Introduction

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            According to Tufts University, social media refers to “the means of interactions among people in which they create, share and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks”. In short, this means social media is intended to be a place for us to share about our lives, things we create and is in general, a place for us to be ourselves. 

How do you use social media? To express yourself? To relax and unwind? To keep up with others? However you choose to use social media, it’s use has an effect on you. It can help you relax; it can help you meet new people and more. With all of that also comes the possibility of social media affecting your happiness, and it might not always be in a good way. 

            Did you ever see your friends post that they hanging out together, and maybe you weren’t invited? Or have you seen a post about something happening in the world that is upsetting? Maybe the thought of feeling obligated to keep up appearances on social media weighs you down. I personally have felt this. I feel I have to post on Instagram ever so often so that I can keep my profile updated. I feel a little down if my picture gets less likes than it normally would, or if I don’t get as many comments.

            Scientists have studied how social media affects happiness. They have concluded that social media use is indirectly correlated with a person’s happiness, which is a finding that we probably didn’t want to hear. However, other scientists have realized that for some people, social media allows them to connect with others, expand our knowledge and express themselves in ways that they cannot in real life.  

 

 

Negative Effects on Happiness:

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Did you know that there is a whole institute that’s dedicated to studying happiness? It is called The Happiness Research Institute and their mission according to their website is “to inform decision-makers of the causes and effects of human happiness, make subjective well-being part of the public policy debate and improve overall quality of life for citizens across the world”. They’ve recently conducted studies and published work correlating to wellbeing during COVID-19.  The Happiness Research Institute conducted a study in 2015 that looked at the effects of people not using Facebook for one week. They used a happiness scale before and after the week was over, so that they could track the changes of the participants happiness. The scientists found that the people who took a break from liking and posting on Facebook were more likely to be happier at the end of the week. This led to them being more socially active during the weekend and going out to spend time with friends. This surprises me, who knew that taking a break from seeing what friends are up to online would make you want to go out and see them even more? However, I do see the perks of taking breaks from social media because then you have so much more you can talk about with friends since you haven’t caught up all week! 

            It all depends on what you’re seeing posted on your feed. If you’re seeing friends get promotions, have more fun or do things you wish you could be doing, it may hurt to see. You may feel that should be you, or that you’re lesser than them or behind them. This will reduce happiness because you feel less satisfied with your life, or that you aren’t living it to it’s fullest. And it’s not just with friends. Seeing celebrities post about their lavish lives is bound to make us feel a little less positive about ours. I mean why can’t I live in a multi-million-dollar mansion with tons of dogs and a huge pool?

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Positive Effects on Happiness:

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In a study by Otrar & Argin (2014) and a similar one done by Taydas (2012), scientists looked into the effects of more time spent in one’s house and how they affected social media use. As individuals experienced more interaction with family that did not meet their social needs, they increasingly turned to social media to fulfill those needs. Most likely for support, friendship and to find people who could relate to them more. For example, if one were to have a family that were unsupportive of their sexuality, they may turn to internet forums or social media to find others who are that sexuality or who also have parents who do not support them. They find their own support system online because they feel the people who are physically there with them are not providing the support that they feel that they need. This then increases their happiness because they feel a new sense of belonging with people who are like them and support them.

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An Interesting Finding

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In relation to this, Ersun Cliplak, who studied social media addiction in relation to happiness, found that individuals who were happier tended to use social media less frequently and were less likely to have a social media addiction. In effect, those who felt unhappy turned to social media as a “door of hope” (Ciplak, 2020). So perhaps someone recently moved to a new town or was going through a rough patch in their life, they may turn to Instagram to see what others are doing, to meet new people, or just to see some funny dog videos. I can definitely see this in my own friends. The more carefree friends tend to be on social media less, only going on it a few times a week. They seem to care less about what others think of them, and don’t worry about others are doing. They focus on them and what makes them happy in their life. 

