Health & Medicine, UK (Commonwealth Union) – A recent study conducted by researchers from the University College London (UCL) has established that undergoing therapy to address problematic social media usage can be instrumental in enhancing the mental well-being of individuals grappling with depression.
The findings of this research, which has been published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, underscore the potential of interventions aimed at curbing excessive social media engagement to aid adults facing issues where such usage has started to hamper their mental health.
Problematic use of social media materializes when an individual’s preoccupation with these platforms begins to divert their attention from crucial tasks and duties in other facets of their life.
Earlier investigations have suggested that social media consumption can become problematic when it encroaches upon daily activities and gives rise to poor mental well-being, leading to conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness.
To address these concerns and ameliorate users’ mental health, researchers have developed and evaluated interventions that target social media use. These approaches encompass strategies like limiting or abstaining from social media, alongside therapy-based techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of 23 studies spanning from 2004 to 2022 and encompassing participants from various parts of the world. Their findings reveal that social media use interventions resulted in an enhancement of mental well-being in over a third of the studies (39 percent).
Particularly noteworthy improvements were observed in depression (low mood), where 70% of the studies recorded significant enhancements in depression following the intervention.
Of the various intervention approaches, therapy-based interventions emerged as the most effective, yielding enhanced mental well-being in 83% of the studies. This contrasts with a 20% improvement rate in studies where social media use was limited and 25% in cases where social media usage was entirely discontinued.
Dr. Ruth Plackett, the primary author from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health, noted an increase in mental health concerns, paralleling the growing usage of social media platforms.
“Health and care professionals should be aware that reducing time spent on social media is unlikely to benefit mental wellbeing on its own.
“Instead, taking a more therapy-based approach and reflecting on how and why we are interacting with social media and managing those behaviours could help improve mental health.”
Dr. Patricia Schartau, a study author and GP from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health, emphasized the importance of proactively examining social media usage and its impact on mental health in patients displaying anxiety and/or low mood. This proactive approach aims to provide these patients with an opportunity to access treatments, including some of the more effective interventions identified in their review.
In 2022, the global usage of at least one form of social media was estimated to involve 4.59 billion individuals. These platforms have brought about significant transformations in communication, relationship-building, and perceptions among people.
Although certain studies highlight the potential benefits of social media, such as increased social support for users, other evidence establishes a connection between social media and conditions like depression, anxiety, and other psychological issues, especially in younger individuals.
The researchers aspire to utilize their findings to shape guidelines and recommendations for policymakers and healthcare practitioners, facilitating the effective management of problematic social media use.
Nevertheless, further research is warranted to delve into identifying who could derive the most benefit from interventions aimed at managing social media use.
Addiction and excessive use of social media have regularly been key area of concern particularly for younger children due to cyberbullying which often goes unnoticed from parents or guardians hence how exactly their use can be restricted is likely to be a key area of focus.
