EXPERT ARTICLE

Social Media: The Silent Killer

The Dark Side of Social Comparison

By: Taylor Thomas

Did you know that social media, which was created for people to connect with one another, is now tearing us apart by amplifying negativity and fostering addiction? Well, throughout the past decade social media has seemingly taken a drastic toll on the mental health and well-being of users all around the world. In the early 2000’s, years after its initial introduction to the public, social media became a tool which people could use to communicate and connect with friends and family, share information and ideas, provide people with a platform where they could truly express themselves, and ultimately foster a sense of community and belonging. However, over the past decade, it has transformed into a highly addictive and toxic environment. Social media deteriorates users’ mental health by exposing them to over-embellished and unrealistic highlights of others’ lives, thus influencing susceptible users to compare themselves to what they see on their screens.

Did Our Parents Have It Better than Us?

Remember back in the good ole days when social media was nonexistent, and no one knew what you were doing? Well, sadly for us those days are over. As of 2023, approximately 4.76 billion people – more than half the world’s population – are spending an average of 2 hours and 31 minutes on social media a day (Chaffey). So, presuming these calculations are correct, people are ~roughly~ spending 72 hours a month and 5.7 years of their precious lives solely on social media (Baruffati). You think this is bad? Just wait.

For many years, researchers have been studying the various reasons as to why and how social media has greatly impacted users’ mental health and have found a significant amount of information. Are you ready for some of their findings? Well, ready or not here we go.

• 58% of Americans have openly admitted that social media negatively impacts their mental health

• 64% of people say that it has caused them to have anxiety

• 56% of people say that it has caused them to have depression

• 52% of people say that it has caused them to become dissatisfied with their life

• 52% of people say that it has led them to develop a fear of missing out (FOMO)

• 51% of people say that they now have body issues because of it
•  (“6 in 10 Americans say social media negatively affects their mental health”)

As you can see from this data, social media has had a significant impact on users’ overall mental health and well-being. More and more users these days are becoming overly fixated on how people perceive them and how interesting their life is in relation to those they follow. As a result, millions of users are now suffering from increased levels of anxiety and depression

Selfie Side-Effects

Have you ever thought something along the lines of “Wow! That person has a great life. I wish I was them.” or “Ugh. I wish I looked like that!” while scrolling through your followers’ posts? Well, if so, you might want to consider taking a break from social media because you are self-sabotaging by succumbing to the self-destruction of social comparison. According to Festinger, “Social comparison is a form of sociological self-esteem, where we derive our sense of self through comparing ourselves with others” (Warrender and Milne). Recent data has shown that approximately 90% of women and 65% of men have openly admitted to comparing themselves to other social media users, and as a result, 40% of them stated that doing this has caused them to have negative perceptions of themselves (“90 Percent of Women”). Users tend to do this for three distinct reasons: the pursuit of perfection, the fear of missing out, and the need for approval.

The first reason people tend to socially compare themselves to others on social media is because of the pursuit of perfection. Before posting, most users might say to themselves: “Do I look good enough in this to post it?” or “Will people like this?” And the reason for this is because of the way life on social media has been portrayed throughout the years. Nowadays, social media tends to portray a distorted reality where everyone appears to have a flawless life. Not only do most people only post the pictures they look their best in, but these photos also only tend to highlight the best parts of their lives. So, when people see other users’ so-called “perfect” posts, it makes them feel like they need to emulate these ideals in order to be accepted by others. Because of this, users compare themselves to these unrealistic expectations and begin to feel inadequate, anxious, and depressed.

The second reason people tend to socially compare themselves to others on social media is because of the fear of missing out. Over time, researchers have found significant associations between social comparison and FOMO. According to an article, 56% of social media users experience FOMO when they are away from their social networks (Staff). This fear creates a sense of urgency that drives users to obsessively check what other users are up to so that they do not feel as if they are missing out on any opportunities or experiences. Users who have FOMO typically turn to social comparison for reassurance that their life is better than their friends or followers. However, if a user notices that their friends or other people are doing better than them, it will cause them to feel jealous and inferior.

The last reason people tend to socially compare themselves to others on social media is because of the need for approval. Social media allows users to share their lives with people all over the world, and many users have started using it as a source of validation. Most social media users say they feel pressured to post certain things because they want to be liked by others and feel as if they fit in or belong. Some ways in which this validation can be received is through features such as likes, comments, or shares. For instance, if someone notices that their friend is receiving a lot of likes, comments, or shares on their post, that person may feel pressured to present themself similarly so that they receive the same level of approval. This negatively impacts mental health because it creates a distorted self-image and allows people to feel validated or invalidated based on the number of likes, comments, or shares they receive on a post. It urges them to compare themselves to others so that they can see how their image is being perceived and ensure that their reputation is being maintained. However, when users don’t get this approval, many may feel undervalued and experience a lack of confidence, self-doubt and higher levels of anxiety and depression.

Social Media Safety Measures

With all things considered, social media users must take immediate action before it is too late. Some simple ways to help protect yourself from comparing yourself to other social media users include:

• Limit your time on social media to 30 minutes a day

• Remember that social media is not everyone’s everyday reality

• Seek out alternative forms of validation

• Follow people that inspire you, not put you down

• Post things that make YOU happy

Works Cited:

“6 In 10 Americans Say Social Media Negatively Affects Their Mental Health.” Online Therapy, 7 June 2022, https://www.onlinetherapy.com/6-in-10-americans-say-social-media- negatively-affects-their-mental-health/#:~:text=mediums%20can%20produce.- ,III.,use%20is%20anxiety%20(64%25).

“90 Percent of Women and 65 Percent of Men Compare Themselves to People on Social Media.” B2Press Online PR Service & Press Release Distribution, https://en.b2press.com/press-release/3071/90-percent-of-women-and-65-percent-of-men- compare-themselves-to-people-on-social-media.

Baruffati, Alexandra. “Social Media Addiction Statistics 2023 Everyone Must Know • Gitnux.” GITNUX, 25 Jan. 2023, https://blog.gitnux.com/social-media-addiction- statistics/.

Chaffey, Dave. “Global Social Media Statistics Research Summary 2022 [June 2022].” Smart Insights, 30 Jan. 2023, https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social- media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/.

Staff, Editorial. “35+ Mind-Blowing FOMO Statistics - [February 2023].” AppsThatDeliver, 1 Feb. 2023, https://appsthatdeliver.com/insights/fomo-statistics/.

Warrender, Dan, and Rosa Milne. “How Use of Social Media and Social Comparison Affect Mental Health.” Nursing Times, 24 Feb. 2020, https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/mental- health/how-use-of-social-media-and-social-comparison-affect-mental-health-24-02-2020/.