scholarly journals THE DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA & THE STOIC SOLUTION

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 80-88
Author(s):  
Elizabeth (Liz) FRISSELL ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Moral Theory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Generation Z ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mental Well Being

In this essay, I have outlined the problem social media influencers pose towards the mental health of Generation Z. I subsequently presented a brief history of the ancient school of philosophy known as Stoicism. Finally, I have given a concrete example of how members of Gen Z can utilize the moral theory of the Stoics to not only avoid the negative mental health impacts of influencers, but use social media to positively impact their and their peers mental well-being

scholarly journals Social Media and Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Carboni Jiménez ◽  
Monica Vaillancourt ◽  
Patricia Zhu ◽  
Quinta Seon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Methodological Challenges ◽  
Short Span ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Buffering Effects

There are seemingly opposing findings on social media’s effect on mental well-being. Some studies report no detrimental effects, others no association and others even positive or buffering effects. However, social media has rapidly evolved in a short span of time and so has people’s use of the platforms. Collecting an accurate measure of social media use and other methodological challenges particularly affect data in this area. In this commentary, we discuss two longitudinal studies to elaborate these contracting findings on social media and mental health.

scholarly journals Social Media and Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Carboni Jiménez ◽  
Monica Vaillancourt ◽  
Patricia Zhu ◽  
Quinta Seon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Methodological Challenges ◽  
Short Span ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Buffering Effects

There are seemingly opposing findings on social media’s effect on mental well-being. Some studies report no detrimental effects, others no association and others even positive or buffering effects. However, social media has rapidly evolved in a short span of time and so has people’s use of the platforms. Collecting an accurate measure of social media use and other methodological challenges particularly affect data in this area. In this commentary, we discuss two longitudinal studies to elaborate these contracting findings on social media and mental health.

scholarly journals Impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown and relevant vulnerabilities on capability well-being, mental health and social support: an Austrian survey study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judit Simon ◽  
Timea M. Helter ◽  
Ross G. White ◽  
Catharina van der Boor ◽  
Agata Łaszewska
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract Background Impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and its public health measures go beyond physical and mental health and incorporate wider well-being impacts in terms of what people are free to do or be. We explored the impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown and relevant vulnerabilities on capability well-being, mental health and social support in Austria. Methods Adult Austrian residents (n = 560) provided responses to a cross-sectional online survey about their experiences during Covid-19 lockdown (15 March-15 April 2020). Instruments measuring capabilities (OxCAP-MH), depression and anxiety (HADS), social support (MSPSS) and mental well-being (WHO-5) were used in association with six pre-defined vulnerabilities using multivariable linear regression. Results 31% of the participants reported low mental well-being and only 30% of those with a history of mental health treatment received treatment during lockdown. Past mental health treatment had a significant negative effect across all outcome measures with an associated capability well-being score reduction of − 6.54 (95%CI, − 9.26, − 3.82). Direct Covid-19 experience and being ‘at risk’ due to age and/or physical health conditions were also associated with significant capability deprivations. When adjusted for vulnerabilities, significant capability reductions were observed in association with increased levels of depression (− 1.77) and anxiety (− 1.50), and significantly higher capability levels (+ 3.75) were associated with higher levels of social support. Compared to the cohort average, individual capability impacts varied between − 9% for those reporting past mental health treatment and + 5% for those reporting one score higher on the social support scale. Conclusions Our study is the first to assess the capability limiting aspects of lockdown and relevant vulnerabilities alongside their impacts on mental health and social support. The negative capability well-being, mental health and social support impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown were strongest for people with a history of mental health treatment. Future public health policies concerning lockdowns should pay special attention to improve social support levels in order to increase public resilience.

scholarly journals Social and Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 Online Content at a Lockdown Phase—Europe and Asia Comparison

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9198
Author(s):  
Marta R. Jabłońska ◽  
Karolina Zajdel ◽  
Radosław Zajdel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Everyday Functioning ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

After more than a year in a pandemic world, more than 171 million people worldwide have been infected and over 3.5 million have died. The number of those who have suffered mentally due to the pandemic is well above this number. The virus, lockdowns, forced quarantines, and problems related to jobs and everyday functioning have left their mark on mental health. Additionally, the massive spread of COVID-19 content of varying quality in social media is exacerbating this impact. On the other hand, in times of social distancing, these media are an important link with other people and a source of social support. The impact of the COVID-19 content in social media still requires further exploring. This influence on mental health may also vary geographically. There are more and more reports of discrimination against Asians due to COVID-19. We conducted a survey during lockdown in which 1664 respondents took part. After analyzing the impact of COVID-19 content in social media on the level of life satisfaction, anxiety, and depression, we compared this impact between European and Asian respondents. The results showed that dealing with these contents affects the level of anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction. Although most often these relations turned out to be negative, we have also identified those indicating a positive impact. This was particularly noticeable among Asian respondents, who additionally showed a lower relationship between reading COVID-19 content and their mental well-being than European respondents.

