Facebook has the ability to either worsen or improve mental health

London: A new study finds that Facebook can either help people recover from mental health problems or make their symptoms worse, with the key being to use the social networking tool cautiously and strategically.

While some study participants said having a Facebook profile helped them rebuild their identities after a mental health crisis, others said it made their situation worse.
‘We discovered that their paranoid, manic, and depressive symptoms could worsen as well as improve while on Facebook,’ said lead researcher Keelin Howard this week at the British Sociological Association’s annual conference in Glasgow.
Howard from Buckinghamshire New University conducted research with 20 people ranging in age from 23 to 68 and suffering from conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety.

She discovered that social media platforms such as Facebook could provide an important source of social support and connection during her recovery.
‘Many participants spoke of how Facebook could improve their mood by keeping in touch with friends and receiving positive self-affirmation when other people liked or commented on their posts,’ she said.
However, some participants claimed that it had exacerbated their condition.

When they were sick, all of the participants who had psychosis or paranoia found Facebook especially difficult to use. It frequently exacerbated or triggered paranoid feelings, leading to an increase in delusions or psychotic thinking,’ Howard explained.
Some became upset that other people’s posts were directed at them, while others became paranoid about how others would react to their posts.
When they were ill, all participants with schizophrenia believed that Facebook was harmful.

However, many people have learned how to use Facebook wisely over time.
All participants used Facebook strategically, having learned over time and through experience how to protect and improve their own and others’ mental health and well-being.
‘They had devised a number of protective strategies, such as only ‘friending’ close and trusted friends and taking Facebook breaks,’ she concluded.

Back to top button

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker