Social Media Use and Impact on Mental Health

Overview

• NAMI's Position: Believes in policies guided by credible research to mitigate negative impacts of social media on mental health, focusing on youth.
• Public Policies: Supports research into risks/benefits and policies to reduce risks, especially for youth and young adults.

Social Media Use in the U.S.

• Widespread Use: Extensively used across age groups, particularly prevalent among youth.
• Youth Mental Health Crisis: Rising concerns over mental health issues in youth correlating with increased social media use.

Benefits of Social Media

• Creativity & Community: Offers a platform for creative expression and forming supportive communities.
• Emotional Support: Important for marginalized identities like LGBTQ youth.
• Mental Health Interventions: Potential for platforms to provide mental health interventions and moderated peer support.

Risks of Social Media

• Mental Health Challenges: Linked to depression, cyberbullying, social comparison, exposure to harmful content, and sleep issues.
• Impact on Education: Negative effects on academic performance due to poor mental health linked to social media use.
• Body Image Concerns: Associated with body image issues and eating disorders.
• Lack of Research: Insufficient evidence on the safety of social media for children and adolescents.

Research and Policy Needs

• Protective Factors: Importance of resilience, digital literacy, and type of content engagement.
• Adolescent Development: Effects on cognitive and social development during adolescence.
• Barriers to Research: Lack of transparency and data sharing by platforms.
• NAMI’s Advocacy: Supports policies enabling research and risk mitigation, focusing on youth and young adults.

Communication About Social Media

• Opportunities vs. Risks: Balancing creativity and community building with exposure to risks.
• Youth and Mental Health: Concerns over social media's impact amidst a youth mental health crisis.
• Research Focus: Emphasizes need for research into long-term effects, benefits, and interventions.

Actions Taken by NAMI

• Resources: Provides resources on social media impact and screen time reduction.
• Advocacy Letters: Engagement with U.S. Surgeon General and Senate to highlight social media's impact.

Conclusion

• Research and Action: Continued research is needed to understand risks and benefits, coupled with immediate action to mitigate risks for youth.