The Impact of Social Media on Users’ Wellbeing and Mental Health

It’s well known that social media platforms have been at the forefront of fast and effective communication for a while now, providing easy access to information and a space where people around the world can voice their thoughts and opinions. While this is incredibly positive in many ways, it can potentially have some negative repercussions.

I’m Carolina, Passion’s Marketing and PR Assistant. The purpose of this blog post is to shed some light on how social media is influencing lives, to touch on topics such as mental health, physical and mental wellbeing and to inspire businesses to become part of the conversation and include positive messages in their social strategies. Read on to learn about the role social media plays in wellbeing, mental health and more.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

Many studies show that social media can easily promote depression, anxiety, cyberbullying and more. However, professionals who are in charge of a business’s socials can have a positive influence.

• This year, nearly 83% of UK internet users between the ages of 16 and 64 owned a desktop or laptop, giving them easy access to social media platforms
• In the UK alone, 45 million people (67% of the population) use social media, which shows how regularly users can view content on their socials, whether it is positive or negative
• Those who work in social media can help to lessen the amount of negative content out there – as these professionals represent brands who are often seen as trustworthy and authoritative, they arguably have a responsibility to spread positive messages

Wellness and Mental Health Patterns

It’s really important for businesses and brands to spread information responsibly. Here are some topics to consider when spreading messages to your audiences and employees and how you can improve your approach:

• Diversity: Individuals, especially teenagers and young adults, tend to compare themselves to others. When they don’t see people who look like them (i.e. the same race, body type, etc.), this can lead to negative thoughts and low self-esteem. Showing lots of different people who look very different is a great way to combat these negative comparisons and promote diversity.
• Mental health: This might be one of the most important factors of all. Being mentally healthy includes feeling good about ourselves, feeling we are in a good place in our lives and feeling as though we are spending our time well. Businesses can do their part to help improve mental health by building awareness, looking after their employees and supporting each other. After all, a healthy mind leads to a healthy life, and that should be a priority.
• Positive habits: Promote healthy habits such as eating well, maintaining a good sleeping schedule, staying physically active and generally taking care of yourself. Social media channels can influence your followers, so make sure your influence is positive!

How to Spread Information Responsibly: The Marketer’s Point of View

Social media has changed the way we communicate: we are surrounded by spectators and our life is the principal attraction. In order to share knowledge and information with an audience, it is necessary to develop delivery methodologies that fulfil the consumer’s needs.

Here are some useful points:

1. Be real: Establish a connection with your audience. One of the best relationship-building strategies for businesses is showing that there is a human behind the screen. Try interacting with your audience, replying to their feedback and maintaining a conversation. Employee testimonials that share company culture can also boost the credibility level.
2. Sourcing: Is the information you are proving reliable? Is the source trustworthy? When sharing information online, it’s vital to have high quality sources so you are sharing content that is actually useful to audiences.
3. Have a purpose: Show that your business has a heart by supporting charitable causes. Perhaps you can start a food drive or donate clothing. Users tend to engage even more with businesses that are willing to become part of the change.

Being aware of what information businesses provide to users is vital. Content that is engaging, exciting and valuable is important, but if you align it with the issues explored in this blog post, you and your business could have a positive impact on human lives.

Our In-House Mental Health Approach

Discussing mental health with your employer can be scary, but at Passion Digital we want to help reduce the stigma. We are willing and able to discuss mental health in private and without judgement.

Our mental health initiative has improved our employees’ wellbeing at work. We care about supporting mental health in the workplace and allowing others to do the same.