Social media use may be making you feel alone
The very platforms that are used to be social may be causing users to feel the exact opposite.
A study finds that young adults may tie feelings of social isolation to their heavy use of social media platforms. Amongst these are Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram. In other words, the platforms that young adults use to stay connected with others may be affecting how they are connecting with others in the real world.
The Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health at the University of Pittsburgh worked to survey a sum of 1,787 young adults ages 19 to 32 to explore their use of 11 social media platforms and their feelings of social isolation.
The survey revealed that those who spent more than two hours a day on social media were twice as likely to feel socially isolated than those who spent less time on it.
Although the study can’t directly pinpoint why this is the case, assistant professor in the division of global public health at the University of California, San Diego, Holly Shakya, says that this is evidence that replacing real world with social media affects your well- being.
The fact that a direct cause and effect link cannot be identified from this study means that another factor could be responsible for these findings. Brian Primack, a director for the center says that this research doesn't suggest we should completely leave social media alone but instead, find the best uses for it.
Later research done in July of 2017 on a larger sample size came to the same conclusion. Those who spend the most time on social media were more likely to experience feelings of social isolation and an overall lack of fulfilling relationship with others.
But this is just one of the multiples times that the Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health at the University of Pittsburgh has linked social media use to health. Back in 2016, the center conducted research on young adults from the same age group that spent an average of 61 minutes of social media a day. Of those participants, more than half reported medium to high level of sleep disturbance.
Again, the researchers noted that the study could not directly point out if social media was the cause of their sleep disturbance but could only make note of their social media usage versus their sleeping patterns.
Closer to home, students at Southern Miss reflect on their social media use in relation to their own personal feelings and experiences.
“I think more people feel alone on social media just because of the things people post on there - everybody tries to be better than everyone on there so they make it seem like their life is all good and they have no struggles and what not,” says sophomore Carmicia
Hines.
Young adults like Carmicia recognize the possibility of feelings of loneliness associated with the use of social media. It doesn't always come down to how long one person spends on social media but also what they encounter while on social media. She points out that their is an attempt to uphold a certain image strictly for the purpose of appearing a certain way to their audience.
"Nobody really has an identity people see what other people react to and are doing things out of their character,” says USM senior, Cahlen Fogg.
The truth of the matter is that there is no research supporting a direct link to social media being the cause of social isolation or lack of sleep.
But even if future research is able to pin point social media being a cause of these issues, will people finally put their phone down?
Photos courtesy of: Ebonee Jackson
HubCity TV
HubCity TV reporter Porsha Williams reached out to students on campus to find out more about their personal encounters with social media.
