How Does Social Media Impact Loneliness?

In today’s digital age dominated by technology and the internet, social media plays a crucial role in how we connect and interact with each other. While social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat can be fun ways to stay connected with our friends and loved ones, research suggests that excessive social media usage may be a significant contributor to loneliness and isolation. In this article, we’ll explore the complex relationship between social media and loneliness through empirical findings.

Defining Loneliness

Loneliness is often more than just being alone. It can be a deep feeling of isolation, even when we are surrounded by people. The feeling of loneliness can arise from the poor quality of one’s social relationships when those relationships fail to meet the person’s expectations or desires. Loneliness affects mental and physical health, increasing the risk of conditions like depression, anxiety, and even cardiovascular diseases. Thus, in this increasingly online world, it is crucial to look at the relationship between social media and loneliness.

Social Media and Loneliness: The Negative Side

Social media shares a very complicated relationship with loneliness, with mixed findings. Let’s look at the findings in depth.

• A study conducted in 2017 on the relationship between social media usage and perceived social isolation among young adults in the US found that young adults with high social media usage are likely to feel more socially isolated as compared to their peers with lower social media usage, which suggests that excess social media use may lead to feelings of loneliness.

• Another study conducted in 2021 had similar findings, where it was reported that people who feel lonely are more likely to engage in problematic or excessive social media usage in search of social support, but they may not receive the support they are looking for in online interactions, which can worsen feelings of loneliness.

 

• A recent study published in 2024 validated these findings, where it was found that loneliness and social media usage share a bi-directional relationship and both of them positively influence each other, which means feelings of loneliness can lead to problematic social media usage, and conversely, excessive social media usage increased feelings of loneliness.

The Positive Impact Of Social Media On Loneliness

While the above findings may make it seem like social media worsens feelings of loneliness, that may not always be the case. In fact there is enough evidence to suggest that limited social media usage can lower loneliness. Let’s look at these findings

• A study conducted in 2016 found that people who used image-based platforms like Instagram and Snapchat reported lower levels of loneliness compared to those using text-based platforms like Twitter, as visual content may increase feelings of connection 

• Another study conducted in 2018 discovered that limiting social media usage up to 30 minutes per day can help reduce feelings of loneliness

•  Research suggests that social media usage is beneficial for older adults in reducing their feelings and perception of loneliness. A study from 2013 found that internet and social media use significantly reduced loneliness and improved well-being, as it helped them maintain relationships and increased the quality of communication with others, enhancing their connection with friends and family

• Another study from 2016 had similar findings, where it was found that older adults who used social media reported feeling less isolated and also enhanced their overall well-being.

Thus, when used appropriately, social media can contribute to reduced loneliness for both young and older adults.

How To Manage The Negative Effects Of Social Media?

• Reduce screen time or social media usage to 30 minutes per day
• Prioritize face-to-face conversations over online interactions
• Set boundaries and cut off any social media accounts that impact your mental health negatively
• Use social media to connect with like-minded people and join communities with shared interests.
• If cutting down on social media seems overwhelming, consider seeking help from a trained therapist.

Conclusion:

Social media and loneliness share a complex and intricate relationship. While moderate and appropriate social media usage can help reduce loneliness, especially in older adults, excessive social media usage can contribute to increased loneliness. Thus, one needs to carefully introspect how social media impacts their feelings of loneliness and overall mental health and limit their social media usage accordingly.

References:

1. Chopik, W. J. (2016). The Benefits of Social Technology Use Among Older Adults Are Mediated by Reduced Loneliness. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 19(9), 551–556. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0151
2. Cotten, S. R., Anderson, W. A., & McCullough, B. M. (2013). Impact of internet use on loneliness and contact with others among older adults: Cross-sectional analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15(2), e39. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2306
3. Hunt, M. G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(10), 751–768. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2018.37.10.751
4. O’Day, E. B., & Heimberg, R. G. (2021). Social media use, social anxiety, and loneliness: A systematic review. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 3, 100070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100070
5. Pittman, M., & Reich, B. (2016). Social media and loneliness: Why an Instagram picture may be worth more than a thousand Twitter words. Computers in Human Behavior, 62, 155–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.084
6. Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Whaite, E. O., Lin, L. Y., Rosen, D., Colditz, J. B., Radovic, A., & Miller, E. (2017). Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.01.010
7. Wu, P., Feng, R., & Zhang, J. (2024). The relationship between loneliness and problematic social media usage in Chinese university students: A longitudinal study. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01498-4