"In our fast-paced, stressful lives, we're often seeking refuge online to find instant relaxation. Many of us turn to scrolling social media, online shopping (often referred to as retail therapy), or gaming to escape daily pressures. However, the experience can often be the opposite, leaving us more drained or restless after logging off. This begs the question: do we scroll because we're stressed, or are we stressed because we scroll?"
"As online presence becomes a larger part of everyday life, determining its overall impact on well-being is increasingly difficult. Research still lacks definitive answers, particularly around how specific online behaviors influence stress levels, Belal explained. Social media engagement, in particular, is under intense scrutiny. Concerns have recently contributed to landmark legislation, such as Australia's ban on social media for anyone under 16, with the potential for other legislators to follow suit."
""Previous studies have shown that social media and online shopping are often used to relieve stress," said lead study author Mohammed Belal, a researcher at the Department of Computer Science at Aalto University, in a press statement. "However, our results show that a rise in social media use or online shopping is linked to an increase in self-reported stress across multiple user groups and across devices.""
Data from more than 1,500 participants collected over seven months via tracking software recorded real-world internet usage across devices. Previous evidence noted social media and online shopping are often used to relieve stress, but the tracked usage correlated with increases in self-reported stress across multiple user groups and devices. Social media engagement faces particular scrutiny and has influenced policies such as Australia's ban on social media for under-16s. Determining the internet's overall impact on well-being remains challenging, and definitive answers about how specific online behaviors affect stress levels are still lacking.
Read at Discover Magazine
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