The Negative Effects of Snapchat on Mental Health

ePharma Summit
Aug 24, 2017 · 2 min read

The selfies, the filters, the stories — it all seems like innocent fun and a great way to connect with friends and family. But could the mega-popular Snapchat app have a negative effect on mental health? According to some experts, it does, and now is the time to take action.

A recent survey of1,500 people aged 14–24 across the UK by The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and Young Health Movement found which social media channels they think impacts their mental health based on 14 mental well-being issues ranging from anxiety and loneliness to community building and body shaming. Snapchat and Instagram were the worst, with YouTube being viewed as the most positive. Snapchat and Instagram focus heavily on photos, which can be a difficult issue for teenagers and young adults dealing with self-esteem issues. Among those who suffered the most from Snapchat were teen girls, who are also one of the biggest user groups of the platform. One of the respondents to the survey said that photo-sharing apps like Snapchat make it easy for girls to feel their bodies aren’t good enough compared to people who carefully edit and add filters to the photos they share.

“Both platforms are very image-focused, and it appears they may be driving feelings of inadequacy and anxiety in young people,” said RSPH Chief Executive Shirley Cramer. “Social media is so entrenched in the lives of young people that it is no longer possible to ignore it when talking about young people’s mental health issues.”

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