Differing Relationships Between Instagram and Twitter on Suicidal Thinking: The Importance of Interpersonal Factors

Having recently made the decision to have a break from social media, as well as being a mother of 4 children, 3 of whom being teenagers drawn to social media on a daily basis, the topics raised within this article are at the forefront of my mind. The individual interpersonal social experience that these platforms offer is not of concern. However, the effect that it can have and the suggestion that social media platforms are beginning to ‘take the place of’ older forms of communication are concerning (Barnes 2008). Words like “I need Snapchat because this is how everyone communicates and I don’t want to miss out” resonating from the mouths of my own children, speaks to thwarted belongingness, an interpersonal factor discussed in this article.

The relationship between social media, in particular Instagram and Twitter, and suicidal ideation is examined in this article. Although there is limited research in this area, what I found interesting were the contradictory results. With literature suggesting social media having a negative effect on mental health, this study in fact highlights that social media can have positive effects as well. Results indicated that Instagram had a negative relationship with interpersonal factors whilst there was no significant relationship found with Twitter. I agree that different Social Media platforms’ content and context vary, therefore causing differing effects (Unruh-Dawes. et. al., 2022). The content and context however were not examined as part of this study.

In my experience, using social media can have both positive and negative effects. Feelings of social connection are experienced when utilising social media platforms. The sharing of experiences and thoughts with others and interacting and responding to these, evoke this connection. However, on the flip side, FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) can also come into play. The social disruption that social media can cause both online and offline is real. People having to check status, updates and replies mid conversation, reflects not only (dare I say) people’s addiction, but also the social connection that people are having with that person at that particular time. Online, this same sense of connection or disconnection can be experienced. My children’s fear of their streak being discontinued and or the absence of a reply or acknowledgement to a message or post, leaves people questioning their social connection.

I believe there needs to be a balance between real life social interaction and that which these platforms offer in order to prevent the possibility of negative mental health outcomes.

References

Barnes, S. B. (2008). Understanding social media from the media ecological perspective. In E. A. Konijin, S. Utz, M. Tanis, & S. B. Barnes (Eds.), Mediated interpersonal communication (pp. 28-47). Routledge.

Unruh-Dawes, E. L., Smith, L. M., Krug Marks, C. P., & Wells, T. T. (2022). Differing relationships between Instagram and Twitter on suicidal thinking: The importance of interpersonal Factors. Social Media + Society, January-March, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221077027