Social Media & Mental

Health
Raymond Hanbury, PhD, ABPP
Chief Psychologist & PPC Program
Director Meridian Hub at Jersey Shore

Michael Roberts, PsyD

Licensed Psychologist & Administrative
Coordinator Cooper Hub at Pennsville

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Goa
ls
 Provide an overview of social media use
among adults and children

 Address common concerns about

negative impact of social media on
mental health

 Provide strategies for talking with families

about social media

 Q&A
2
1
Introduction

In a growing world where technology

has become a necessary source of
communication, special attention must
be placed on the potential hazards of
social media to physical and mental
health.

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1
This is Social
Media:

4
 Most of Us Are Connected in
Some Way . . .

32% of
64% of Americans Own
Americans Own an E-reader
Smartphones

42% of Americans
Own a Tablet
Computer

Source: Pew Research Center (2014)

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4
For the Love of Smartphones

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 By The Numbers:
Health and Technology in the U.S.

19% 1 in 3 59%

# cell phone owners

% of smartphone owners % of adults who have
that have used their
that have downloaded a looked online for info on a
phones to look for
health app range of health topics in
health information
the last year

35% 7 in 10

% of adults who have gone online # of adults that track a

to figure out a medical condition health indicator for
they or someone else might have themselves or a loved one Source: Fox (2013)

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 Technology and its
Effect on Emotional
and Mental Health

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 Social Media & Mental/Emotional
Health
•~ 42% of online adults use multiple social networking sites
•On average, Americans spend 7.6 hrs./month using social media
Facebook:
 63% of American users log on daily
 40% of Americans log on multiple times per day
 Berge Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS)

Researchers found that people who are more anxious and socially
insecure are more likely to use social networking sites.
Source: Whiteman (2015)

97
 Social Media & Mental/Emotional
Health
Negative Impacts of Social Media:
(cont.)

 53% of participants said social media sites changed their

behaviors
 51% of participants of the same study state that a negative
change was made
 2/3 of participants reported difficulty relaxing and sleeping after
they used the sites
 55% of participants reported feeling “worried or uncomfortable”
when they weren’t able to log onto their social media accounts

Source: Whiteman (2015)

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7
 Child/Adolescent Media Use
The average child in America spends more time
consuming electronic media than going to school:
 Teens use an average of nine hours of entertainment
media per day, and tweens use an average of six hours, not
including time spent using media for school or homework.
Of that, tweens average more than four and a half hours of
screen media use a day and teens more than six and a half
hours.
 Aided by the convenience and constant access provided
by mobile devices, especially smartphones, 92% of teens
report going online daily,
 including 24% who say they go online “almost constantly,”
according to a study from Pew Research Center
Commonsensemedia.org &
Pewinternet.org
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 Harming physical
development of children’s
brains
 Excessive use of screens could harm the physical development of young people’s
brains. Studies show a correlation between too much screen time and worse
attention spans, as well as negative effects on learning. Highlight two really
important studies in the film, one with mice and another with preschoolers:
 In the first study, scientists found that when young mice are repeatedly exposed
to flashing sounds and lights that mimic screen time, they develop fewer nerve
cells in the parts of the brain that control learning and memory. The same
stimulus doesn’t affect brains of adult mice. There’s something unique about the
way screen time impacts the developing brain.
 In the other study with preschoolers, researchers divided 60 kids into two
groups. Half watched fast-paced images on screens for about 10 minutes, while
the other half drew with crayons in another room. Then all the kids took the
same test of cognitive skills. The kids who were exposed to the screens did
significantly worse on the exams.
 Our current fast-paced digital media, from flash games and online videos, to
social media feeds and constant texting, seems to tire the brain. This has major
implications for kids and how they reach their full academic potential.

