ON SOCIAL NETWORKS, DIGITAL MEDIA, AND MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

The aim: The paper attempts to investigate the impact of social networks and digital media on mental health and psychological well-being. Materials and methods: The data collection was carried out using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar databases. Research papers were identified according to the search terms “cyberspace”, “cyberpsychology”, “digital media”, “virtual reality”, “social networks”, “mental health”, “psychological well-being”, “beauty”, “beauty standards”. The authors used integrative anthropological approach, interpretive research paradigm, and multidisciplinary analysis. Conclusion: The digital world is a relatively recent phenomenon, therefore, the potential relationship between its use and mental health and psychological well-being has not yet been adequately explored. Most of the research has been conducted over the last decades; and until now the scientific community has not been able to fully interpret the obtained results and come to final conclusions. As Timpano and Beard rightly pointed out, the future research should be focused on types and motivations for the use of social networks; identify potential mechanisms linking the social media use and mental health symptoms; reveal an impact of social networks on declines in face-to-face social interactions; understand the link of social networks with maladaptive coping strategies and health behaviors. The relationship between social networks, digital media use and psychological functioning is not straightforward and depends on many factors. However, we should not forget that there is nothing new under the sun. The same people act in both digital and physical spaces. And the psychological problems that are revealed in the digital universe are the same that “accompany” the actors of the digital communication process in the real, physical world. Anyway, we cannot avoid cyberspace, so we have to learn how to interact within this challenging world.