scholarly journals ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC NEWS UPDATES ON THE MENTAL WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS DURING THE LOCKDOWN IN INDIA

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Parikshit Sen ◽  
Vatsala Khurana ◽  
Surajeet Patra ◽  
Binita Goswami ◽  
Nikhil Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Strong Negative Correlation ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Negative News ◽  
The Government ◽  
Mental Well Being

As a result of the Lockdown imposed by the Government of India, social media usage has considerably increased among students. A constant urge to keep oneself updated with the news regarding the pandemic has also been observed, which has inevitably led to students getting exposed to a constant stream of negative news. To investigate the effect of the time spent on social media and the time spent self-updating on news related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental well-being of 138 undergraduate college students, aged 18 to 24. A voluntary online questionnaire using the Affectometer 2 scale was used during the 5th week of the lockdown. We found a strong negative correlation between the time spent on social media and the mental well-being of students, while no statistically significant correlation between the time spent self-updating on COVID-19 related news and mental well-being was found. It is important that students use social media in moderation and find alternative avenues for recreation, to prevent unnecessary stress and potential adverse effects on their mental health, and thus maintain their psychological well-being.

scholarly journals Capability impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown in association with mental well-being, social connections and existing vulnerabilities: an Austrian survey study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judit Simon ◽  
Timea M. Helter ◽  
Ross G. White ◽  
Catharina van der Boor ◽  
Agata Łaszewska
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mental Well Being

AbstractBackgroundImpacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and its public health measures go beyond physical and mental health and incorporate wider well-being impacts in terms of what people are free to do or be. We explored these capability impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown in association with people’s mental well-being, social support and existing vulnerabilities in Austria.MethodsAdult Austrian residents (n=560) provided responses to a cross-sectional online survey about their experiences during Covid-19 lockdown (15 March-15 April 2020). Instruments measuring capabilities (OxCAP-MH), depression and anxiety (HADS), social support (MSPSS) and mental well-being (WHO-5) were used in association with six pre-defined vulnerabilities using multivariable linear regression.Results31% of the participants reported low mental well-being and only 30% of those with a history of mental health treatment received treatment during lockdown. Past mental health treatment had a significant negative effect across all outcome measures with an associated capability well-being score reduction of -6.54 (95%CI: -9.26,-3.82). Direct Covid-19 experience and being ‘at risk’ due to age and/or physical health conditions were also associated with significant capability deprivations. When adjusted for vulnerabilities, significant capability reductions were observed in association with increased levels of depression (−1.79) and anxiety (−1.50), and significantly higher capability levels (+3.77) were associated with higher levels of social support. Compared to the cohort average, individual capability impacts varied between -9% for those reporting past mental health treatment and +5% for those reporting one score higher on the social support scale.ConclusionsOur study is the first to assess the capability limiting aspects of a lockdown in association with specific vulnerabilities. The negative impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown were strongest for people with a history of mental health treatment. In future public health policies, special attention should be also paid to improving social support levels to increase public resilience.

scholarly journals Sitting in the dark

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Global Crisis ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Youth Population ◽  
Mental Well Being

COVID-19 has created a new reality for countries worldwide as leaders are tasked with the responsibility of enacting safety measures to stop the rate of infection. Social distancing is promoted as one of the main ways of curbing the spread of the virus. Such measures limit social interaction and the spaces people are free to occupy. The following poem, entitled “Sitting in the dark: COVID-19 and mental well-being” speaks to the mental health impacts of such closures on the youth population, highlighting that no one is immune from the virus. This poem also explores the interconnectedness of a person’s physical and mental health andthe subsequent need to pay attention to both realities during times of global crisis. Despite the challenges the pandemic presents, it is imperative that youth find an outlet to cope, one that will help them develop resiliency and a sense of hope.

scholarly journals Furloughs, Teleworking and Other Work Situations during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Mental Well-Being

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2898
Author(s):  
Israel Escudero-Castillo ◽  
Fco. Javier Mato-Díaz ◽  
Ana Rodriguez-Alvarez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Self ◽  
Exogenous Shock ◽  
Work Location ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Market Status ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Labour Market Status

As a consequence of the Spring 2020 lockdown that occurred in Spain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs or had to be furloughed. The objective of this study is to analyse the influence of the latter changes in labour market status on psychological well-being. For this purpose, an ad-hoc questionnaire featuring socio-demographic and mental health criteria was created. Granted that the pandemic can be viewed as an exogenous shock, the bias caused by the bidirectional problems between the work situation and mental well-being can be tackled. Results indicate that the lockdown exerted a greater negative effect on the self-perceived well-being of unemployed and furloughed persons than on those in employment. Moreover, among those in continuous employment, teleworkers experienced a lesser degree of self-perceived well-being post lockdown as compared to those people remaining in the same work location throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Finally, the lockdown provoked worse effects on the self-perceived well-being of women as compared to men, a result that appears to be related to gender differences in household production. In conclusion, these results could be especially relevant given that the evolution of the pandemic is having ongoing effects on employment and, therefore, on the mental health of workers.

