Donna Siggers: Insight into Mental Health

  Social media has transformed the way people communicate, learn, and interact with the world. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, and Snapchat allow instant connection and access to information on an unprecedented scale. While these platforms offer many benefits—including social support, education, creativity, and community engagement—research increasingly shows that excessive or unhealthy social media use can negatively affect mental health. Studies have linked social media use to anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, poor self-esteem, and sleep disruption. However, the relationship is complex, and researchers continue to investigate why social media affects mental wellbeing and how those effects can be reduced. One reason social media can influence mental health is social comparison. Users are constantly exposed to carefully curated images and lifestyles that often present unrealistic standards of beauty, success, relationships, and happiness. Comparing oneself ...