Study says reducing social media use reduces symptoms of depression

Depression online: Thanks to social networks, spaces, borders and limits are redefined and, for lack of a better choice of words, become infinite. And that's good. Great, actually.

There is a world of possibilities available on your smartphone and the contract to participate in this system is simple: share and interact.

It seems harmless, but a recent study by Penn State is, without delay, accurate in stating that excessive use of social networks can hinder the treatment of depression, or, one of the factors that lead to the diagnosis. Other symptoms such as loneliness and anxiety are also cited.

This study, led by Melissa Hunt in the psychology department at Penn State, is one of the few studies that attempt to draw a parallel between depression and social media use. The researchers identified only two other experimental studies, both of which dealt with Facebook use alone. And we know that the range of options is much wider than that, as are the stimuli.

Depression in numbers

The study consists of the evaluation of one hundred and forty-three high school students, who were monitored for a period of three weeks. Their mission was simple: limit your app usage to around 10 minutes a day for each social network (Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram) or just go about your business as usual.

An extensive database was made of each participant's history prior to the trial period, and the process consisted of weekly assessments for depression, social support, and so on.

The use of social networks was properly monitored through the iOS battery usage screen, which shows the use of applications. Something that can even be done by you.

The results, in question, are clear. As the article, published in the latest Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, states:

“The limited-use group showed significant reductions in loneliness and depression over three weeks compared to the group that had unlimited access. Both groups showed significant reductions in anxiety and fear of losing control, suggesting a benefit from awareness. Our findings strongly suggest that limiting social media use to approximately 30 minutes a day can lead to a significant improvement in overall well-being.”

the evil of the century

Even though they are so effusive, it is not absolute truth. Some people did not show improvement in self-esteem or social interaction. Later studies aimed at looking at the long-term effects are even more inconclusive, as no patient was actually cured after conscious use of social media. We are not dealing here with habits that lead to convalescence.

That said, there is a direct causal link between limiting social media use and improving some aspects of emotional and social health. The exact nature of this connection, however, is something Hunt can only speculate on:

“Some of the existing study on social media suggests that there is a huge amount of social impact. When you look at other people's lives, especially on Instagram, it's easy to conclude that everyone's lives are cooler or better than yours. When you're not busy getting sucked into clickbait social media, you're actually spending more time on things that are more likely to make you feel better about your life, stuck in a cycle of misery.”

The researchers recognize the limited nature of their study and suggest several directions and guidelines for what comes next. A more diverse population, for example, or including more social media platforms. Longer experimental times and comprehensive follow-ups after the experiment would also help.

The 30-minute limit was chosen as conveniently measurable, but the team does not claim to be the “correct” amount by any means. Perhaps half or twice as long would produce similar or even better results, they suggest: "It may be that there is an optimal level of use (similar to a dose-response curve) that can be determined."

Until then, we can use common sense, Hunt suggested: “In general, I would say, get off the phone and spend quality time with people outside of the online sphere.”

Do you accept the challenge? Leave a comment.