Facebook and Instagram are good ways to connect with friends. And they can give a nice ego boost. But researchers (University of Pittsburgh) shared that the more time we spend sharing, liking and hashtagging, the greater of depression we face. The study looked at 11 popular social networks.
There are a number of explanations for why social media is linked to depression, say researchers. On the one hand, perusing others’ curated photos showcasing the best moments of their lives may make many people feel inferior by comparison. On the other, the more hours a person fritters away browsing friends’ profiles the more disconnected they may feel from the actual real world and the more time they may feel they’re wasting. Disconnection and a sense time’s being wasted may foster a feeling of emptiness, meaninglessness, or a lack of purpose that exacerbates low moods.
Additionally, a sense of competition with others to get the most friends, followers, or likes coupled with the temptation to derive self-worth from how many comments and shares your posts receive, may breed a dependence on external sources of validation that leaves more sensitive folks in the emotional dust when no one acknowledges a post they were hoping to get a huge response from.