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[ma9l]

Research Project: Instagram Use and Depression

It’s fascinating. Isn’t it fascinating? What our world has become? The world is so different now compared to even a couple hundred years ago. It has advanced--especially when it comes to technology and the internet. Think about it. Social media used to be non-existent. Now it is booming with billions of users. This is proof that people are entertained by these types of platforms. However, aside from all their pros, they also hold many faults. For example, a survey (#StatusOfMind survey) was published in 2017 by the Royal Society for Public Health. They discovered that “Out of five social networks included in the survey, YouTube received the highest marks for health and well being and was the only site that received a net positive score by respondents. Twitter came in second, followed by Facebook and then Snapchat—with Instagram bringing up the rear.” Basically, Instagram was ranked as the worst social media for mental health. Although some may believe that Instagram doesn’t pose any issues, depression and Instagram actually share correlations. I believe the way Instagram is used plays a role in one’s well being and that symptoms of depression can arise if users are not careful. The world has enough issues, mental health being one of the most serious with the increase in suicides over more recent years. If we determine whether or not social media (particularly Instagram) is a contributor to depression, we could potentially end the epidemic, or at least avoid making things worse.

In the past, I would normally go about my research by googling and trying to find reliable sources that way. Usually this would present decent info, but hardly ever would it be in-depth. When I took ENGL 1010 last year, I was informed that my school’s library had a website full of databases holding a plethora of scholarly articles. My mind was blown. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but as I became familiar with the tools and resources, I learned how to properly navigate and refine my searches to produce the results I was looking for. I didn’t use the databases as effectively as I could have, but this year in ENGL 2010, I was encouraged to and I learned a lot more about how to read and interpret the articles to find relevant information. I did this by closely studying the abstract, methods, and results sections. Google searches aren’t necessarily bad. In fact, they can be used to compare and contrast with scholarly articles in order to find similarities and differences. I have also been told to use outside sources like physical books and newspapers or to try and perform my own research by creating a survey or poll. Overall, I am pleased with my education in research and feel that it has been and will be very beneficial for assisting me in my writing.

Before doing any research, I had a preconceived idea that Instagram was bad, but the more I looked into it, the more my opinion shifted from believing Instagram itself is unhealthy to believing the users of Instagram are the ones creating unhealthy habits. I came to this conclusion by reading various articles in relation to this topic and assessing my personal Instagram use.

One of the articles I read was “Instagram: Friend or Foe”. It revolves around a study from 2017 where 204 participants ages 18-48 were recruited through social media where the study was advertised. They were asked to complete an online survey regardless of whether or not they had an Instagram account. Authors actually hoped some wouldn’t so they could compare results between users and nonusers. Throughout the survey, participants (users only) were measured on seven things: anxiety, depression, loneliness, self-esteem, body image, social comparison, and time spent on Instagram. Using number scales, they would rank how they felt based on each category. In short, the authors’ hypotheses were correct for all but two of these categories: body image and social comparison where there was no significant difference between users and nonusers of Instagram. What surprised me most from the results was that those who had an Instagram account were less depressed than those who did not. I thought it would be the opposite, but I guess a reason for this could be because Instagram allows you to feel included and not so lonely with all the social interaction that goes on. “Contrary to expectation, Instagram anxiety was significantly, negatively associated with depression in this analysis. In addition, time spent , self-esteem, and anxiety were significant predictors of depression. Of note, social comparison was marginally associated with depression in the expected direction”.

The article “Instagram #Instasad?: Exploring Associations Among Instagram Use, Depressive Symptoms, Negative Social Comparison, and Strangers Followed”, held a set of online questionnaires for 117 individuals ages 18-29 who, like the previous study, were also voluntarily recruited through an online post that was shared. The questions asked were based on Instagram use, the number of strangers followed, social comparison, and depressive symptoms. Authors sought to identify the relationship between the different aspects of Instagram use. After completing the questionnaire, the following results were observed:  the more one uses Instagram, the more depressed they are, but only if they follow a large number of strangers, otherwise Instagram and depression were not related. As far as social comparison goes, it was positively associated with greater instagram use meaning social comparison on Instagram is inevitable. Results demonstrated that the social comparison was more positive when users didn’t follow strangers. In conclusion, “people using Instagram or other SNS to keep in touch solely with people they know personally are not at risk for negative consequences. However, following strangers may lead to or reinforce already existing negative feelings about the self by triggering negative social comparisons.”

