Depression, from being unfamiliar, has become the most common trait among millennials. This word is thrown around casually in conversations, simply used as a hyperbole for us to describe just how intense and hectic our life seems. Why is our generation associated with being easily depressed? Why is it becoming increasingly common? What could possibly cause such a rapid rise in the rates of depression among the younger generation? As a result, millennials constantly try to look for ways to relieve the stress they carry onto their ‘perfect’ platform: social media.

The main reason why depression has exponentially risen in its cases stems from many different factors that are seemingly minute, such as sleeping habits, use of technological gadgets, and stress from schoolwork. Is social media, a trivial piece of technology, to blame?

As students and teenagers, we know too well how social media could affect, shape and dictate our daily lives and behaviour. It subconsciously affects all aspects of one’s life. The most basic of tasks, such as shopping for clothes, furniture or even ordering food can be done through social media. Lazada, GrabFood and Amazon are widely known for utmost convenience for providing your needs straight to your doorstep. This ultimately leads to a form of escapism, more so for those who are desperate to break free from reality and their problems and slowly, it becomes an addiction.

Credits to: Ng Jun Yang

Expert mental health therapist Jessica Singh talked about how social media could lead to depression as well. “Millennials were the first generation to grow up with the constant flow of information from the internet and social media, and they are being bombarded with details about the personal and professional lives of others,” analysed Singh.

“Millennials can’t help but compare their situations and achievements to everyone else’s, which can leave them feeling insecure and unaccomplished,” she continued.

From exam results to exotic vacations, millennials find themselves constantly comparing their lives to those of others; especially when people tend to only show the best aspects of their lives on social media. Also, the unrealistic beauty standards being projected on the internet such as an hourglass body or an impossibly slim waist affects young females extremely negatively. Insecurities and doubts start to creep in, and slowly it might lead to eating disorders, such as bulimia. Social media is, in other words, a constant reminder of one’s flaws and imperfections in this context.

Social media might not be the sole factor contributing to the rise of depression, but it definitely plays a major role, if not the main. Millennials should leverage this platform to remind users that social media is just a projection of what people want you to see; their own internal battles are fought behind closed doors. In fact, our social personality is a creation of the minds of others; comparison will eat you out from inside, slowly but surely.

Credits to: Theodore Lee

Social media has had too much of an impact on us for it to be totally abolished. Hence, it would be unrealistic for millennials to lay off social media completely. However, one way to improve the situation would be for schools to raise awareness regarding the do’s and don’ts of social media for young children; much like how they are thought moral values of stealing and cheating is bad.

It is also imperative for the media and the government to raise awareness about the potential harms of social media through public campaigns or public service announcements. People need to be educated about the consequences of excessive and incorrect use of social media. These are the long-term solutions that can be considered, to improve the mental health of people, one step at a time.