On the internet, we often come across heated discussions on topics like "Life Without Traces on Social Media" or "Changes After Deactivating Social Media for a Year."
Some netizens feel that people are becoming less inclined to post on social media or feel more relaxed after deactivating their accounts. Others prefer to share updates on other platforms instead of their main social media accounts, to avoid being seen by certain acquaintances.
But is posting on social media really as burdensome as some people believe?
"Being Active on Social Media" Decreases the Risk of Death by 12%
In fact, more than 100 years ago, French sociologist Émile Durkheim studied suicide rates in Europe and found that a lack of social connections was a significant factor contributing to higher suicide rates.
A meta-analysis of 1,187 studies conducted between 1994 and 2021, involving over 145 million participants, found that compared to those with strong social lives and support, those lacking these factors faced an increased risk of death ranging from 11% to 53%, and a 23% higher risk of illness. In some cases, the risk was even six times higher.
Specifically, postpartum depression in women was found to be closely related to the presence or absence of social support.
Now, let's delve into a more specific research study published in 2016 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, analyzed the online social activities of 12 million Facebook users and made some intriguing findings.
Firstly, individuals who frequently use social networks experience an overall decrease in their risk of death by approximately 12%. The risk of dying from specific diseases, such as cancer, coronary heart disease, substance abuse, and suicide, is also reduced. Particularly, those who frequently receive friend requests have the lowest risk of death.
This indicates that social connections and support have a positive impact on longevity. Seeking friendships through frequent friend requests generally suggests a lack of social support, while receiving friend requests usually indicates that others have a favorable opinion of oneself. These individuals typically enjoy more substantial social support networks.
Overall risk of mortality among Facebook users. Image source: Reference [1]
The risk of mortality from a specific disease for Facebook users, image source: Reference [1].
Secondly, compared to individuals who frequently post text updates but rarely share photos, those who often share photos but infrequently post text updates have a 30% lower risk of mortality, particularly from specific diseases.
Due to the lack of analysis on specific photos and text content, the exact reasons are uncertain at the moment. However, it is speculated that frequent photo sharing, as opposed to solely text updates, often reflects a rich social life, whereas text-only updates may pertain more to personal feelings and thoughts, unrelated to social interactions.
The relationship between the number of photos and text posts and overall mortality risk, with red-blue regions indicating low-high mortality rates. Image source: Reference [1]
The relationship between the number of photos and text posts and the risk of death from specific diseases. Image Source: Reference [1]
Why does social support lead to longevity?
From a psychological perspective, social activities, besides providing pleasure in themselves, also offer crucial social support.
According to the buffering hypothesis of stress, social support serves as a protective factor in coping with stress. Stress involves three aspects:
Neurobiological studies suggest that chronic activation of the brain's defense systems due to stress leads to cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system imbalance, with increased sympathetic nervous system activity and decreased parasympathetic nervous system activity, thus increasing the risk of disease and death.
Psychologist Eisenberg conducted a study in 2011 where participants received moderate and high levels of painful heat stimulation while viewing photos of a partner, a stranger, and objects.
The results showed a significant decrease in pain perception when viewing photos of a partner, accompanied by reduced activation of brain regions associated with pain (posterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula), and increased activity in brain regions associated with safety signals (ventral medial prefrontal cortex).
This suggests that social support can provide a sense of security and enhance the ability to cope with stress.
Loneliness: The Black Dog Eroding Mental Health
At some point, posting on social media seems to have become a burden, turning into a dilemma of "wanting to vent on social media, but then fearing family worries, friends' misunderstanding, and silently deleting." Gradually, traces of life disappeared from our social media. With nowhere to turn, loneliness gradually spreads in our hearts.
Psychologist Cigna found in the "Loneliness and the Workplace: 2020 U.S. Report" that 61% of Americans feel moderate to high levels of loneliness, 38% feel they lack close relationships, and 34% feel they lack respect from others.
In the report's conclusion, Cigna summarizes that loneliness is reaching epidemic levels in today's society and is expected to further increase in the coming decades.
In our society, there are many forms of love: familial, friendly, romantic, and even care from strangers, which psychologists call emotional components of social support. These make us believe that we are loved, cared for, respected, and valued, which are unique and precious in human society.
We don't only have posting on social media as a way to connect with loved ones, but these connections are likely our only reliance in some difficult situations. In times of anxiety and depression, they become a lifeline to resist the emotional whirlpool.
Posting on social media leads to longevity, so why not take action now and share this article on your social media?
