The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media: Supporting Your Mental Wellbeing

For many young people, social media is one of the first things they check in the morning and one of the last things they see before going to sleep. It can be a place to connect, laugh, learn, and express yourself, but it can also shape how you see yourself and others. Because social media plays such a big role in everyday life, it is worth understanding how it can affect our mental wellbeing, positively and negatively.

What is social media?

Social media is a digital platform that allows users to communicate, and share content online. It is accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds at the click of a button, and has become an essential part of everyday life, especially for young people.

While social media can help people stay connected, access support and maintain relationships, it may also present some challenges for a person’s mental wellbeing. 

Hence, understanding both the benefits and the risks of social media can help individuals develop positive and healthier online habits.

How can social media affect mental health positively? 

When social media is utilised in a healthy manner, it can act as a cushion for one’s mental health by reducing loneliness, providing a space for self expression, and expanding access to insightful information. At its core, the platform serves as a bridge that allows individuals to maintain instant contact with friends, family and the wider community. 

For example, research suggests that social media may support positive mental health when it is used in meaningful and engaging ways. It may support positive mental health in these following areas: 

1. Positive Relationships 

Engaging in social media allows for individuals to build positive relationships. It can provide individuals emotional support and can assist them in building diverse communities where a sense of belonging is fostered. For teenagers, this could mean connecting with others who share similar interests, such as music, gaming, sports, art, books, school activities or online fandoms. These communities can give them a sense of belonging and help them feel understood.

It also allows one to actively explore the relationship they have with themselves, giving them the ability to explore interests and identity, providing an environment to define who they are and what their values are.

2. Happiness

Curating a positive digital feed and receiving meaningful reinforcement from peers can uplift mood. This stems from positive intentional consumption, where users filter out negativity and instead engage with uplifting content which stimulates a sense of shared joy.

How can social media negatively affect mental health?

While we covered the positives of social media, it can also impact our mental health negatively. It can lead to stress, pressure to compare oneself to others, and increased sadness and isolation. 

While experiences vary between individuals, some research has linked certain patterns of social media use with poorer mental wellbeing. These are a few examples:

1. Body image dissatisfaction/concerns

Exposure to “perfect” and edited photos on social media can create unrealistic beauty standards. Seeing altered lifestyles forces users to internalise ideas that are close to impossible to achieve. This is frequently associated with body dysmorphia and eating disorders. 

2. Fear of missing out 

Feeling left out when seeing others participate in an event or activity could increase feelings of loneliness and anxiety. This heightens vulnerability where individuals feel excluded from a social network, making them perceive their own social lives as inadequate, fostering a state of unease. 

3. Social Comparison 

Even though many posts online only show one’s highlights rather than actual reality, it leads individuals to compare one’s appearance, achievements, or lifestyles to a curated version of a peer’s or influencer’s, which might lead to lower self esteem and decreased life satisfaction. 

4. Cyberbullying

These include hurtful comments, exclusion, false rumors and online harassment, that can have serious emotional distress and increase one’s fear of negative evaluation.

5. Disturbed sleeping quality and patterns

Social media use steals one’s valuable rest time due to cognitive and emotional arousal such as exciting updates or checking posts/like count, which keeps the mind stimulated and makes it harder to relax and fall asleep. Poor sleep leads to lower cognitive functioning and lower moods, perpetuating the already negative cycle.

What are the signs that social media may be affecting your mental health?

Everyone is different and there is no specific amount of time spent that translates to negative consequences. It has rather to do with the impact the time spent on social media has on your mood and other aspects of your life, along with the motivations for using it. 

Some signs that social media may be negatively affecting your wellbeing include:

• Spending more time on social media than with real world friends 
• Comparing yourself to others in an unfavourable way or feeling upset when your content receives little attention 
• Being distracted at school/work or experiencing cyberbullying  
• Feeling anxious, stressed, lonely or overwhelmed after spending time on social media 
• Changes in sleep patterns and daily life

How can I build healthy social media habits to prevent or reduce negative effects?

As we’ve covered earlier, social media has benefits and is an important part of young people’s lives, so the goal isn’t to remove it. Instead, consider some of these tools to build healthy habits.  

1. Set Boundaries

Give yourself a set amount of time to use per day, or a time of day to use social media. This can be done through screentime regulations, app timers, and phone-free routines, especially at night. 

2. Pay attention to the content

Ask yourself whether the information you’re viewing is accurate, and supported by reliable sources. It can also be helpful to think critically about what you see online about other users or influencers rather than accepting every post at face value.

3. Make time for offline connections

Schedule time with friends, family, and the wider community. Meanwhile you can also make time for hobbies, sports, creative activities, or plans that give you a sense of enjoyment and achievement outside of social media. Having a fulfilling life offline can help you feel more connected, supported, and less dependent on online validation.

Parent Tip: Keep the Conversation Open

As children navigate social media, it is important for parents to stay mindful of the content they are consuming. Instead of banning social media completely, try guiding its use through open conversations. Children may still be exposed to certain content online, but if they feel judged or restricted, they are less likely to talk about it.

Creating space for open dialogue allows parents to understand what their child is seeing, while helping them build healthier habits and think critically about unrealistic standards online.

When to seek help?

If your social media usage is causing noticeable ongoing stress, anxiety, low moods or affecting your daily functioning, you can consider talking to a trusted adult, friend, school counsellors or mental health professional. Dealing with social media and mental health on your own can be challenging, and it is okay to get support.

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Stella Lee and Aoi Oguma, Year 10 Student Interns from UWCSEA East

Stella and Aoi completed their internship week with Us Therapy. As part of their practical learning and dedication to psychoeducation, they co-authored this article to share meaningful mental health insights with our community.