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 Technology & Physical
Health: A Sleep
Deprived Nation
Sleeping less than 7 hours is linked to an increased
risk of:

 Diabetes
 Stroke
 High Blood Pressure
 Heart Disease
 Obesity
 Poor Mental Health
 Early Death

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016)

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 How Technology Affects
Sleep
According to a National Sleep Foundation Study…

95% of individuals
15% of 19-64 year olds get
surveyed reported using
less than 6 hours of sleep
electronics in the hour
on weeknights
before they went to sleep

Source: Stampler (2014)

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13
 How Technology Affects
Sleep
According to a(Cont’d)
National Sleep Foundation Study…

95% of 18-29 year olds sleep 50% of individuals will check

with their phone right next to their phone immediately if
their bed they wake in the night
Source: Stampler (2014)

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13
 How Technology Affects
Sleep
According to a(Cont’d)
National Sleep Foundation Study…

10% of people are woken 25% of people don’t

up regularly by cells, silence their phone
texts, or emails before going to bed

Source: Stampler (2014)

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13
 Technology & Physical
Health: Eating
Habits
 Most buying decisions about
what to have for dinner happen
2 hours before mealtime.
 Most Millennials learn to cook
from YouTube – not from their
mother.
 At least 2 out of 3 daily
meals are now eaten alone;
while online.
 Most households who do eat
together often eat different
meals according to taste
preferences.
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13
The Negative Effects of Social
Media

Sousley, 2013

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13
 The Advantages
Its not difficult to recognize
that social media has many
advantages. Having the
ability to connect with
people, staying in touch with
friends and family who are
far away, and having the
freedom to communicate
whenever and where ever.
All this could be priceless, to
a person who may be alone
or unable to have outside
contact with the world.

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 “Social media has changed the way
people interact. In many ways, social
media has led to positive changes in
the way people communicate and
share information.
However, it has a dark side as well.
Social networking can sometimes
result in negative outcomes, some with
long-term
consequences.”
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Social Media: Negative vs.
Positive

Although social media may have many positive

advantages, the negative effects of social
networking outweigh the positive.
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 Social Media’s Impact on Mental
Health
Vito Pilieci (The National Post Reporter) argued:
“In an age when internet devices are always on,
meeting face-to-face is becoming increasingly rare as
people choose to meet screen-to-screen…What is this
new dynamic doing to normal social interaction? How
do these devices and social media services, such as
Facebook, affect the way we socialize and
communicate with each other? But, more than that,
what impact do these social networks have on their
user’s mental health? ”

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Negative Effects of
Social Media
 A false sense  Isolation/Loneliness
of connection
 Broken relationships,
 Mental health infidelity and torn families
effects
 Harm to ones reputation
 Encourages poor
 Exposure to
grammar, usage, and cyber bullying
spelling
 Suicide
 Exposing children
to online predators
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 Negative Effects of Social
Media (cont.)
 Invasion of privacy  Decreased
productivity/ Loss of job
 Exposure to scams,
identity theft, hackers,
fraud, and virus attacks  Possibility of
addiction disorder
 Time consuming
 Increased risk of
 Poor school obesity
performance
 Increased risk of
 Increased distraction sleep disorders
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Negative Effects of Social
Media (cont.)
Many would argue that some of these
negative effects are not a direct cause of
social networking; however, social media
has created an increased risk for these
tendencies.

We will focus on just a few of the

negative effects to explain the impact
social media has in our lives,
sometimes without us even knowing it.

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A False Sense of Connection
According to Cornell University's Steven Strogatz,
“Social media sites can make it more difficult for
us to distinguish between the meaningful
relationships we foster in the real world, and the
numerous casual relationships formed through
social media. By focusing so much of our time and
psychic energy on these less meaningful
relationships, our most important connections, he
fears, will weaken.”

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 A False Sense of
Connection (cont.)sense of connection
We see this false
a lot more within families and
relationships.
 One of the biggest enemies in many
homes is
- time. Complaining that “There’s
never enough time,” has become an
increasingly common excuse.
 So we sit at the table or we go
out; rationalizing that “we are
spending time together.”
 However, there is no real connection
taking place with each other, when each
person is on their own media device. 28
 Mental Health Effects
Doctor Larry Rosen over a period of
time has studied and researched the
mental health effects of social media
on individuals. He claims:
“Earlier studies reported more
negative findings such as young
adults with a strong Facebook
presence tended towards narcissism,
antisocial tendencies, and
aggression. Overuse was
identified as causing anxiety and
depression. Excessive use of social
media was also linked to poorer
achievement at school.”

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 Mental Health Effects (cont.)

Social media has

become a dangerous
pastime for individuals
suffering from
depression, anxiety,
suicidal tendencies, and
other mental health
issues.

