Though there is uncertainty surrounding how social media both positively and negatively impacts mental health, a recent study shows a correlation between usage and lower self-esteem. In their findings, it was due to people with lower self-esteem generally being more willing to sacrifice in-person connection for online connection as the idea of interpersonal relations bring feelings of discomfort or awkwardness. They also found that, by continent, Australia has the highest correlation between social media use and lower self-esteem and North America actually has the lowest.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/201911/new-analysis-social-media-use-is-harmful-self-esteem

It is evident that with more social media use, there is a larger opportunity for comparison, as social media allows users to view millions of others users “lives” from all over the world or different lifestyles. Psychologists found a heavy association between social media use and body image issues, dieting, and self-objectification. Many of the popular social media platforms are heavily visual. This drives that culture of comparison and reliance on looks and appearance for approval or validation. This has had ripple effects on young teens personal worth and confidence.

https://time.com/4459153/social-media-body-image/

With everyone staying at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, there has been concern over the development, worsening, or relapsing of mental health struggles for many. Tik Tok is doing it’s part in helping create a positive atmosphere for users while they are at home. A thread was created showcasing users and their personal healthy coping mechanisms and positive things they are doing during this quarantine to stay mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy.

https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/taking-time-for-mental-health-with-tiktok

Addiction can come in many forms. It is accompanied by a dependency on whatever it is one is addicted to. In this case, researchers were able to study the patterns of dependency as it relates to social media use. The did so by implementing a psychological task called the Gambling task, which helps gauge value-based decision-making skills. This task was presented as though it was a game to win money, however the questions were tailored to reveal their dependency on social media. They found that those that spent more time on social media ended up with less money, supporting the idea that they have a higher dependency on it. If you feel like you may be addicted to social media, this article offers some coping mechanisms and tips to lessen your dependency.

https://www.verywellmind.com/excessive-social-media-use-4690882

Tik Tok has quickly become a large social media platform. Though many creators make videos in categories such as dancing and humor, many teens are using this platform as a means of “oversharing” in the best way possible. Sometimes through the use of self-deprecating humor and other times directly addressing their personal struggles, teens are being honest about their life experiences. These Tik Toks have created a sense of connection among those of shared experiences. Tik Tok has even gone as far as to provide resources for users that search “depression” or “suicide” rather than showing videos with that hashtag.

https://www.inquirer.com/health/tiktok-teens-mental-health-philadelphia-20191231.html

The impact that the coronavirus pandemic is having on social media has been a pretty positive one, with the decreasing in posting the engagement rates have gone up. The reasons these rates have gone up is mostly because of the amount of people staying at home with nothing to do but scroll through social media platforms looking for entertainment. But with the severity of the virus many companies have become less involved or shut down completely.

Marketers have been working hard to really study what the consumers are needing during this time and ensuring they are marketing those products. Social media is a big way that marketers are getting to ensure those sales for their companies that are more than likely hurting during this time. They are focusing more on the quality and relevance of their marketing strategies more than just getting them out there.

Some companies more than others are seeing a rise in engagement on their social medias, specifically the companies that are thriving with the pandemic. The most popular being alcohol engagement rates because of the amount people are drinking in their houses to stay entertained. This gives us a bit of inside into the social media users and how we might increase engagement once this pandemic is over.