Social Media May Help Seniors With Depression

Often times, social media is associated with many negative connotations. Some people claim it can be addictive and potentially cause ADHD. Others warn about its dark underbelly and the predators who use it to sell drugs or scam account holders. But let it be known that there are many positive aspects to this medium as well. It all depends on how people choose to use it. And, as a recent study showed, for lonely seniors, social media is proving itself to be a powerful tool.

Reuters Health recently reported that people 67 and older who live in assisted living communities have found sites like Facebook and YouTube to be incredibly inspiring. And for those of them who suffer from chronic pain (as many older Americans do), depression levels dropped significantly following regular usage of social media.

The research specifically revealed that 15 percent of seniors dealing with pain showed signs of depression. When sites like Facebook entered the equation, however, that number changed to just 6 percent. Study co-author (and University of Michigan at Ann Arbor professor) Shannon Ang attributed that shift to the sense of community that social media brings. Even if family members and friends live far away, these web destinations make them feel much closer.

“Using online social media to maintain contact with family members and friends is a good way to compensate for seniors who restrict their social activities due to pain. It is not going to replace seeing people in person, but it will help supplement their reduced activities,” Ang explained. “For us, this study is about preserving mental health.”

The only hiccup is that many people within this age group are somewhat unfamiliar with these sites and how they work. So despite the fact that a place like Facebook can drastically decrease depression symptoms, only 17 percent of that population regularly logs on.

This, of course, will change as younger generations enter their senior years and it will be very interesting to see what kind of role social media will play for the next set of older Americans. But for now, we agree that these types of sites should be strongly considered in the fight against elderly depression. And on that note, we encourage family members to teach their parents and grandparents about the benefits of staying virally connected.

“It’s very well known that social support is helpful for depression and physical symptoms,” Ang concluded. “It’s a growing area of interest in research and clinical care.”

‘YouTube’ Becomes Outlet For Mental Health Struggles

The modern age is certainly upon us and with that, are dozens of new outlets for people to share their feelings and find support. One interesting avenue is the video sharing social network, YouTube. With billions of users and clips on every topic imaginable, the site has become a haven for self-expression. And that includes those who deal with mental health struggles, such as anxiety and depression. In fact, some of the world’s most successful YouTubers have gained notoriety for their honest vlog confessionals.

The digital news site Engadget covered this trend recently, in an insightful article that profiled the public issues of YouTube’s top talent. Elle Mills, a popular vlogger with 1.4 million subscribers, recently opened up about the ongoing pressures in her life and how it has been affecting her mental state.

“My life just changed so fast,” she explained in the biographical video. “My anxiety and depression keeps getting worse and worse. This [online fame] is all I ever wanted, and why the f**k am I so freaking unhappy? It doesn’t make any sense. It’s so stupid. It is so stupid.”

Other major stars on the channel, such as Casey Neistat and PewDiePie, have also recorded long confessionals detailing their mental health struggles. Interestingly it’s these types of clips that have  proven to be their most viral, reaching millions upon millions of viewers across the globe.

The article goes on to detail how success on a social network like YouTube can actually contribute to some of these issues. As people become more popular, the pressure often increases to deliver quick, compelling clips (all without a regular salaried paycheck). There are also concerns when it comes to video comments. We are all aware of “internet trolls.” And the more popular someone becomes online, the more likely they are to be the subject of hateful language. This, in turn, can lead to depression and serious self-esteem issues.

YouTube the company (which happens to be part of Google) is aware of the problem and is starting to take proactive steps to help users detailing their struggles online. Efforts are currently underway to provide video creators with mental health services and at company-funded events like VidCon, there will now be on site support groups.

While we fully support people turning to the web as a therapeutic support system, we also encourage them to explore in-person treatment options. If you or someone you are close to is expressing dark feelings online, now is the time to seek out help.

Social Media May Contribute To Anger Issues

Within our practice, we have seen firsthand just how common (and destructive) anger issues can be within a person’s life. There is no denying that the day-to-day grind is chock full of stressors, but interestingly enough, there may be another big contributor to the rise of rage. According to new research from The Independent, social media may play a significant role for people facing this very real problem.   The UK news site shared insights from Mike Fisher, who happens to be the head of the British Association of Anger Management. He has written several books on the topic and worked in the field for over two decades. One thing he highlighted in his interview was the increase of cases that he’s been seeing through his organization. And one of the prime contributors, he claims, is the rise of social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.   “I can speak for myself, I am a complete Facebook addict,” Fisher openly admitted. “I notice I read less, spend less time just getting to chill out, and I can see it becoming a real problem. When someone who is very disconnected and emotionally inept and who is depressed and angry and feels lost, social media gives your life meaning and helps to connect in a very disconnected kind of way. My concern is that as a culture we are finding things to distract us from what’s important. For the average person the big problem is constantly distracting ourselves from our feelings.”   And that, Fisher claims, is the biggest concern for people pouring their free time into social apps. Finding new ways to distract yourself (and we all know what a distraction something like Facebook can be), pushes you away from facing your real problems. It also can create isolation, which is actually ironic since you may have tons of social “friends” who you actually don’t physically interact with.   So while this certainly isn’t a “high alert” concern, we believe it is worth noting. Social media can certainly be its own form of addiction and, truth be told, lead to some negative consequences down the line. Our advice is to simply do self evaluations from time to time and take a moment to see how much of your day you’re actually committing to these sites. And remember. if you are experiencing anger issues, the last thing you want to do is ignore them.   “Stop and take a look at the big picture,” White concluded in his Independent interview. “Anger isn’t going to go away. You have to face it head on and come to terms with the fact you’re angry, and you’ll have to do something about it sooner or later.”