The Negative Effects Of Social Media Stress

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In another study, Lee found that as the number of social comparisons increased, anxiety and depression did too. Furthermore, it has been found that when a person experiences high levels of envy, the frequency of his or her passive consumption on face book and other social sites, is correlated with the exhibition of depressive symptoms. A number of studies on social media usage have found that “Facebook envy”- looking at others on social media in a negative light- is related to higher exhibition of depressive signs (Seabrook et al, 2016). People’s profiles on social media tend to reflect perfection, as they post only what they choose to share with the world. They share their successes and their good times. Relationships built on these false or incomplete portrayals will inevitably be superficial and false. Studies have shown that these superficial connections can have a negative effect on mental health and provoke depression (Amedie, 2015).
In addition to leading to negative social interaction, according to Amedie (2015), social media can cause depression anxiety by causing stress. Stress activates our fight or flight system and causes cortisol, a stress hormone, to be released. This constant state of stress then causes anxiety. A consistent release of the stress hormone may further lead to depression anxiety by leading to negative responses between the brain and body which then further cause depression anxiety. Constantly trying to portray a perfect image on social sites

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