scholarly journals COVID-19 is having a destructive impact on health-care workers’ mental well-being

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kris Vanhaecht ◽  
Deborah Seys ◽  
Luk Bruyneel ◽  
Bianca Cox ◽  
Gorik Kaesemans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Sources Of Support ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may aggravate workplace conditions that impact health-care workers’ mental health. However, it can also place other stresses on workers outside of their work. This study determines the effect of COVID-19 on symptoms of negative and positive mental health and the workforce’s experience with various sources of support. Effect modification by demographic variables was also studied. Methods A cross-sectional survey study, conducted between 2 April and 4 May 2020 (two waves), led to a convenience sample of 4509 health-care workers in Flanders (Belgium), including paramedics (40.6%), nurses (33.4%), doctors (13.4%) and management staff (12.2%). About three in four were employed in university and acute hospitals (29.6%), primary care practices (25.7%), residential care centers (21.3%) or care sites for disabled and mental health care. In each of the two waves, participants were asked how frequently (on a scale of 0–10) they experienced positive and negative mental health symptoms during normal circumstances and during last week, referred to as before and during COVID-19, respectively. These symptoms were stress, hypervigilance, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, unable to relax, fear, irregular lifestyle, flashback, difficulty concentrating, feeling unhappy and dejected, failing to recognize their own emotional response, doubting knowledge and skills and feeling uncomfortable within the team. Associations between COVID-19 and mental health symptoms were estimated by cumulative logit models and reported as odds ratios. The needed support was our secondary outcome and was reported as the degree to which health-care workers relied on sources of support and how they experienced them. Results All symptoms were significantly more pronounced during versus before COVID-19. For hypervigilance, there was a 12-fold odds (odds ratio 12.24, 95% confidence interval 11.11–13.49) during versus before COVID-19. Positive professional symptoms such as the feeling that one can make a difference were less frequently experienced. The association between COVID-19 and mental health was generally strongest for the age group 30–49 years, females, nurses and residential care centers. Health-care workers reported to rely on support from relatives and peers. A considerable proportion, respectively, 18 and 27%, reported the need for professional guidance from psychologists and more support from their leadership. Conclusions The toll of the crisis has been heavy on health-care workers. Those who carry leadership positions at an organizational or system level should take this opportunity to develop targeted strategies to mitigate key stressors of health-care workers’ mental well-being.

Efficacy of ‘Foundations’, a Digital Mental Health App to Improve Mental Well-Being, during COVID-19: A Proof-of-Principle Randomised Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvina Catuara-Solarz ◽  
Bartlomiej Skorulski ◽  
Inaki Estella ◽  
Claudia Avella-Garcia ◽  
Sarah Shepherd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
World Health ◽  
Randomised Control Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Proof Of Principle

BACKGROUND Against a long-term trend of increasing demand, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global rise in common mental disorders. Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for scalable, evidence-based interventions to support mental well-being. OBJECTIVE The aim of this proof-of-principle study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mobile-based app in adults with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and stress in a randomised control trial that took place during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. METHODS Adults with mild to severe anxiety and moderate to high levels of perceived stress were randomised to either the intervention or control arm. Participants in the intervention arm were given access to the app, Foundations, for the duration of the 4-week study. All participants were required to self-report a range of validated measures of mental well-being (10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience scale [CD-RISC-10]; 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale [GAD-7]; Office of National Statistics Four Subjective Well-being Questions [ONS-4]; World Health Organisation-5 Well-Being Index [WHO-5]) and sleep (Minimal Insomnia Scale [MISS]) at baseline and weeks 2 and 4; and, in addition, on perceived stress weekly (10-item Perceived Stress Score [PSS]). RESULTS 136 participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis. The intervention group (n=62) showed significant improvements compared to the control group (n=74) on measures of anxiety (GAD-7 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.35 [SD 4.43]; control group: -0.23 [SD 3.24]; t134= 1.71 , P=.04), resilience (CD-RISC score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.79 [± SD 4.08]; control group: -0.31 [± SD 3.16]; t134 -3.37, P<.001), sleep (MISS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.16 [± SD 2.67]; control group: -0.26 [± SD 2.29]; t134= 2.13, P=.01), and mental well-being (WHO-5 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.53 [5.30]; control group: -0.23 [± SD 4.20]; t134= -2.16, P=.02) within 2 weeks of using Foundations, with further improvements emerging at week 4. Perceived stress was also reduced within the intervention group, although the results did not reach statistical significance relative to the control group (PSS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -2.94 [± SD 6.84]; control group: -2.05 [± SD 5.34]; t134= 0.84, P=.20). CONCLUSIONS This study provides proof-of-principle that the digital mental health app, Foundations, can improve measures of mental well-being, anxiety, resilience, and sleep within 2 weeks of use, with greater effects after 4 weeks. It therefore offers potential as a scalable, cost-effective, and accessible solution to enhance mental well-being, even during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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