Getting treatment for problematic social media use may be effective in improving the mental health of people with depression, a new study by UCL researchers has found.
This research Medical Internet Research Journalfound that social media use interventions may be helpful for adults who have problems with social media use or who have suffered from poor mental health.
Problematic use is when a person’s obsession with social media distracts them from their primary job and neglects their responsibilities in other aspects of their lives.
Previous research has shown that problems can arise when social media use starts to interfere with a person’s daily life and leads to poor mental health, including depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness. It is suggested.
To address these issues and improve users’ mental health, social media use interventions have been developed and evaluated by researchers. Such techniques include refraining from or limiting social media use, alongside therapy-based techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Researchers analyzed 23 studies with participants from around the world between 2004 and 2022. More than a third (39%) of studies found that social media use interventions improved mental health.
Improvements were particularly notable for depression (low mood), with 70% of studies showing significant improvement in depression following the intervention.
Treatment-based interventions were most effective, with 83% of studies showing improvements in mental health, compared to 20% for limiting social media use and 25% for quitting social media altogether. studies have shown improvement.
Lead author Dr Ruth Plackett, from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health, said: “Mental health issues are increasing, as are the numbers of people using social media.
“Health and care professionals should recognize that reducing time spent on social media is unlikely to benefit mental health in itself.
“Instead, taking a more therapeutic approach, reflecting on how and why you interact with social media, and managing those behaviors can help improve your mental health. ā
Study author Dr Patricia Charteau, a general practitioner and UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health, said: ‘As a primary care physician, I am concerned about the use of social media in patients with anxiety and depression and its impact on their mental health. “This should be actively investigated,” he added. It is to give those patients the opportunity to benefit from treatments that include the more effective interventions outlined in our review. ā
It is estimated that in 2022, 4.59 billion people worldwide will be using at least one form of social media, and these sites will be the places where people communicate, build relationships, and get to know each other. The method has changed dramatically.
Although some studies report that social media can be beneficial for users and may increase social support, some studies have found that social media is particularly associated with depression, anxiety, and other psychological problems among young people. There is also evidence that it is.
The researchers hope their findings will help develop guidance and recommendations for policy makers and clinicians on how best to manage problematic social media use.
However, further research is needed to investigate who benefits most from social media use interventions.
Dr Plackett holds a fellowship (award number MH013) funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research School Mental Health Programme. This study is also an independent study supported by NIHR ARC North Thames. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of her NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Research limitations
Current experimental studies are of low quality and selection bias issues make it difficult to generalize the results.
Further experimental and longitudinal studies with representative samples are needed to investigate who is likely to benefit most from social media use interventions.