Social Media Anxiety

By: Allie Edmonds

Most of us are aware that social media can detrimentally influence our mental health. The time we spend mindlessly scrolling can be harmful to our emotional well-being and the need to share every experience with online ‘friends’ is overwhelming. As platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat continue to consume our lives and our attention spans, many of us struggle to appreciate a special memory until it has been captured and posted for hundreds of people to see. But social media is inescapable, and the advice that we should just delete these platforms entirely is simply unrealistic for most people today. Instead, managing social media anxiety involves evaluating the relationship that we have with our phones. 

When we mindlessly scroll through apps such as TikTok or Instagram, we absorb a constant stream of other people’s highlights. This detrimental habit can leave us feeling unsatisfied with ourselves, which sparks anxious feelings about our worth. And we still struggle to escape this cycle. We are glued to our phones, habitually checking social media first thing in the morning and the last thing before bed. According to a report published in the American Psychology Association journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture, excessive Instagram use by women between the ages of 18 and 35 can cause “depressive symptoms, self-esteem issues, general and physical anxiety, and body dissatisfaction.” But this information can’t seem to stop us from our nightly scroll. 

In 2019, a report published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking analyzed the link between active and passive social media use and symptoms of anxiety and depressed mood. The study revealed that “mindlessly scrolling has been shown to lower our mood as we get trapped in a cycle of ‘compare and despair.” While the urge to compulsively check and refresh our social media feeds might result in instant gratification and dopamine production, unintentional social media use can result in feeling exactly the opposite. 

We crave the instant validation that we experience when a post performs ‘well.’ This is why many of us often spend an entire concert capturing the perfect video of the performer for our Snapchat stories, or an entire meal curating an aesthetic post for our Instagram feed. If a post fails to attract attention, on the other hand, we are more likely to feel like we are failing, and comparing ourselves to our more ‘successful’ peers only compounds this reaction and its impact on our self-esteem. 

Social comparison significantly contributes to social media anxiety. But this doesn’t mean we must delete every app to salvage our mental health. Striving to use social media actively, rather than passively, can exponentially improve our experience on these platforms. Intentionally using social media–to connect with friends, share our own content, or find inspiration–can drastically improve our relationship with these apps. So, before opening Instagram, simply ask yourself why. Is there a photo you want to share? A friend you want to message? Or are you just looking for that instant gratification that, for the most part, isn’t gratifying at all?

Social media shouldn’t have to control our lives or influence our self-esteem. In fact, changing our social media habits can transform our relationships with often toxic platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. Using social media as a tool for inspiration and connection instead of comparison or as a mindless habit, we can reduce feelings of anxiety and self-doubt that many of us experience daily. 

Most of us are aware that social media can detrimentally influence our mental health. The time we spend mindlessly scrolling can be harmful to our emotional well-being and the need to share every experience with online ‘friends’ is overwhelming. As platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat continue to consume our lives and our attention spans, many of us struggle to appreciate a special memory until it has been captured and posted for hundreds of people to see. But social media is inescapable, and the advice that we should just delete these platforms entirely is simply unrealistic for most people today. Instead, managing social media anxiety involves evaluating the relationship that we have with our phones. 

When we mindlessly scroll through apps such as TikTok or Instagram, we absorb a constant stream of other people’s highlights. This detrimental habit can leave us feeling unsatisfied with ourselves, which sparks anxious feelings about our worth. And we still struggle to escape this cycle. We are glued to our phones, habitually checking social media first thing in the morning and the last thing before bed. According to a report published in the American Psychology Association journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture, excessive Instagram use by women between the ages of 18 and 35 can cause “depressive symptoms, self-esteem issues, general and physical anxiety, and body dissatisfaction.” But this information can’t seem to stop us from our nightly scroll. 

In 2019, a report published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking analyzed the link between active and passive social media use and symptoms of anxiety and depressed mood. The study revealed that “mindlessly scrolling has been shown to lower our mood as we get trapped in a cycle of ‘compare and despair.” While the urge to compulsively check and refresh our social media feeds might result in instant gratification and dopamine production, unintentional social media use can result in feeling exactly the opposite. 

We crave the instant validation that we experience when a post performs ‘well.’ This is why many of us often spend an entire concert capturing the perfect video of the performer for our Snapchat stories, or an entire meal curating an aesthetic post for our Instagram feed. If a post fails to attract attention, on the other hand, we are more likely to feel like we are failing, and comparing ourselves to our more ‘successful’ peers only compounds this reaction and its impact on our self-esteem. 

Social comparison significantly contributes to social media anxiety. But this doesn’t mean we must delete every app to salvage our mental health. Striving to use social media actively, rather than passively, can exponentially improve our experience on these platforms. Intentionally using social media–to connect with friends, share our own content, or find inspiration–can drastically improve our relationship with these apps. So, before opening Instagram, simply ask yourself why. Is there a photo you want to share? A friend you want to message? Or are you just looking for that instant gratification that, for the most part, isn’t gratifying at all?

Social media shouldn’t have to control our lives or influence our self-esteem. In fact, changing our social media habits can transform our relationships with often toxic platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. Using social media as a tool for inspiration and connection instead of comparison or as a mindless habit, we can reduce feelings of anxiety and self-doubt that many of us experience daily. 

Reference List:

Thorisdottir IE, Sigurvinsdottir R, Asgeirsdottir BB, Allegrante JP, Sigfusdottir ID. Active and Passive Social Media Use and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depressed Mood Among Icelandic Adolescents. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2019 Aug;22(8):535-542. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2019.0079. Epub 2019 Jul 30. PMID: 31361508.

Sherlock, M., & Wagstaff, D. L. (2019). Exploring the relationship between frequency of Instagram use, exposure to idealized images, and psychological well-being in women. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(4), 482–490.