The Complex Relationship Between Social Media and Health

Abstract

This article presents a series of issues related to the topic of the reciprocal relationship between health and social media. The research questions and provided arguments consider the benefits and negative effects of social media use in terms of health. The main argument is that it has had both effects on people and provided both opportunities and threats in that realm, emphasizing that further research is needed. The author’s personal experiences and opinions are used to support the argument and show that messages can be spread quickly and create both positive and negative responses on social media. People have been using it for both purposes, raising awareness about mental health, and distress and sharing misinformation and promoting idealized lifestyles. The research questions are rather relevant and can be helpful in defining the future goals of further research in terms of the negative and positive side effects of social media use on mental and physical health. The main insights are related to the fact that social media can be used both for good by raising awareness about certain diseases, sharing information, and creating virtual online health communities and for intruding into private lives and spreading anxiety, depression, or sleep disorders. Balancing social media use with other activities and a critical approach to that could be a solution to both understanding and using it for one’s benefits, suggesting an approach to further research.