“Why Social Comparison on Instagram Matters: Its Impact on Depression” by Ha Sung Hwang is all about the relationship between various types of activities on social media that motivate one to participate in social comparisons and how those influence college students’ moods. It specifically focuses on Instagram for the social platform and depression for the mental illness which is exactly what I was looking for in my research. The study was carried out as 245 college students were surveyed on the types of activities they take part in on Instagram and how they felt in doing each of those. Instagram usage, activity, social comparison, and depression were individually measured. Demographics of the participants were also taken into account. The author seemed to be interested in the social comparison theory where there are three different kinds of comparisons: upward, downward, and horizontal. Upward is comparing yourself to someone who appears to be superior to you, downward is comparing yourself to someone who is inferior to you, and horizontal comparison is relating yourself to someone who is equal to you. The results presented three outcomes: “(1) looking at other people's status updates and commenting on other people's photos influences upward social comparison, (2) frequency of Instagram use predicts upward/downward/horizontal social comparison, and (3) upward social comparison was positively associated with depression, while downward social comparison was negatively associated with depression.”

One of the biggest similarities between these three sources is that the participants in each experiment were all college aged. That’s because according to “Instagram: Friend or Foe? The application’s association with psychological well-being”, “Approximately 90% of young adults use social media.” This is significant because you are college-aged and an adult, so these effects couldn’t apply to you more! Each article also agreed that users of Instagram deal with social comparison to some degree each time they interact with the app. Social comparison was measured in every case. The first article confirms that it took place-but they also expected that to happen. Many of us could probably assume the same. Article #2 concludes that social comparisons only have an effect on depression when you follow strangers. Now, because the author in article #3 performed a more specific measurement with her participants, she found that social comparison does contribute to depression, but only when it falls into the upward comparison category. A final similarity amongst these reports is support in the idea that the activities you do on Instagram will determine how depressed you become along with the amount of time you take part in them. Those activities combined include: looking at or commenting on other people’s photos and following strangers. The main difference in the studies was that they each took at least one more thing into account when analyzing what aspects of Instagram play a role in depressed moods. #1 compares users with non users. #2 wonders if gender makes a difference. #3 again, implements the social comparison theory. Limitations inevitably happened which could have hindered results, like how in the third article, the survey only took place at a Korean University. How would the results differ if UVU students took the survey? For the most part, the results were in sync. In summary, all the studies are on the same page when it comes to social comparison and activities on Instagram-believing that they tend to elevate depression. The authors also all realized that college students are most at risk for developing depressive symptoms due to their population’s heavy usage of the network.

I strongly believe that the way individuals use social media has an impact on how they feel. Instagram seems to be a culprit for influencing the rise of many negative feelings with depressive symptoms being some of many. Coincidentally, depression correlates with more frequent Instagram use which presents a predicament we ought to be concerned with because if we don’t pinpoint the epicenter of this relationship, it’s only going to get worse… and depression is going to become even more common than it already is. 

According to an NBC article, Harvard University and the University of Vermont designed a computer program for spotting depressed individuals on Instagram with 70% accuracy. It was programmed to search for certain qualities of their photos in order to determine if someone was depressed or not. “Researchers found depressed individuals posted photos that were bluer, darker and grayer than images posted by others.” (Pawlowski). This demonstrates Instagram being used as an outlet for expressing one’s emotions. Elyse Fox struggled with depression and found relief in sharing her state of mind through this outlet because it helped her get things out of her system. This represents Instagram as a helpful tool. Others might not do it for relief, but simply because they are at an all time low. That’s when it becomes unhealthy and when you would need to reach out to someone you trust for help.

“In several recent studies, teenage and young adult users who spend the most time on Instagram, Facebook and other platforms were shown to have a substantially (from 13 to 66 percent) higher rate of reported depression than those who spent the least time.” This is proof of the correlation taking place.

