The Effects of digital Media

on Mental Health

BY: Areege Chaudhary

Ian Sanderson || Flickr

Is our increased

use and dependence on digital

media affecting

our mental health?

Sean MacEntee || Flickr

Although there is no clear cut answer yet,

psychological research has observed that there are added stresses that come along with digital

media use.

aaayyymmm || flickr

Did you know…

In 2012, 1 in 10 Canadians met the

criteria for at least one of the following:

major depressive episode, bipolar

disorder, generalized anxiety disorder

and/or drug abuse.

|| Molostock || freepikPearson, Caryn, Teresa Janz, and Jennifer Ali. Mental And Substance Use Disorders In Canada. 1st ed. Stancan, 2013. Web. 19 oct, 2016.

As well…

In 2015, Ottawa public health epidemiologists published a study that found that teens who

spend more than 2 hours a day on social

media report “poor self-rated mental

health, psychological distress, and suicidal

ideation”.

Payne, Elizabeth. "Teens' Poor Mental Health Linked To Social Media Use". Ottawa Citizen. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Although correlation does not always equal causation, it is beneficial to be aware of some of the negative affects that DIGITAL

media use is having on our mental wellbeing.

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We’re addicted…

In the age group where social media use is

most prevalent (18-29), it has

been found that on average,

Canadians spend roughly 47

hours a week on the internet.

Krashinsky, Susan. "Four Ways Canadians Are Consuming Media Differently". The Globe and Mail. N.p., 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Additionally, Americans aged 18 and older spend more than 11 hours a day

on electronic devices.

Richter, Felix. "Infographic: Americans Use Electronic Media 11+ Hours A Day". Statista Infographics. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

If we are awake for 16 hours a

day, that’s almost 70% of

our time staring at a screen!

vhbphotoart || flickr

That also means that we are spending less time

interacting with the real world around us.

Its getting so ridiculous that in some households, people within the same building would rather

text each other than talk face to face.

|| Designed by FreepikBielski, Zosia. "Portrait Of An E-Family: How They're Making Their Hyper-Digital Lives Work". The Globe and Mail. N.p., 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Notably, In 2015, a study showed that

having limited face-to-face social

contact nearly doubles someone’s

risk of having depression.

"Research: Face-To-Face Socializing More Powerful Than Phone Calls, Emails In Guarding Against Depression". OHSU. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Oct. 2016 || JCOMp || Freepik.

It also affects our sleeping patterns…

Small electronic Devices emit enough light to disrupt our circadian rhythms

and promote wakefulness.

Therefore leading to a less restful sleep.

"Electronics In The Bedroom: Why It’S Necessary To Turn Off Before You Tuck In". National Sleep Foundation. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016. || jcomp || flickr

• Feelings of loneliness

• A low mood• Negative thoughts

• Psychotic episodes

• A general struggle to deal with everyday life

A lack of restful sleep can lead to:

"What Is The Relationship Between Sleep And Mental Health?". Mind.org.uk. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016. || jimpic || flickr

The use of digital media promotes multitasking

In a study conducted by students in Oregon, USA:

-On average, people perform better when working on

one task however, people in the group of “experienced

multi-taskers” perform better in a multitasking

environment.

-Multitasking is so prevalent among users of digital media that their

brains are being rewired to be more efficient at it.

Reddy, Sumathi. "Teen Researchers Defend Media Multitasking; Doing Homework With Music, Texts, Tweets Works Better For Some". Wall Street Journal. N.p., 2016. web.

Photoduet || flickr

HOWEVER, MULTITASKING LEADS TO THE CONSTANT RELEASE OF ADRENALINE AND CORTISOL. THIS steady flow of stress can lead to physical ailments such as headaches and stomach problems, as

well as mental issues like anxiety and depression.

Woolston, Chris. "Multitasking And Stress". Healthday. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

In addition to everything else, SOCIAL MEDIA USE in particular HAS SOME NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF ITS Own.

alvaro_cabrera || freepik

Whiting, Anita and David Williams. "Why People Use Social Media: A Uses And Gratifications Approach". Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal 16.4 (2013): 362-369. Web.

• IT Causes us to compare ourselves to unrealistic expectations

• We have to constantly worry about maintaining a “cool” and well-liked online persona

• Spending a lot of time looking at other people’s content can trigger envy, loneliness and a sense of exclusion.

mkhmarketing || flickrKrasnova, Hanna et al. Envy On Facebook: A Hidden Threat To Users' Life Satisfaction. 1st ed. Berlin: N.p., 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

BUT DON’T WORRY, THERE IS a way to ease the stress and

it doesn’t involve

throwing away all of our

electronics!

Jo Naylor || Flickr

We can relieve some of our digital media stresses by doing the following:

jcomp || freepik

• Shutting off non-essential notifications

• Putting our phones away for social interaction and focus

• not comparing our own lives with somebody else’s highlight reel

• Focusing on one thing at a time

• And, Unplugging from digital media for a set time everyday (maybe before bed!)

champery || flickr