We all know that using social media is considered bad for you. High social media diet is linked to anxiety, depression and FOMO (fear of missing out). Even internal research data from Meta, the company behind Instagram and Facebook, agrees. However, over the past decade, social media has become woven into the fabric of our daily lives. It is difficult to imagine life without it.
Young adults are especially vulnerable: 80 percent of young adults use social media daily, spending nearly three hours a day on it. For many people, scrolling social media is the first thing they do when they wake up and the last thing they do before going to bed.
On the other hand, social media can also help people connect with friends and family. This is especially true for people with minority or stigmatized identities: Social media can help them find a community of similar others who might otherwise stay away. So what should we do? Is the only answer for us to give up social media altogether? Or is it possible for us to learn how to use social media better?
A new study from our lab, the Promoting Equitable, Affirming Relationships Lab at the University of British Columbia, shows that not only is it possible, but that using social media intentionally can actually improve well-being. The study’s findings highlight the potential of social media to be a tool for goodness rather than a source of stress.
Many digital self-control tools like lockout mechanisms and timers exist to help us cut down on social media, but we asked the question: What if using social media differently could maximize its positives and our Can its negativity be reduced in life?
Using social media to maximum advantage
In our six-week study, 393 Canadian young adults with certain mental health symptoms and concerns about the impact of social media on their lives were divided into three groups:
● A control group that continued their normal routine
● A moderation group called for taking a break from social media altogether
● An educational program groups were deliberately trained in the use of
The educational program showed people how to avoid negative aspects – such as feeling pressure to look or act a certain way online – and instead focus on the good things. To do this, we emphasized quality over quantity in social media interactions. Participants created a healthy online environment by muting or unfollowing accounts that triggered jealousy or negative self-comparisons and prioritizing close friendships.
Instead of passively scrolling, they were encouraged to actively engage with friends by commenting or sending direct messages – a behavior that deepens meaningful connections while helping users feel more socially supported. Is. We also asked all participants to track their screen time and tell us about their well-being.
The study found that participants who took a break from social media or intentionally participated in an educational program using social media experienced improvements in their mental health.
feeling less lonely
Our results are promising. Those who took the break experienced fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, while those who attended the educational program felt less lonely and experienced less FOMO.
Our educational program also inadvertently influenced social media habits. Although participants in the program did not cut down their social media use as much as those in the abstinence group, they still reduced their screen time relative to the control group.
We suspect that as they began to use social media more intentionally, they reduced the types of use that made them feel bad, but increased or maintained the types of use that made them feel good. .
stop social comparison
Both groups – those who took the break and those who completed the educational program – saw a reduction in their tendency to compare themselves to others online. This is a huge step forward as social comparison is often considered the root of all evil arising from the use of social media.
Overall, both approaches reduced unhealthy social media habits and improved well-being. Using social media in an intentional, connected way may be just as beneficial and potentially more sustainable for some people than quitting altogether.
Our results suggest that with the right guidance, young adults can have a more positive experience using social media rather than harming their mental health.
Looking for real connection
In the Promoting Equitable, Affirming, Relationships Lab, we research how young people build supportive and lasting relationships – online and in person. Part of what we do is explore and understand how social media can be used to help people find community. On the contrary, we are considering ways to avoid the potential negatives of the online sphere.
While our study offers some solutions, the bigger question is: How can we continue to foster supportive and authentic connections in an increasingly digital world? grassroots level? Social media is here to stay and we need to find the healthiest ways to live with it. Through our research, we hope to start a conversation about how we can make social media a tool for genuine connection rather than a source of stress, leading to a healthier online experience.
