Social media is making us miserable: why?

Why do you usually use social media? Reconnecting with friends, sharing opinions, improving your mood, staying  updated on what’s going on in the world…

Researchers from the University of Pittsnurgh asked how much time they spent on social media; they also give them a standardize questionnaire for evaluating the risk of depression. The average was 61 minutes per day and it came out that the more time they spent on social media, the greater their risk of depression seemed to be.

Why is social media linked to depression? On the one hand, observing other people’s lives may make many people feel inferior by comparison. On the other hand, the more time you stay online, the more disconnected you may feel from the real world and the more time you may feel you are wasting. Moreover, you may feel a sense of competition with others to get the most friends, followers or likes.

Advice: seek happy distractions (cute animals, baby photos…) or positive comments! If you are stuck in a sense of misery, remember that taking a tech break is rarely a bad idea! Just pay attention to how you use social media…this is crucial for your mental health!