Social Media Addiction Treatment

The way a person engages with a social media app can also have negative effects on a person’s mental health condition. Interestingly, symptoms of depression are more significant among users who use social media in a passive way (such as viewing other people’s posts) versus an active way (such as posting a picture).⁷

This can be due to the negative thoughts and feelings associated with looking at and comparing themselves to celebrities, people in fitness, classmates/friends, and higher socioeconomic users.² Though depressive symptoms are higher in those who passively use social media, it is also present in individuals who manage their profiles and images on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.⁸

Social Media Addiction and Anxiety

Anxiety has a significant role in social media use and can be exacerbated when you develop an addiction. Socially anxious individuals will use social media more frequently to regulate their social fears and compensate for the lack of social support experienced in the real world.¹⁵ For example, teens who experience a fear of loss with their friends will go on social media often to ensure they are responding to and checking all of their friends’ messages regularly.⁵

However, excessive time spent on social media takes away time from forming meaningful relationships in person or face-to-face, achieving personal goals, and having time to oneself without all the pressures involved in social media.⁹ While individuals seek communities to combat loneliness and social isolation, they may find communities that can be detrimental to their recovery from an eating disorder.¹²

The Link Between Social Media Addiction, Body-Image Issues, and Eating Disorders

Multiple studies have also shown a correlation between social media use and negative body image, specifically with using Instagram. For example, young women who follow Instagram accounts that are appearance-focused or fitness-inspired often have an increase of negative feelings towards their body (thin-ideal internalization, body surveillance, drive for thinness, self-objectivation, and body image concerns).^{1, 2} Research shows that individuals post images online that make themselves appear thinner and “more attractive,” which leads to unrealistic expectations of their appearance, even to themselves.¹²

Due to the ability to like and comment on pictures on social media, people who desire and need validation/praise are more likely to use social media to gain that validation. Teens will not only alter their appearance for gratification but engage in risky social media challenges and negative behaviors to feel more socially relevant and included.⁴

From clinical experience, we have noticed that clients tend to fall into a cycle with their Instagram use and experience heightened anxiety. For example, they will see pictures of others on social media, compare themselves to the pictures, experience negative self-thoughts/decrease in self-esteem, edit/alter their own pictures, and post altered versions of these pictures to receive validation and gratification. However, their sense of gratification is momentary and typically diminishes when the client sees another picture or post from someone they admire. This can lead them to fall into the cycle of feeling bad about themselves again.