New research shows that social media is taking a toll on the mental health of its users.

Advancement in technology and social media over the past decade has brought people closer together than ever. Our loved ones living across the globe are now available to us through the touch of a button. The benefits of these technologies are endless, but how do they affect us after we log off?

JAMA Psychiatry, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal, published an article earlier this month displaying evidence that teenagers who use social media for more than 30 minutes a day may have increased mental health risks.

The study shows that the longer teens spend on social media, the more susceptible they are. Teens who spend three hours or more each day had a 60 per cent higher risk of mental health problems compared to teens who didn’t use social media. Those who spent six or more hours more increased their risk by 78 per cent.

These results weren’t surprising to Diane Fjordbotten, Lethbridge College’s Learning Café coordinator. Fjordbotten says the way we use social media can create unrealistic expectations for ourselves.

“We never post about the things that make us miserable, people only post about the good things,” said Fjordbotten. “Because we’re sort of cherry-picking the best pieces of our lives to share we’re giving people kind of a false impression.”

These apps and technologies have become an integral part of daily life for most teens and young adults. Many members of this demographic admit to feeling pressure to check social media and post online frequently.

For these reasons, Miranda Payne, a Lethbridge College nursing student, recently chose to take a break from social media. She says heightened anxiety and self-esteem issues drove her to quit cold turkey.

“It had a huge impact on my mental health. [It has given] me even more anxiety from looking at others, whether it’s comparing myself to other women, thinking I should look a certain way. You can’t help but subconsciously compare yourself to these people,” said Payne.

Payne ended up taking a 45-day vacation from her social media platforms. She says the experience was beneficial to her mental well-being even despite experiencing FOMO or the fear of missing out.

FOMO is defined as anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website. Merriam Webster officially added this term to the dictionary in 2016.

Payne ultimately chose to return to social media to keep up with friends and family as she lives away from home. She says her time away has made her more conscious of the way she uses social media.

“Now that I’m back on social media, I notice myself getting exhausted more easily. I’m more aware now that my phone consumes a majority of my time and breaks are important,” Payne said.

Limiting screen time and social media usage may seem impossible in our current digital age, but they may be helpful practices in the long run.