Social Media Anxiety Remains Rampant In MA

It is no doubt this "so-called 21st century" is putting extra pressure on all of us in some way, shape or form. A recent survey showed 10 Bay State communities fall into this list of social media anxiety and one local Berkshire county community leads the way. And now for the unveiling:

(Photo of North Adams, Massachusetts courtesy of Getty Images)

North Adams takes the number one spot as the most anxious city, with an average of 724 monthly searches per 100,000 individuals. Common search terms included inquiries about deactivating Facebook accounts, reflecting residents’ concerns about social media’s impact on mental health.

(Photo image of Boston, Massachusetts courtesy of The Boston Globe and Getty Images)

Our capital city of Boston claimed the second spot, with a total of 628 monthly searches per 100,000 people. as searches primarily focused on issues related to Facebook, indicating a widespread unease with the platform’s influence on well-being.

(Photo image of Greenfield, Massachusetts courtesy of Jesse Wlodyka)

Third place goes to Greenfield in Franklin county with 557 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. The city’s search trends mirrored those of North Adams and Boston, highlighting a pervasive sense of anxiety surrounding social media usage.

(Photo of downtown Gardner, Massachusetts By Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger) - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4534956)

Rounding out the top 5: Gardner and Newburyport. Closing out the top 10 list, Springfield, Northampton, Cambridge, Holyoke, and Salem, as these communities are currently grappling with varying amounts of social media-related stress.

Dr. Mitchell L. Doucette is The Director of Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Leafwell. He examined monthly search volume data for terms related to social media anxiety across various Massachusetts and emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of social media on mental health and encourages users to maintain a healthy balance between their digital and offline lives.

(Photo image of child on computer courtesy of Brian A. Jackson)

Social media companies are required to address harmful content as users should not feel surprised about what they see on their computer screens as that is the number one problem which yields frustrating results.

(Photo image of phone apps courtesy of shutter_m)

The findings must take an extra step to underscore the need for ongoing efforts in promoting digital well-being and mitigate the adverse effects of excessive social media consumption. As we experience all the complexities of this "digital age", prioritizing mental health and fostering a supportive online environment remains paramount.

(Stop sign image courtesy of Oakozhan)

BOTTOM LINE: STOP looking at the computer screen and focus on something else that will provide a positive boost in your life. There is more to discover as you can take the bull by the horns and conquer this complicated addiction.

(Some information obtained in this article courtesy of 22News, WWLP-TV, the NBC affiliate in Springfield, Massachusetts) 

(Featured image photo courtesy of Jarek Joepera)