Social Media

Social Media provides people the ability to connect readily and often. It affords the ability to stay in touch throughout life’s transitions. We can watch young adults head off to college, families grow, jobs change, and more. We can support those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, we can send birthday wishes and quick hellos. We are no longer limited by distance.

However, there are many negatives to social media, especially for the younger generations. People may be less transparent on social media than when face to face; people can show only what they want to show and not the whole of their lives. Interacting with others via social media can create a false sense of security and people may post things they would never say in person. For many, social media promotes an unhealthy comparison to others, gathering feelings of self worth from the number of friends, views and likes received. All of this can create a sense of loneliness and emptiness.

Especially for the younger generation, therapy can provide an opportunity to explore the association between social media and psychological well being and to learn ways to engage in social media use that contributes to positive health outcomes.