Social media can be pretty depressive on their own, but they can damage people who already have some problems even more.
A recent study by UCL researchers reveals that therapy aimed at addressing problematic social media use can effectively enhance the mental wellbeing of individuals with depression.
Let's find out more.
The power of distraction
The study indicates that interventions targeting excessive social media use can assist adults facing mental health challenges due to their online habits.
Problematic usage refers to instances where social media becomes a distraction from important tasks in a person's life.
Past experiments have indicated that excessive social media use can lead to bad mental health outcomes, like depression and anxiety.
The research examined over 20 research papers spanning 2004-2022 and found that decreased social media usage improved mental wellbeing in almost 40% of cases.
Notably, 70% of studies saw a significant decrease in depression after interventions.
Therapy-based approaches were particularly effective, improving mental wellbeing in over 80% of cases, compared to 20% with limited social media use and 25% with complete abstinence.
Why is that research important?
The study aims to contribute to future guidance for policymakers and clinicians dealing with these issues, although more research is required to determine the specific groups that could benefit most from these interventions.
