Author: Dr. Bhagyadhar Pramanik
Abstract: The rapid expansion of social media has transformed communication, learning, entertainment, and social interaction among young adults. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, TikTok, and LinkedIn have become integral to daily life, offering opportunities for self-expression, information sharing, and relationship building. Despite these benefits, growing evidence suggests that excessive and unhealthy social media use may adversely affect psychological well-being and mental health. This study examines the relationship between social media usage and the psychological well-being of young adults by exploring both its positive and negative influences. Existing research indicates that moderate and purposeful social media use enhances social connectedness, emotional support, knowledge acquisition, and civic engagement, whereas problematic usage is associated with anxiety, depression, loneliness, fear of missing out (FoMO), sleep disturbances, reduced self-esteem, and social comparison (Keles et al., 2020; Valkenburg et al., 2022). The article adopts a conceptual approach based on recent empirical studies to explain how the frequency, duration, purpose, and quality of social media engagement influence mental health outcomes. It also discusses the importance of digital literacy, responsible online behaviour, and balanced technology use in promoting psychological resilience among young adults. The study concludes that social media is neither inherently beneficial nor harmful; rather, its effects depend largely on individual patterns of use, personal characteristics, and the surrounding social environment. The findings may assist educators, mental health professionals, policymakers, and families in developing effective strategies for fostering healthy digital engagement and safeguarding the mental wellbeing of young adults.
Keywords: Social media, psychological well-being, mental health, young adults, social networking, anxiety, depression, digital well-being, social comparison, FoMO.
Page No: 294-301