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Social-Comparison
Theory
The theory explains
how individuals Downward
evaluate their own Social
opinions and abilities Comparison
by comparing
themselves to others
in order to reduce Upward
uncertainty in these Social
domains, and learn Comparison
how to define the
self.
Festinger, 1954

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Social Comparison, Social
Media, and Self-Esteem

Participants who used Facebook most

often had poorer trait self-esteem, and
this was mediated by greater exposure
to upward social comparisons on social
media.

Vogel, Rose, Roberts, & Eckles, 2014

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Social Comparison, Social
Media, and Self-Esteem (cont.)

Social Networking Sites provide the

perfect platform for meticulous self-
presentation.
Users can selectively allow content
onto
their profiles, post pictures, and
describe themselves in ways that
best represent their ideal self-
views.

Vogel, Rose, Roberts, & Eckles, 2014

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Signs of Unhealthy Social
Networking
While young people are
more likely to suffer
mental health issues from
social networking, anyone
of any age may be
affected negatively,
particularly those adults
who are prone to addictive
behavior.
Everyone should understand
the signs of an unhealthy
social networking situation
and watch for the following 34
 Signs of Unhealthy Social
Networking
Focusing problems – (cont.)
easily distracted and loss of
ability to concentrate.
Lack of concern about one-on-one relationships –
prioritizing social networking over face to face family
and friend relationships.
Lessening communication skills – talking less,
difficulty articulating thoughts into words,
inattentive when others are speaking.
Unconcerned about obligations in the “real” world –
more interested in checking status updates and
communicating on the internet than participating in
activities off of the computer.
Withdrawal symptoms (agitation, fidgeting,
aggressiveness, etc.) when unable to participate in
social networking for a period of time.

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 Social Media and Its Effects on
Suicide
A study was completed in response to the rising number of
suicide deaths because of cyberbullying. It found that, while
its a difficult subject to study (“only” one million people
worldwide commit suicide), there are several consequences
when it comes to Internet use and increased suicide rates:
 Cyberbullying has been tied to increased suicide risks, particularly
among teenagers (and you thought high school was bad)
 Social media helps form suicide pacts among complete strangers
with only this one thing in common
 There is information on “how-to” methods for committing
suicide
 Video sites, such as YouTube, are increasingly playing a role in
providing pro-suicide and self-harm content.

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Social Media and Its Effects on
Suicide (cont.)
Children and juveniles
who exhibit signs of
being bullied are at
greater risk of being
suicidal when social
media is involved.

Additionally, methods
of suicide are available
through the same
sources of social
media.

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 Isolation and Loneliness
“Social-networking sites like Facebook may provide
people with a false sense of connection that
ultimately increases loneliness in people who feel
alone. These sites should serve as a supplement,
but not replacement for, face-to- face interaction,”
Cacioppo says.
He compares connecting on a Web site to eating
celery: "It feels good immediately, but it doesn't
give you the same sustenance," he says.
For people who feel satisfied and loved in their day-
to-day life, social media can be a reassuring
extension. For those who are already lonely,
Facebook status updates are just a reminder of how
much better everyone else is at making friends and
having fun. 38
Health Problems Associated with
Social Media

“There is an extensive range of mental

and health problems known to be
associated with spending too much
time on social media.

In addition to reducing productivity,

creating distractions and increasing
burnouts, they can cause some serious
medical issues.”

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 Health Problems Associated
With Social Media (cont.)
 Increase Risk of Obesity:
 Sedentary life style, increased time spent social networking.
 Eating Disorders:
 Whilst the portrayal of "ideal" body types in western media has long been
recognized as a factor in propagating eating disorders, current research has been
examining the role of social media in the triggering and spreading of the
diseases. Research has shown that eating disorders can be transmitted "like a
virus" through social networks.
 Mental Health Disorders:
 Daily overuse of social media has a negative effect on children's health making
them prone to psychological disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity
disorders, anxiety and depression.
 Sleep Disorders:
 Medical experts attest that school aged children are afflicted with sleep
disorders because of elevated social media usage. In turn, these sleep disorders
severely affect the children’s ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle and impedes
their ability to perform well in school.

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Addiction Disorder
Facebook Addiction Disorder — When people are
afraid to disconnect from social media services
because they think they’re going to be missing
something important.
The disorder, which is not a clinical diagnosis
and is not yet recognized by the broader
medical community, is attracting attention.
Recent research has found that Facebook and
social media websites may be as addictive as
alcohol or cigarettes.

