Negative Mental Health in Social Media and the Positives

Let’s face it. Is social media doing any good for our Mental Health? The simple answer is no. Social media does not do any good for our Mental health, and it’s showing. Just imagine TikTok getting shut down by the government; you don’t have to imagine that; it actually happened. When this happened, people went crazy because of it. Their Mental Health side of it really showed. This is just one social media platform that has done no good for your Mental health; there are others to discuss. 

Mental Health is one of the most discussed subjects in today’s world. Why do we talk about it? Because of its current effect on the earth, mental health is an essential subject to highlight. Mental Health can be a problem for some people, and we all know that social media does not help that. 

When it comes to your phone, you probably spend most of your time scrolling through social media—TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, you name it. We all use one of these platforms during the day. Most people don’t know that it affects our Mental Health in some way. 

Today, I will examine three major social media platforms: Instagram, TikTok, and X. These are some of the biggest platforms on the market today. I will discuss the negative effects of social media on mental health and examine the positive aspects of these platforms. 

Let’s start with Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms out there right now. This app is tied to many adverse effects on our mental health. Here is a list, 

1. Comparison & Self-Esteem Issues – Constant exposure to curated, edited, and idealized images can lead to negative self-perception and lower self-esteem.
2. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) – Seeing others’ highlight reels can create anxiety and the feeling that you’re missing out on experiences.
3. Addiction & Dopamine Hits – The platform’s design encourages compulsive scrolling and engagement, reinforcing addictive behaviors.
4. Sleep Disruptions – Late-night scrolling can interfere with sleep quality due to blue light exposure and overstimulation.
5. Cyberbullying & Harassment – Negative comments, trolling, and online bullying can significantly impact mental well-being.
6. Unrealistic Beauty Standards – Filters and photo editing tools promote unattainable beauty ideals, which can contribute to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.

This is a crazy list! Let me break it down. When you use Instagram, they have what they call “highlight reels” built into the app; this can cause FOMO. FOMO is Fear of Missing Out. When some people look at Instagram’s “highlight reels,” they might get what we call FOMO, which means this can create anxiety and the fear that you are missing out on what you see. We also have Comparison & Self-Esteem Issues and Unrealistic Beauty Standards, which I could put together. When people use Instagram, Unrealistic Beauty Standards definitely appear in this app. You can use filters and photo editing tools to promote unattainable beauty ideals/standards that, when others see your photos, it can lead to a negative self-perception of how one should look. Just look at some of the top-followed people on the app. Some of them show Unrealistic Beauty Standards. Sleep disruptions is another big issue. I’m guilty of doing this most nights. I will go on Instagram before going to bed. This can lead to many problems, but the big issue is that exposure to blue light before going to bed can interfere with your sleep quality. Now, this isn’t even Instagram’s fault. It’s your phone that creates this blue light, but we are drawn to it because of the apps on our phones. Instagram being one of those apps. 

Another app we often use is TikTok. This app was recently banned in the U.S., but it was unbanned when Donald Trump became president for the second time in his career. The U.S. government believed that TikTok, which a Chinese company owns, was giving the Chinese government the data from the app for its own good. But that’s not the reason why I brought this app up. I’m talking about this app because of the effect it’s having on our mental health. Here is a list of the impact it has, 

1. Shortened Attention Span – Constant exposure to quick, bite-sized content can make it harder to focus on long-form tasks like reading or studying.
2. Addictive Nature – The “infinite scroll” and personalized algorithm can lead to hours of mindless scrolling, making stopping difficult.
3. Comparison & Self-Esteem Issues – Seeing influencers with seemingly perfect lives can lead to unrealistic expectations and body image concerns.
4. Misinformation – False or misleading content spreads quickly, especially regarding health, news, and self-improvement.
5. Sleep Disruptions – Many users struggle with “just one more video” syndrome, staying up later than intended.
6. Toxic Trends & Challenges – Some viral trends can be dangerous or promote unhealthy behaviors, especially among younger users.
7. Cyberbullying & Negativity – Comment sections can be harsh, leading to stress and anxiety for creators and viewers alike.

Again, like Instagram, this is a huge list. Most of the topics on this list are the same as Instagram: same Comparison & Self-Esteem Issues, Addictive Nature, Sleep Disruptions, Cyberbullying & Negativity. But what I see in TikTok is a Shortened Attention Span gained by Constant exposure to quick, bite-sized content. This can make it harder for the user to focus on the long-form task. This task can be reading a book or even studying. Most of the time, people want the short-form content because it’s quicker to consume. They won’t want to get up and read a book because of its long-form. TikTok’s Disgen is all about fresh short-form content “for you.” they train the brain to crave quick dopamine hits. This can make engaging with longer, more mentally demanding tasks like reading a book or studying harder. The other thing is misinformation, which is vast in today’s world. Most apps have difficulty dealing with false news, and TikTok is one of them. Most of the time, when I was on TikTok, I would come across fake news that made me question if it was real for a second. Some people think the same way but send that fake news to their friends, who would then do the same thing, sending this fake news to others. Now, this fake news is spreading like wildfire. 

