Overview of my Data Story

The relationship between mental health and social media has become increasingly prevalent in society today. I can definitely see a relationship between the two amongst my peers and I wanted to further research why there is a correlation in the search trends for these topics. The overall trends have been pretty similar except for the recent spike in social media searches in the beginning of August. The effects of social media have been both positive and negative on society today. There are many articles below that illuminate the numerous effects of social media on mental health.

My Data Page has visualizations of these trends in different regions.

How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness

This is an article about a variety of effects that social media has on mental health. It also explains the correlation between the usage time of social media platforms and the user's mood. Social media is designed to target certain parts of the human psychology which may lead to detrimental effects. The main solution is to reduce screen time in order to maintain a good mood and prevent mental illness.

How social media affects mental health in young people

This article addresses the negative effects of social media with regard to mental health, but also brings to light the certain positive effects of using social media. Online communities can help people get connected with others that are going through similar problems. Yet there is a limit to these positive aspects up until someone becomes addicted. There is a need to have a positive relationship with social media to see the beneficial effects.

Social Media Is Making You Feel Lonely (Even If You Don't Think It Is)

This article is about the correlation between feeling connected and feeling lonely. Social media has the great capacity for people to connect with others all around the world. But connecting online is not that same as having an in-person conversation. Having person-to-person connections is more important to humans than most think. Finding a balance between online and in-person connections is the key to using social media in a healthy way.