.
- We Are Social (2022). Digital 2022: Another year of bumper growth.
January 26. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from:
https://wearesocial.com/uk/blog/2022/01/digital-2022- another-year-
of-bumper-growth-2
- Wu, N. S., Schairer, L. C., Dellor, E., & Grella, C. (2010). Childhood trauma
and health outcomes in adults with comorbid substance abuse and mental
health disorders. Addictive behaviors, 35(1), 68-71.
- Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2011). Online social networking and
addiction—a review of the psychological literature. International journal of
environmental research and public health, 8(9), 3528-3552.
- Marino, C., Finos, L., Vieno, A., Lenzi, M., & Spada, M. M. (2017). Objective
Facebook behaviour: Differences between problematic and non-
problematic users. Computers in Human Behavior, 73, 541-546.
- Marino, C., Gini, G., Vieno, A., & Spada, M. M. (2018). A comprehensive
meta-analysis on problematic Facebook use. Computers in human
behavior, 83, 262-277.