Irony At Its Finest: Social Media Use May Lead To Social Isolation

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Social media platforms are widely used by people around the world regardless of age. People are hooked on their phones because of these sites. Joining one has almost become necessary. In fact, not having at least one profile on the Internet, has seemed to be a form of validation of one’s existence.

Apparently, contrary to its initial purpose, which is to strengthen the society, and make socializing easy and rampant, one study says, heavy use of social media sites may lead to social isolation.

According to a research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, use of social media sites such as Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram is associated with heightened feelings of loneliness. Co-author of the study, Brian Primack, was also shocked with the results.

“It’s social media, so aren’t people going to be socially connected?” Primack said. Primack is the director of the Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health at the University of Pittsburgh.

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Using social media may not be wholly social, after all

For the study, the team surveyed 1,787 adults based on the United States, ages 19 to 32. They asked them how they use 11 types of social media platforms. The survey also included questions about why and how they felt isolated during and after using the sites.

Results showed that people who used social media platforms more than 2 hours a day, are twice likely to experience social isolation than those who spent 20 minutes or less a day.

The researchers also learned that those most avid social media users, who visit sites 58 times or more a week, are three times more inclined to social isolation than those who visit the sites less than nine times per week.

Experts said, the connection between social media use and feelings of loneliness is still unclear. However, they have assumptions on why it happens.

According to researchers, it’s possible that people turn to social media use when they feel isolated in an attempt to feel less lonely. Another assumption says, heavy use of these platforms, and too much time spent on these sites may lead to people feeling isolated.

“We do not yet know which came first — the social media use or the perceived social isolation,” co-author Elizabeth Miller, professor of paediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, said.

“It’s possible that young adults who initially felt socially isolated turned to social media. Or it could be that their increased use of social media somehow led to feeling isolated from the real world,” she added.

Though, some studies say, face-to-face social interaction improves well-being, experts are uncertain if the effect is the same when done virtually.

The experts added, watching all these connections on screen may bring a feeling of isolation to the viewer. Social media users may also feel like they’re missing out when they see people having fun on vacation, or having their ‘perfect’ life. Being uninvited to parties, they see on their feeds could also add to that negative feeling of loneliness.

“You might watch all these interactions where it seems like everyone else is connecting,” Primack says.

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So, is there a way to avoid social isolation without leaving the virtual world?

Luckily for us, yes.

“What we know at this point is that we have evidence that replacing your real-world relationships with social media use is detrimental to your well-being,” says Holly Shakya, an assistant professor in the division of global public health at the University of California, San Diego, who wasn’t involved in the study.

“But we need further research to tease out the mechanisms and replicate the findings,” she added.

Shakya is also the author of the recent paper that focused on Facebook use. They tracked people’s well-being while using social media sites, and learned the negative impact of these platforms on physical, mental health and life satisfaction.

“Where we want to be cautious … is when the sound of a voice or a cup of coffee with a friend is replaced with ‘likes’ on a post,” Shakya said.

However, experts said there could be a way to use these sites without affecting our wellness. In fact, the researchers are now working on new studies towards knowing if the effect of social media could vary if people use it actively or passively.

“While it may seem that social media presents opportunities to fill that social void, I think this study suggests that it may not be the solution people were hoping for, “ Primack says.

Primack also noted that the study was conducted within a particular age group. The findings shouldn’t generally applied to all ages, as well as races. Age plays a major role on the effects of social media in mental health, and wellness.

Meaning, the impact of these sites could vary depending on age. Older adults are more likely to suffer from social isolation compared to younger individuals.

He added, “we are inherently social creatures, but modern life tends to compartmentalise us instead of bringing us together.”

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