User:Chloekesssler/Problematic social media use

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Psychological or behavioral dependence on social media platforms can result in significant impairment in an individual's function in various life domains over a prolonged period. This and other relationships between digital media use and mental health have been considerably researched, debated, and discussed among experts in several disciplines, and have generated controversy in medical, scientific, and technological communities. Research suggests that it affects women and girls more than boys and men and that it varies according to the social media platform used. Such disorders can be diagnosed when an individual engages in online activities at the cost of fulfilling daily responsibilities or pursuing other interests, and without regard for the negative consequences.

Excessive social media use has not been recognized as a disorder by the World Health Organization or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Controversies around problematic social media use include whether the disorder is a separate clinical entity or a manifestation of underlying psychiatric disorders. Researchers have approached the question from a variety of viewpoints, with no universally standardized or agreed definitions. This has led to difficulties in developing evidence-based recommendations.

Relationships between digital media use and mental health have been considerably researched, debated, and discussed among experts in several disciplines. Research suggests that it affects women more than men and varies according to the particular social media platform used. Psychological and/or behavioral dependence on social media platforms can result in significant negative functions in an individuals daily life and functions. Not to mention, studies show there are several negative effects that social media can have on an individuals overall well being and especially their mental health. While researchers have attempted to examine why and how social media is problematic, they still struggle to develop evidence-based recommendations on how they would go about offering potential solutions to this widespread issue and concern. Social media is evolving day by day, therefore so too is technology and the ways we use it around us and in our lives. With this in mind, researchers also struggle on whether the disorder of problematic social media use would be considered a separate clinical entity or a manifestation of underlying psychiatric disorders. These disorders can be diagnosed when an individual engages in online content/conversations rather than pursuing other interests that do not occur online but instead in person and real life.

In 2022 a case was successfully litigated that implicated a social media platform in a young teenage girls suicide. This was the first time that any social media platform was held liable for someone else's actions as Molly suffered from depression and acted on self-harm due to the negative effects of online content. While the question of what category problematic social media use falls in is still being developed and further researched, the policies and regulations of social media have already started to change. The interest now falls in implementing these new laws regarding these penalties and how individuals can aim to keep their overall well being safe along with the platforms that they are using, especially when it comes to privacy.

Lead- Mental Health Problems
Research shows that increase social media use and exposure to social media platforms can lead to negative results and bullying over time. While social media's main intention is to share information and communicate with friends and family, there is more evidence pertaining to negative factors rather than positive ones. Not only can social media expose us to bullying, but it can also increase our chances of depression and self harm. While research assumes that teenagers from the ages of 13-15 are the ones who struggle the most with these issues, it can be seen in college students as well. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, data showed that approximately 15% of high school students were electronically bullied in the 12 months prior to the survey that students were asked to complete. Bullying is intentionally hurting someone's feelings, either by intimidation, coercion, or something that directly and intentionally harms them. Bullying is more common in today's society due to the rise of social media and has sparked suicide rates immensely within the last decade. Cyberbullying is also commonly widespread as it is easier to criticize someone over a screen without the worry of getting caught or receiving any proper disciplinary actions right away. Cyberbullying is primarily done over text or on any social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. While the rates of these well known issues only continue to rise day by day, it begs the question on what we can do or what may already be implemented that might just need more awareness.

Article body- Molly Russell Case
In November of 2017, a fourteen year old teenager named Molly Russell took her own life after viewing negative, graphic, and descriptive content primarily on social media platforms such as Facebook ad Twitter. This news shocked the fourteen year old's parents who mentioned that she had never shown any previous signs of struggle and was doing very well in school. It was revealed in the court that six months prior to Molly's death, she had accumulated a total of 16,300 pieces of negative content on Instagram such as topics of self-harm, depression, and suicide. While breaking the numbers down on how often Molly viewed these kinds of posts each day, it was revealed that twelve per day were related to either self-harm or depression. Due to the fact that both Instagram and Pinterest have algorithms set in place where similar content will show up often if it is interacted with more than once, Molly was surrounded by this content daily. It was also noted that throughout Molly's experience on social media, there were never any warning signs pertaining to this information she viewed on these particular platforms. Not only was this the first time that an internet company has been legally blamed for the death of a teenager, but this is also the first time that senior executives were required to give evidence in an official court of law. Technology companies such as Pintrest and Meta (owned by Instagram) were considered to be at fault for the lack of policy and regulations that were not already set into place prior to Molly's death. Between 2009 and 2019, there has been a 146% increase in suicide rates and can be alarming since social media plays such an active role in teenager's behavior. Merry Varney, the lawyer that represented Molly's case explained that the findings used in court "captured all of the elements of why this material is so harmful." Dr. Navin Venugopal was the child psychiatrist asked to speak on this case when they were determining Molly's cause of death. Dr. Venugopal disclosed that after reviewing Molly's content on both Pinterest and Instagram, Molly was highly at risk. Even more so, he called the material "disturbing and distressing" and was unable to sleep well for weeks. The coroner of this case, Andrew Walker also concluded that Molly's death was "an act of self harm suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content." Molly's case has sparked a lot of attention not only across the UK but in the U.S. as well. It raises the question on whether or not policies and regulations will either be set into place or changed to protect the safety of children on the Internet. Child safety campaigners hope that creating regulations will help to shift the fundamentals that are associated with social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest.

