Using Multiple Social Networks May Lead To Depression and Anxiety, Says Study (dailydot.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Daily Dot: The more social media you use, the higher the likelihood that you'll be anxious or depressed. At least according to the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health. In a study published online this month with more than 1,700 millennial adults, it found people who report using seven to 11 social media platforms had more than three times the risk of depression or anxiety than millennials who use zero to two platforms. The participants were asked about the most popular social media platforms in 2014, the year the study was conducted, which included Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine, and LinkedIn. Those who used more than seven platforms showed higher levels of depressive symptoms, even when researchers controlled for factors like race, gender, relationship status, household income, education, and total time spent on social media. Brian A. Primack, lead author of the study, notes that the correlation is not certain. He told PsyPost: "It may be that people who suffer from symptoms of depression or anxiety, or both, tend to subsequently use a broader range of social media outlets. For example, they may be searching out multiple avenues for a setting that feels comfortable and accepting. However, it could also be that trying to maintain a presence on multiple platforms may actually lead to depression and anxiety. More research will be needed to tease that apart."

Comments

PLEASE MOD PARENT -1 REDUNDANT

[Anonymous Coward]

In the parent's haste to grab the first post, he failed to even fully read the summary. The summary offers two hypotheses. One is that people with depression use more social media networks in search of acceptance somewhere. The other hypothesis is that the stress caused by social media can lead to anxiety and depression. Although the headline describes one of those hypotheses, both are clearly presented in the summary. Therefore, there is nothing insightful about the parent. Please mod the parent -1 redundant.

However, there may also be a feedback. If a person seeks acceptance in a wider variety of social media circles and fails to receive it, that may worsen the depression. The types of interactions by depressed people on social media may actually lead to rejection, especially from people not aware the person is suffering from mental illness. Therefore, it may be a combination of both, and feedback from rejection due to depressed behavior. That's a third hypothesis.

Re:causality

[ShanghaiBill]

Of course, correlation does not imply causation, so naturally all studies and theories (including ours) are immediately excused as total and complete fabricated bullshit.

Nonsense. Observed correlation does not imply causation, but it often indicates it. So, although no one should conclude from this that social media activity causes depression, it does point in that direction. The true test is a controlled experiment that assigns people randomly to either activity on many sites, or limits them to just one, or maybe none. In a properly conducted controlled study, correlation certainly does imply correlation.