Some may claim that it’s social media’s fault that people are suffering from mental illnesses. More specifically, that it’s Instagram’s fault if someone that uses it gets depressed. They might say it has nothing to do with the users actions because all of the potential negatives are automatically accessible before them and say that whatever happens is directly caused by the app. The blame is put on a non-living, non-physical, inanimate thing. To our knowledge, Instagram itself is not capable of causing anything. Studies show a correlation, not a causation. However, “One reason the correlation seems more than coincidental is that an increase in depression occurred in tandem with the rise in smartphone use.” (Miller). “By 2015,... 92 percent of teens and young adults owned a smartphone. The rise in depressive symptoms correlates with smartphone adoption during that period.” (Miller). The author of this write-up also mentions that there was a rise in the number of college students visiting counselors for anxiety and depression. Just so you know, UVU has counseling services available on campus if you are seeking further assistance with your mental health. (Student Health Services |(801) 863-8876| Room SC-221).

What should we do about it? What can we do about it? Personally? As a student body? I think it is a very personal issue because everyone has their agency and freedom to do what they want and really, it is up to them to decide how they will spend their time on Instagram. But we can suggest tips for those who are seeking help or for those who don’t realize what’s affecting them and want to change.

In a Ted Talk by Bailey Parnell, she suggests four tips for obtaining social media wellness. These are presented in four steps: 1. Recognize the problem. 2. Audit your social media diet. 3. Create a better online experience. 4. Model good behavior. It’s all about our awareness. If we don’t realize something’s wrong, then we aren’t going to do anything about it. After that, we are able to make adjustments based on our unique needs. For example, we could spend less time on Instagram, unfollow strangers, or make our posts more real and sincere. I, personally, need to work on all of those because I notice a difference between when my time spent on Instagram has been a waste, leaving me drained vs when it’s been productive and I’ve come away feeling enlightened or pleased with my online experience. What I consider to be a waste of time is viewing my followers profiles and engaging in social comparison where I degrade myself and wish my life was like theirs. A more productive way to spend my time would be sharing an uplifting message on my story or reach out to friends I haven’t talked to in a while to see how they are doing.

The United Kingdom’s RSPH had the great idea of teaching safe social media use in schools. (Macmillan). Because of the prevalence of social media today, it needs to be acknowledged and taught proper use. I think all schools should provide a class solely dedicated to teaching social media safety and another for teaching about mental health awareness. Instagram and depression each fall into one of those categories, so it’s perfect. These classes could be held in middle schools, high schools, and colleges since most age groups use some form of social media. I feel like a lot of students would benefit from taking these courses.

Fellow friends (A.K.A. UVU students) if you have been guilty of spending too much time on Instagram, comparing yourself to others, or following celebrities/strangers you hardly know, it’s okay!! So have I. That doesn’t mean you are a bad person, it just means that you are human. Now that you know more about what types of interactions on Instagram can make you depressed, you can choose to be more proactive and reap the rewards of “social media wellness” and obtain the happiness that comes from practicing “safe social.”

To restate my stance one more time, I will just remind you that all the research I have done and knowledge I have gained has led me to believe that Instagram use and depression correlate. Depression isn’t caused by the app, rather depression results from using the app excessively or from comparing oneself to others. I strongly believe that we have a responsibility to monitor and reflect on our Instagram behaviors in order to decrease our chances of being at risk for depression. Making simple changes can alter your perspective on life and bring you more joy. Bailey Parnell says it best: “Is social media hurting your mental health? The answer is: it does not have to.”

Google Slides (in progress): https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jJ-aIcZZW0qCJpfWv0-SGCyrAFu7O_eLq34oCXVNsBo/edit?usp=sharing

[ma9l]

Happenings in Humanities

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity of attending a “Happenings in Humanities” event with a speaker named Jared Williams who is a “sculptor of metal and bone”. He began by explaining how he started becoming fascinated with tools when he was just 9 years old. Since then, he has become more and more intrigued by the creative process he can use those tools for. He specializes in knife making. After producing the knives, he sells them for hundreds to thousands of dollars. However, he made it clear that he doesn’t do it for the money; he does it because he’s passionate about it. He went on to tell us about a few particular knives he’s made and why they are significant to him. He talked about how each knife tells a unique story of beauty and history throughout years of use. I found this event to be very neat. Jared kept using the word “magical” to describe his work and that stood out to me because it was a reminder of innocence and wonder. It made me want to be passionate about something and find my purpose-to find something that brings me pure joy like Jared experiences in his industry. He connected with the audience on a deeper level as he talked about how he made a knife out of his mom's ashes when she passed away. That was emotionally captivating. At first I thought it was kind of odd, but then I got thinking about how cool it his that he can keep his mom with him all the time and have that memory of her and associate her with something he loves almost as much as her. I was in awe as Jared showed us his knives because I can’t even fathom how someone could make something so beautiful with their hands. He is very creative and imaginative and I want to be like that. I left feeling inspired.