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Conclusion

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Social media is really about reflecting yourself and who you truly are. The feeling of pressure coming from social media can produce some negative effects on our happiness. We worry about our image and we can all feel pressured by social media. For teenagers and college students especially, we feel a need to compare ourselves to our peers and to keep up appearances. How many likes did I get? Did people comment? This is a daily struggle, and our phones being with us at all times is only making It worse. We saw that it has been shown that less time on social media correlates to more happiness and a higher likelihood of going and hanging out with friends in person. In addition, the presence of influencers and celebrities online makes us wish we could live their lives, making us jealous and less happy with our own lives. 

            However, there is always another side to it. Social media can provide an outlet for some. They may get to express their creativity and share what they have made. People find their community and their support groups online that they may not otherwise have access to in their home or town. Without social media, people who join these groups may feel alone, isolated or alienated. They may feel that their experience is not one that others have had and therefore they are not valid or able to be helped. Finding an online group of people like you is so important, and for some it can actually save their life. 

            An interesting finding that seems to contradict some other studies is that some people are actually happier when they refrain from using social media. This seems to only be true for those who have a support system in their life, since if they did not, they would likely be unhappy and turn to social media or some other outlet for support. This does not make the finding any less valid, but instead poses a question for us all.  How does social media make you feel? Asking yourself this question is very important because it could be hurting your happiness, or it could be helping it. Knowing which it is could make a huge difference. Do you feel dissatisfied when online? Do you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others and getting upset at yourself for not being more like them? Or have you found a home online? Have you met people that make you feel that you are part of a collective or that you are not alone in this world?

            The latter is the idea that we fail to consider when we usually look at the correlation between social media use and happiness. Scientists have found that social media can make us dissatisfied but when we stop to consider the individual situations that people are in, we can see that maybe social media isn’t harming everyone equally. Maybe there is still some true good in it for some. 

            I myself find myself to be in the middle of this. I enjoy keeping up with friends online, meeting new people with the same interests as me and sharing pictures of me and friends. However, I do find myself comparing myself to others, getting caught up in social media and trying to portray the perfect version of myself online, even if it is not truly me. I ask myself and you to dig deep into yourself and find out what social media does to you. Does it make you happy? Or is it more deteriorating than you think?

 

 

Bibliography:

 

Ciplak, Ersun. “Variables Predicting Social Media Addiction: Narcissism, Happiness and Average Weekly Time Spent On Social Media.” International Online        Journal of Educational Sciences, 19 Nov. 2020, web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=b18efc69-a7db-4932-a30c-c9a0b1d2a813%40sdc-v-  sessmgr01. 

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Colak, Tugba Seda, and Ugur Dogan. “Does the Use of Social Media Ensure Social Support and Happiness?” International Online Journal of Educational Sciences,    Http://Web.b.ebscohost.com/Ehost/Pdfviewer/Pdfviewer?Vid=1&Sid=49b1ee2a-d880-471e-8264-cf97bf669002%40pdc-v-sessmgr03, 15 Oct. 2016. 

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Roux, Reverend Eric. “Freedom of Belief Is the Key to Freedom.” Www.euractiv.com, EURACTIV.com, 15 June 2018, www.euractiv.com/section/freedom-of-thought/opinion/freedom-of-belief-is-the-key-to-freedom/. 

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“Social Media Overview.” Communications, Tufts University, 5 Mar. 2021, communications.tufts.edu/marketing-and-branding/social-media-overview/. 

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Sternbergh, Adam. “How to Be Happier.” The Week - All You Need to Know about Everything That Matters, The Week, 18 Aug. 2018, theweek.com/articles/789546/how-happier. 

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“The Happiness Research Institute: The Science of Well-Being.” The Happiness Research Institute, Happiness Institute, www.happinessresearchinstitute.com/. 

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Www.vernard.net. “Unhappy at Work? Find Your Reasons.” ActionCOACH, 4 Feb. 2018, www.actioncoach.com/blog/unhappy-work-find-reasons/. 

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