Social media can play a useful role in depressed people

While spending too much time on social media is not without its pitfalls, new research has revealed that social media may have positive effects on people suffering with mental disorders.

Shouqat Mugjenker, Pharma Dynamics mental health manager, said findings from the South African stress and health study, which is the most recent available research on psychiatric disorders in SA, revealed that an estimated 16.5% of South African adults currently live with a mental health disorder, while about 30% will suffer from a mental disorder at some point in their lives.

“Studies have found that social media, if used primarily to maintain friendships or stay connected socially, is not associated with negative outcomes such as loneliness or isolation and can in fact help those suffering from a serious mental disorder to feel more connected,” Mugjenker said.

“While there is no doubt that spending too much time online can have negative consequences, social media can, however, play a major role in blowing open the conversation around taboo subjects, such as mental health.”

He said many mental health sufferers may find personal, faceto-face interaction difficult, which makes social media an easier and more accessible channel to use for social engagement. He said many misconceptions about people living with mental illnesses persisted in South Africa, discouraging many sufferers from seeking help.

“Culturally, as a nation, we are just not wired to talk about mental health. However, the ‘facelessness’ and sometimes ‘namelessness’ of social media makes it an ideal platform for people to be honest and truthful about how they feel without fear of judgment or ridicule.”

Many people still associated mental illnesses with severe conditions such as schizophrenia, but Mugjenker said quieter medical conditions such as depression and anxiety were more pervasive and most likely to end in tragedy.

He said although depression was complex and often coincided with other mental health conditions or chronic pain, using social media to help identify depression could be a step in the right direction, especially in South Africa where there was a shortage of mental health professionals.

“We all experience sadness at some point in our lives, but if these feelings overwhelm us week after week, it shouldn’t be overlooked.”

Common signs of depression include increased fatigue, sleeping problems, constantly feeling anxious or tense, feelings of danger and panic, trouble focusing, losing interest in life, indulging in risky behaviour, substance abuse, uncontrollable emotions, changes in appetite and mood, among others.

We all experience sadness at some point in our lives, but if these feelings overwhelm us week after week, it shouldn’t be overlooked