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Withdrawals
In a study from the
University of Maryland,
students were asked to go
without social media for 24
hours. The study showed
students had withdrawal
symptoms, such as anxiety,
misery, and being jittery.

These symptoms are also

common in people
recovering from drug and
alcohol addiction.

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Awareness

Being a part of the social media

revolution requires personal education
and responsibility of the hazards.

Parents should become familiar with

the warning signs of the negative
impacts to their children.

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Parents as Role
Models
Parents aren’t necessarily being good role models.
A British study showed that while:
six in 10 parents worried that their children
spend too much time in front of a screen,
seven in 10 children worry that their parents are
the ones who are plugged in and tuned out.

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 What Can Parents Do?
 Limit screen time access and have set rules for
use of electronics
 Remove screens from the bedroom at night,
including cell phones, tablets, and TVs
 Encourage daily interactions without electronic
devises,
i.e. family dinner at the table
 For younger children, monitor internet use
and use parental controls
 Talk with your kids about the dangers and
consequences of social media
 Keep computer in a common area in the home
 Set an age limit for social media use (i.e. 13
years of age)
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AAP Policy Statement
Recommendations for Parents:

Parents can model effective “media diets” to help their

children learn to be selective and healthy in what they
consume. Take an active role in children’s media education
by co-viewing programs with them and discussing values.

Make a media use plan, including mealtime and bedtime

curfews for media devices. Screens should be kept out of
kids’ bedrooms.

Limit entertainment screen time to less than one or two

hours per day; in children under 2, discourage screen media
exposure.

Strasburger and Hogan,

2013
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 What Can Pediatricians Do?
Talking to Families about Social
Media Use
 Pediatricians can be helpful resources for families
seeking advice about how to develop and individualize
family rules & guidelines to meet their needs.
 Unfortunately, only 16% of pediatricians ask families
about their media use.
 In addition, only 29% of parents report relying on
their pediatrician for advice about broadcast and social
media, although those who do tend to follow AAP
recommendations. Schmidt, 2012
Chassiakos et al, 2016

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 AAP Policy Statement
Recommendations For
Pediatricians
Pediatricians should ask two questions at the well-child visit:
1) How much time is the child spending with media?
2) Is there a television and/or Internet-connected device in the child’s
bedroom?
Take a more detailed media history with children or teens at risk for obesity,
aggression, tobacco or substance use, or school problems.

Work with schools to encourage media education; encourage innovative use of

technology to help students learn; and to have rules about what content may be
accessed on devices in the classroom.

As the media landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the AAP calls for a
federal report on what is known about the media’s effects on youth and what
research needs to be conducted. The AAP calls for an ongoing mechanism to fund
research about media’s effects. Strasburger and Hogan, 2013

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Screening
Based on discussions with parents and/or
adolescents, consider screening for problematic
Internet use and Internet gaming disorder.
Validated tools include:
The Internet Gaming Disorder scale
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/2706529
17_The_Internet_Gaming_Disorder_Scale and the
Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale
http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/kplu/files/2
01502/PRIUSS_scale_and_guidelines.pdf
Chassiakos et al, 2016

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Resources
 AAP New Guidelines, November 2016:
 “Children and Adolescents and Digital Media”
includes the:
 Healthy Family Media Use Plan
 www.healthychildren.org

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 “Screenagers”

 Award-winning documentary exploring the effects on the

brain of teenagers.
 Created by pediatrician and mother, Dr. Delaney Ruston
 Explores social media in family life, including the director’s
own, depicts messy struggles over social media, video games,
academics and internet addiction
 Insights from authors and brain scientists
 Offers solutions on how we can empower kids to best
navigate the digital world.

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Final Remarks
Considering the negative effects of social
media, ask yourself these questions again:
1.WHAT is this new dynamic doing to
normal social interaction?
2.What impact do these social networks
have on their user’s mental health?

As we embark on this new social media

revolution let us be mindful of the significant
negative effects that come along with it, and
use our role as pediatric providers to promote
strategies for our patients and their families
for more meaningful use as well as
abstinence, for more positive mental health.
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 Thank
you!

QUESTIONS?
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