Laws, Policies, and Regulations to Minimize Harm
Molly Russell's case sparked a lot of conversation both in the UK and the U.S. on how to protect individuals from harmful content online. The Online Safety Bill was officially introduced this past March of 2022 as the bill covers a range of possible dangerous content such as revenge porn, grooming, hate speech, and/or anything related to suicide. Overall, the bill will not only protect children from online content but talk about how they can deal with this content that may be illegal. It also covers verification roles and advertising as this will all be covered on the social media platforms' terms and conditions page. If the social media platforms fail to comply with these new regulations, they will face a $7500 fine for each offense. When it comes to the U.S., recommendations were offered such as finding an independent agency to implement a systems of regulations similar to the Online Safety Bill in the U.K. Another potential idea was finding a specific rule making agency where the authority is strictly and solely focused on a digital regulator who is available 24/7. In fact, California already launched an act called the Age Appropriate Design Code Act in August of this year that aims to protect children under the age of eighteen especially regarding privacy on the Internet. The overall hope and goal of these new laws, policies, and regulations set into place is to 1) ensure that a case such as Molly's never happens again and 2) protects individuals from harmful online content that can lead to mental health problems such as suicide, depression, and self-harm.

Signs and symptoms[edit]
While there exists no official diagnostic term or measurement, problematic social media use can be conceptualized as a non–substance related disorder, resulting in preoccupation and compulsion to excessively engage in social media platforms despite negative consequences.

Problematic social media use is associated with mental health symptoms, such as anxiety and depression in children and young people.

A 2022 meta-analysis showed moderate and significant associations between problematic social media use in youth and increase symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Another meta-analysis in 2019, investigating Facebook use and symptoms of depression, also showed an association, with a small effect size. In a 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis, problematic Facebook use was shown to have negative effects on well-being in adolescents and young adults, and psychological distress was also found with problematic use. Frequent social media use was shown in a cohort study of 15- and 16-year-olds to have an association with self-reported symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder followed up over two years.

Decrease in mood[edit]
A 2016 technological report by Chassiakos, Radesky, and Christakis identified benefits and concerns in adolescent mental health in regard to social media use. It showed that the amount of time spent on social media is not the key factor but rather how time is spent. Declines in well-being and life satisfaction were found in older adolescents who passively consumed social media; however, these were not shown in those who were more actively engaged. The report also found a U-shaped, curvilinear relationship between the amount of time spent on digital media with risk of depression developing, at both the low and high ends of Internet use.

Eating disorders[edit]
According to research by Flinders University social media use correlates with eating disorders. The study found eating disorders in 52% of girls and 45% of boys, from a group of 1,000 participants who used social media.

Through the extensive use of social media, adolescents are exposed to images of bodies that are unattainable, especially with the growing presence of photo-editing apps that allow you to alter the way that your body appears in a photo. This can, in turn, influence both the diet and exercise practices of adolescents as they try to fit the standard that their social media consumption has set for them.

Excessive use[edit]
One can evaluate their social media habits and behavior toward it to help determine if an addiction is present. Addictions are a certain type of impulse control disorder, which may lead one to lose track of time while using social media. For instance, one's psychological clock may run slower than usual, and the user's self-consciousness is compromised. Therefore, individuals may passively consume media for longer amounts of time. In fact, psychologists estimate that as many 5 to 10% of Americans meet the criteria for social media addiction today. Addictive social media use will look much like that of any other substance use disorder, including mood modification, salience, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflict, and relapse. In the digital age, it is common for adolescents to use their smartphones for entertainment purposes, education, news and managing their daily life. Therefore, adolescents are further at risk for developing addictive behaviors and habits. Many medical experts have looked at the survey and come up with a clear conclusion, saying that teenagers' excessive smartphone use has an impact on their behavior and even their mental health. If the excessive use of social media and the platforms encompassed therein have proven to cause mental health issues, eating disorders, lowered self-esteem, and the use of such media has been shown to be addictive in some form or another, medically there should be an avenue to treat the use or excessive use of the media platforms. The excessive use is causing underlying health conditions that in themselves are treatable, but if these issues are stemming from the use of social media platforms, the addictive nature of these platforms should be addressed in a way to reduce or eradicate the health related or mental related effects resulting. More studies need to be done, more funding has to be provided, and the addiction to such platforms should be seen as a true addiction and treated as such, and not simply discarded as a millennial issue.

Social anxiety[edit]
Social media allows users to openly share their feelings, values, relationships and thoughts. With the platform social media provides, users can freely express their emotions. However, not all is great with social media, it can also cause discrimination and cyberbullying. Discrimination and cyberbullying are more prevalent online because people have more courage to write something bold rather than to say it in person. There is also a strong positive correlation between social anxiety and social media usage; and in particular between cyberostracism and social media disorder.The defining feature of social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is intense anxiety or fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social or performance situation. Many users with mental illnesses, such as social anxiety, go to the internet as an escape from reality, so they often withdraw from in-person communication and feel most comfortable with online communication. People usually act differently on social media than they do in person, resulting in many activities and social groups being different when using social media. The pros and cons of social media are heavily debated; although using social media can satisfy personal communication needs, those who use them at higher rates are shown to have higher levels of psychological distress.

Symptoms of social anxiety include: excessive sweating, blushing, trembling, rapid heart rate, nausea, rigid body posture, lack of eye contact, quiet speaking, difficulty interacting with people, feeling insecure, and avoiding places with a lot of people.

Lowered self-esteem[edit]
Low self-esteem has generally had some sort of connection to serious mental health illnesses such as depression, some studies have been done to find if social media platforms have any sort of correlation to low self-esteem. One such study found that participants who were given the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to rate their self-esteem based on their social media usage, found that participants that used Facebook tended to rate themselves more poorly on their general self-esteem.