Blog Posts

Hey friends, welcome back to the blog.  Today we are going to talk about social media and how it can add to anxiety, depression, and comparison.  

Using social media can definitely impact self esteem, thought processes, and relationships in general. Here are some things I have learned from my own experience and also working with clients when it comes to social media.  

I will start off by saying there are some benefits that come from social media including the benefit to stay connected to people who live far away and to also be able to share parts of life that brings joy to you and your loved ones to see.  People celebrate holidays, birthdays, and other things that they want to share with those around them. These can also be very positive, motivating, and uplifting messages that are shared on social media.  If you surround yourself with people on social media that have a positive impact on you it can help with positive feelings and interactions.  It can be a great way to network, share content, and even find resources.  

However; there is another side of social media where we get in to some problems; namely the trap of comparison.  We see other people sharing things and compare ourselves, our bodies, our homes, and our relationships to what we see online.  Somehow, we begin to believe that what we see online and in social media is “true.”  This can add to anxiety, depression, and low self esteem.  

Things I hear that come up for clients is using social media as a distraction or escape.  Some may “doom scroll” which is mind numbing and can be time consuming.  People can get “lost in time” when on social media, when they may need to be focused on other things in life.  They may begin to neglect themselves or others around them.

Sometimes as adults we have a hard time setting boundaries with things like our phones and social media.  Boundaries may include setting time limits on phone usage, unfollowing accounts that lead to more negativity, and taking breaks from social media in general if your self esteem is low or feeling anxious or depressed.  We also wanted to talk about the impact social media can have on teens.  For teens it is even harder to set time limits on screens, self regulate, maintain boundaries, and manage emotions that come from comparisons and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) on social media.  There can be a high likelihood of bullying online. 

All of these things must be considered when using social media.  Remember, it’s not a bad thing necessarily, but it can definitely have a negative impact on self-esteem causing anxiety, depression, or perhaps other problems. 

Until next time,

Emilie Barragan, LCSW and Aaron Nicolaides, PhD, LCSW

Therapeuo Health – “Tackling physical and emotional pain”