[ma9l]

Wow. At first I thought she was being a weirdo, but that’s so cool. I mean, it’s still kind of weird because she is using bed sheets, but if you think about it, they are just fabric and that’s what clothing is. This reminds me of two things. First of all, it reminds me of the movie Aquamarine. She puts a long sleeved shirt on with head and shoulders through the head hole so that the sleeves are dangling under her armpits which is so wrong but then she ties the sleeves across her body and around her neck to make it cute. I always tried to do that when I was little but it never worked because my sleeves weren’t long enough. The other thing this reminds me of is when I went shopping one year for my birthday and I got this huge blanket scarf. The lady working showed me how to tie it into a cardigan and it is very similar to what this lady is doing except without putting it on your head. It’s awesome that you can re purpose things. People are creative.

[ma9l]

Haha! Oh my heck! I play guitar hero on medium too. I don’t understand how people can play on hard or expert because there are so many notes, but also you have to move your fingers to reach the orange key and it’s difficult. Obviously this dude is trying to impress the ladies, but playing guitar hero on medium is not that cool. It would be fun to just play together though instead of watching, unless it was a real guitar, that would be even better! Also, Guitar Hero and Rock Band are not all that different so people need to stop dissing. Both are equally fun. I miss those games! When did they come out? Like 2005? It’s been awhile. I need to play them again! Does anyone remember the Rock Band that allowed you to play with like three singers, bass, guitar, drums and keyboard? Playing with so many instruments is a party!

me irl

[ma9l]

I love Tom Holland! Why didn’t he just get all of his wisdom teeth out at once? Were the others late bloomers? haha. That doesn’t make sense. At least he was able to eventually get them all out and surgery went well. He seems a bit loopy from the anesthesia. I wonder how I will react when I get mine out. I need to get my wisdom teeth out soon, but I only have two so I am lucky! I’ve heard you’ll either be hysterical and emotional, super groggy and tired, or crazy, happy, and loopy. I’ve had several surgeries and have usually just come out tired, but we’ll see! Tom Holland’s cheeks don’t even look that puffy. His expressions are funny. I like his comment about the Christmas music. Aw, he was nervous. Same! I’m guessing there’s an actual video of this besides the GIFs right? Because I want to hear the sound..

Tom Holland getting his wisdom teeth taken out.

Bonus +.

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Is the present a baby? Or a pet? Poor guy got his hopes up and then the gift wasn’t even the right one for him. It’s kind of funny because I can relate to this. My sweet mom has mixed up mine and my sisters gifts before and we get all confused and a little bit offended that we didn’t get what we asked for, but someone else did. She has a hard time remembering who said they wanted what, but she does her best. Bless her heart! We usually just end up trading after we’ve opened them and found out what they are, and it works out just fine. Or if there isn’t anything to trade, then we feel a little upset at first but get over it pretty quick. We should just be grateful for what we have. We are so blessed and fortunate to receive all the gifts we do for Christmas and shouldn’t complain. Some people don’t even get to celebrate Christmas because they can’t afford it. It breaks my heart.

Redraw for the holidays

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I love Christmas lights! I used to have a neighbor who synced his lights to the music of a radio station and we would often stop by and watch them on the way home. It reminds me of the movie Deck the Halls with Danny Devito where he wants his house to be visible from space so he buys hundreds of lights to cover his house in and even goes to the extent of getting a live nativity scene and sleigh to put on his lawn. His neighbor is so annoyed with him because the lights are blaring and music blasting so loud through the night so he tries to do everything he can to get him to turn off his lights. My neighbors lights weren’t that crazy. I think he turned them off around midnight which was perfect. That’s how you should do it-out of respect for others. That movie is great! It’s one of my favorite Christmas movies. Watch it if you haven’t! I highly recommend it.

“She doesn’t even live here”

[ma9l]

Stars and Moon Dance Lesson Plan for Elementary Kids

Science Grade: 2

Dance Core Standard: Standard 2.D.P.6: Demonstrate a variety of movement qualities while dancing.

