Social Media: Good or Bad for the Brain?

Most of us check our social media accounts a whopping 17 times a day according to a recent Gallup poll; and that’s just on our smartphones. Now scientists are finding all this online socializing may not be good for our brains.

Of course there’s an upside to virtual socializing. In the plus column, it helps us stay in touch with new and old buddies, track down lost friends and relatives, and reminds us of birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones in our friends’ lives. But it also has a dark side.

In October 2014, a University of Texas study, headed by psychology professor Mai-Ly Nguyen Steers, found too much Facebook time leads to depression. The reason: Most of us wind up comparing ourselves to our “friends.” Her research is centered on college kids, but she says, “Scientists have known since a 1950’s landmark study that social comparison, no matter what your age, leads to a low mood.”

But what does feeling sad have to do with the brain? A January 2015 study in the online journal Cognition and Emotion, adds to growing evidence showing a strong connection between the blues and diminished brain activity. This research concludes a depressed mood can lead to a 12 percent reduction in concentration, comprehension and memory.

The takeaway? Real life trumps virtual reality. Shasta Nelson, author of Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness, suggests in an interview, “When it comes to staying connected with friends, speak on the telephone, meet for meals, museum dates, movies, plan family get-togethers including reunions to bring far-flung family and friends together or organize a getaway. Half the fun is in the anticipation.” And when it comes to making new friends “You need to make a conscious effort to build intimacy,” says Nelson. “Participate in something together that requires regular attendance like the gym or an adult education class.”

You can be sure when Bette Midler belted out “You got to have friends” she didn’t mean the cyber kind, and now science is singing the same tune.