The next big app to discuss is X, formerly known as Twitter. When Elon Musk bought it out, he changed the name to X. This app has faced much controversy over the years due to its many problems and effects on mental health. You will start to see that most of these apps have the same issues.

1. Shortened Attention Span – Since tweets are limited in length, users get used to consuming bite-sized information, making it harder to focus on long-form content.
2. Constant Outrage & Negativity – Twitter thrives on hot takes, debates, and controversy, which can create stress, anxiety, and even anger.
3. Doomscrolling – The never-ending feed encourages excessive scrolling, often exposing users to negative news and distressing topics.
4. Addiction & Instant Gratification – The quick, real-time nature of Twitter makes it easy to keep checking for updates, leading to compulsive usage.
5. Echo Chambers & Polarization – Users often engage with people who share their views, reinforcing biases and deepening societal divisions.
6. Cyberbullying & Harassment – Anonymity and public replies can lead to trolling, online harassment, and toxic interactions.
7. Misinformation & Sensationalism – News spreads fast but not always accurately, leading to confusion and misinformation.

It’s no secret that all these big social media apps are showing significant threats to our mental health. Based on my findings, we see that all of these big three platforms, Instagram, TikTok, and X, are showing effects on Attention Span, doomscrolling, cyberbullying & Harassment, misinformation, and Addiction. But what if there was a way to change the negative and turn it into a positive? Is there a way we can do that? Let us find out! 

Let’s first examine Instagram. It has a long list of adverse effects on our mental health, but let’s not let that distract us. Let’s turn those negatives into positives. 

1. Creative Expression – It provides an outlet for self-expression through photography, writing, and art. 

Instagram is a way for most people to share their creations with the world. Some of the best art I’ve seen has come from Instagram itself. People can show who they are and gain a following to showcase their art, such as photography, writing, art, etc. 

2. Inspiration & Motivation – Seeing others’ achievements and lifestyles can inspire personal growth and new goals.

Sometimes, I see a post that motivates me. This is a massive factor in photography. Instagram allows me to see what others are doing and inspires me to go out and take photos.

3. Community & Connection – It helps people stay connected with friends, family, and like-minded individuals, fostering a sense of belonging.

This one is an obvious answer. We use Instagram because of the connections we feel in the app. That could be through friends or other people you follow. It helps us stay connected with our friends and family by sending other posts or reels that we think they will also enjoy. It gives us a sense of belonging.

Now let’s look at TikTok. Even though I’m not a fan of TikTok and firmly believe that it should have stayed banned, there are some positive aspects to consider.  

1. Career & Business Growth – Many creators and small businesses use TikTok to gain visibility and grow their audience.

When TikTok added the “TikTok shop” to its platform, it was huge for small business owners, who could use the app to drive traffic to their businesses. 

2. Community & Belonging – Niche communities help people connect with others who share their interests and experiences.

On TikTok, there is a community for everyone. The “For You Page” is considered your community on the app. 

3. Engaging & Fast Learning – Short, informative videos make learning new skills or concepts quick and accessible. 

TikTok is all about short content, and they even have a “STEM” section in the app that is meant for educational short-form videos to help the user learn about a subject or even learn a new skill.  They have added this part into the app to encourage educational content and provide a dedicated space for learning-focused videos.

Now, let us look at the final platform that we were talking about today, X. This app has faced a lot of critical feedback over the past couple of years, but there are some positives in the negatives that we discussed. 

1. Networking & Career Growth – Professionals can connect with industry leaders, potential employers, and colleagues.

A lot of professionals use X as a way to connect with industry leaders or employers. This is also a platform where many connect with colleagues. 

2. Real-Time Information & News –  what is on X is Real-Time Information & News. X is the biggest platform for breaking news and live updates. 

Most of the time, you see real-time information & news on X. 

So, what did we learn? These platforms have negative effects on our mental health. That’s no secret. But these apps also have positives that people find in these apps, and that’s why some of them use them. Instagram, TikTok, and X have a massive list of negatives, more than I could have put in this article, but the truth is that these apps do have some good in them. 

At the end of the day, I’m not telling you to delete these apps immediately; I’m telling you that you should look at some of these negatives and ask yourself, do any of these apps that I mentioned, if you use any of them, do they have a negative effect on your mental health, and if so, you should consider if you want to continue using the app. From experience, some of these apps that I have listed have shown a negative effect on my mental health, and that is why I decided to step away from the app for now.