Mental wellbeing and social media: what are the consequences?

In 2023, 14.1 million people in the Netherlands will use some form of social media. All age groups are increasingly active on social media. In total this amounts to 114 minutes per day. A small selection of the most popular social media channels at the moment are TikTok, Instagram, Whatsapp, BeReal, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter. This way you can easily and in a fun way keep in touch with your friends.

However, the use of social media channels also has negative consequences. Stopping social media for just one week can lead to less depression and anxiety. In this blog you can read more about the consequences of social media.

Psychological complaints

More and more research is being done into the consequences of social media use. A small part of the group of young people feels negative. However small this group may be, it is important to gain insights into the relationship between social media and mental well-being. There are some common consequences that come from social media use:

#1 Insecure feelings

In 2021, 77 percent of young people said they felt confident about their body. This percentage had fallen to 50 in 2022. According to psychologists, the biggest cause is social media. On channels like Instagram and Snapchat, it’s easy to compare yourself to someone else, which can make you ask yourself: am I just as nice? Why does my photo get fewer likes than someone else’s?

Not only can you experience insecure feelings about your appearance, you can also feel insecure about your own life. Most people only share fun and positive events from their lives. You almost never see a post about a boring day or a less good experience.

#2 FOMO

On channels such as Instagram, Whatsapp and Facebook you can post a story, which is visible for 24 hours. Among other things, thanks to these features, people always stay online or have the urge to always want to be online. Research shows that many young people continuously follow social media, so that they don’t have to miss anything (online). This is also known as FOMO. FOMO is the abbreviation for ‘Fear of Missing Out’.

#3 Physical and mental response of your body

When you are active on social media and have FOMO, it can cause adverse mental consequences. Among other things, feelings such as anxiety, depression, but also sleeping problems are often mentioned.

Did you know that in addition to mental consequences, FOMO can also have physical consequences? Examples are sweating, heart palpitations and nervousness when receiving a new message or if you have many unread messages. In addition, looking at a screen for a long time is also bad for your eyes. You run the risk of nearsightedness.

Do you experience psychological problems due to the use of social media? Then you can look for (online) help. Go to your general practitioner or company doctor if you are unable to work it out yourself.

Delete or stay active online?

In addition to the negative consequences mentioned above, social media also have many advantages. Nowadays you also increasingly see a so-called counter-movement. For example, various accounts and posts by well-known Dutch people show Instagram vs. see reality. Whether it’s best to delete all social media depends on its impact on your life. When you remain active online, it is good to use the channels responsibly.