Science Core Standard: Standard 1: Objective 2 *Observe and record recognizable objects and patterns in the night sky. Observe, describe, and record patterns in the appearance and apparent motion of the moon in the night sky. Observe and describe the number, arrangement and color/brightness of stars in the night sky. Behavioral Objective: In a 30 minute class, second grade students will become familiar with the appearance and motion of stars and the moon by experimenting with various energy qualities and shapes as well as using props to aid in exploration. Song 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeQnXe6DLtM Song 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ_fkw5j-t0 Song 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEkDnamdc-g

Materials: poster, moon phases, glow sticks

Class Rules: 1. Listen 2. Be safe 3. Give 100%

Concepts: Energy and Space Elements: Qualities of energy, shape, pathways, levels

Experience/Identify: *visuals -Moon Phases: first quarter, waxing crescent, new moon, waning crescent, last quarter, waning gibbous, full moon, waxing gibbous) -Star colors: red, orange, yellow, white and blue, stars that produce less energy glow red, stars that produce the most energy glow blue/white, stars glow because of nuclear fusion -What are constellations? Constellation: “A cluster of stars in the sky that are grouped together in a particular pattern or shape and have been given a name.” (Crash Course Kids definition)

Explore/investigate: -Curved shapes (round) or bent shapes (straight, angular) *Moon-round, *Star-bent -Moon Activity: posters/poem, draw a phase out of the bag, try to match it to the phase. Make the shapes with our body. Have any of you ever wondered why we can see the moon some nights but not other nights? Why do you think that is? Well the moon goes through 8 phases in 29.5 days, so sometimes it seems like there is no moon in the sky.  Let’s do an activity, can I get a volunteer? Invite one student up to the front at a time, allow them to draw a paper with the name of the phase on it out of a bag. Have the student sit down and match the phase to the paper. Do this until there are no more students to come up. Explain the difference between waxing and waning and make the shapes of the moon with our arms and bodies.

-Star Activity: Stars are different colors. Why is that? It’s because not all stars are the same temperature. Some are hotter and some are colder. Stars that are hotter are blue and white (roughly 45000 degrees F) where cooler stars are red (roughly 5400 degrees F). Everything in between is medium temperature. The sun, which is also a star, is yellow/orange (11000 degrees F). Hotter stars produce more energy, where colder stars produce less energy. *Show chart

Discuss the color of stars and the energy they produce (mentioned above). Talk about ways you can move with different amounts of energy. Which qualities could represent stars with more energy? (Percussive/sharp, vibratory/bursting) Less? (swing/sway, sustained)

Everyone gets a different colored glow stick (let them choose which color). Have them wear them as bracelets. Dim the lights if the glow sticks aren’t bright enough with the lights on. Have the students spread out and make a bent/angular shape like the points of a star. When the music starts, students move around the room using the energy qualities that correlate with their color of glow stick on their wrist.

Red: SUPER SLOW, swinging/swaying, sustained, flowy Yellow: NORMAL speed, both flowy and sharp movements Blue: SUPER FAST sharp,percussive, vibratory

After experimenting with one color, have students trade glow sticks with another student and move differently according the the new color’s characteristics. Repeat until everyone has used every color. If students don’t end up with a color they haven’t had, they can come to the front and get that color from you.

Create/perform: -Create your own constellation in a group. Put students in groups of equal amounts (will depend on class size). Have them create a shape of any kind that connects to each other with different body parts. Have them also give their constellation a name and tell the class what it is before they perform. -Create a moon dance in the same groups. Include different types of energy and pathways as well as shapes.

Connect/analyze: * recap, discussion, what did you learn? What are the phases of the moon? Name them with me. What are the colors of stars? Name them with me. *Watch and observe the phases of the moon and see if you can name them. Try it tonight! Go stargazing and find some constellations. Ask your parents for help. It’s handy to have binoculars or a telescope.

[ma9l]

I like the color scheme of these photographs. They are all neutrals so it seems very still and statue-like. The individuals are taking up space and filling in the gaps of the negative atmosphere on the final picture. I like their twisted shapes and interweaving positions. Although it is still, it also seems a bit intimidating like a predator going after their prey. The beginning shapes are Indian-like in nature, probably to express some sort of ritualistic dance. I like the tribal print designs that make a picture out of the shape in each dancers pose. It’s very creative! They look sophisticated and brave and very grounded in their stances. I need to watch so you think you can dance so I can see these performers in action. I’m sure they are compatible with each other in group numbers because of the support system they are representing here. I like how the dancers are barefoot because that is a more natural way of moving.

Team Egor

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This is so fascinating. I always wondered why this happened. I’ve always wondered what my house smells like to other people. I hope it’s not bad.. My aunt says it smells like fall. My best friend’s house smells good. They use a particular fabric softener and it smells like that. I think I’m getting pretty used to it though. On one occasion, I was hanging out with a friend of mine and when I left he told me his car smelled like my perfume and so did his shirt-like really strongly. I guess I wear that perfume so often that I don’t realize how much I am putting on, but I think he was just being dramatic because I only wear like three sprays worth. I wonder if there’s a way you can reintroduce your own home’s scent to your body and make it seem threatening again. That would be interesting!

You can’t usually smell your own house (or perfume) because of a survival instinct called ‘olfactory adaptation.’ The brain is always looking for new, unusual, or changing smells as a sign of possible danger, so it ignores all the smells that have already become familiar. 

(Source, Source 2, Source 3)

[ma9l]

Opinion Series: Instagram and It’s Effects on Depression

1st audience: Influencers

Source 1: Why Social Comparison on Instagram Matters ://ezproxy.uvu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.586241540

Source 2: Why Instagram is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health https://time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/

Source 3: An Instagram With No 'Likes' Could Have A Big Impact On Mental Health. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/instagram-hiding-likes-mental-health_l_5cd092d3e4b0548b735e50bc?guccounter=1.

YOU ARE HUMAN TOO

How do you do it? How do you always look happy and put together? I would dare say that it’s definitely not an easy task trying to appear like your life is perfect and that nothing is wrong, when in reality you are human just like the rest of us. You have your own struggles that you face, but you can’t bear the thought of losing followers and so you fake a smile to present a pleasing image for the world. What really goes on behind the scenes of Instagram? I’m sure what people see online is not the real you-at least not entirely…

INFLUENCER OR ROLE MODEL?

You are the role models of the future. Teenagers adore you so much so that they want to be like you, which is great and all, but not when it leads to feelings of depression and insecurity. “Research has shown that people compare themselves with those they perceive as having positive characteristics (upward social comparison) out of a desire to become more like their comparison targets” (Hwnag) This kind of practice can bring about feelings of depression because they are constantly feeling inferior and are aiming for an unrealistic goal.

MAINTAINING THE IDEAL

The pressure is ever heightened for you to maintain an ideal status. The atmosphere is very competitive. You sponsor products that you don’t actually use, get lip injections that you don’t even need, and for what? The money? There is a common phrase that states the following: “money can’t buy happiness.” Maybe it can temporarily, but pretty soon, it loses its value. Similar to how you receive positive reactions from followers, which at first is exciting and makes you feel good, but then you realize they have no idea who you are. What if that was taken away from you? What if you couldn’t see how many people liked your posts? Well, a test run was performed in Canada to see how the experience for Instagram users changed by taking away the visibility of likes. A participant named Sarah Roberts said this: “Personally, I love not seeing the like count. It feels a bit weird to say, but I’ve stopped comparing myself to bigger accounts. I’ve also been more personal with the things I actually like versus what everyone else is liking. This feels like more of what Instagram should be rather than an advertisement of ourselves on our page.” From your point of view, as an influencer, I would guess this wouldn’t have the same effect on you. In fact, it would probably reap a lot of havoc with in you to not see how your followers are responding because you wouldn’t know how well your posts were doing and most importantly, wouldn’t be able to tell if they were being influenced at all when that is the sole purpose of your account. Something interesting to keep in mind in regards to the comparison aspect of your followers relation to your account, is that studies have been done comparing those who follow strangers and those who don’t and compared how it affects them mentally. It turns out that “People using Instagram or other SNS to keep in touch solely with people they know personally are not at risk for negative consequences… However, following strangers may lead to or reinforce already existing negative feelings about the self by triggering negative social comparisons.” (Lup) 

2nd audience: Utah Moms

Source 1: “Can Your Instagram Photos Reveal You’re Depressed?” https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/can-your-instagram-photos-reveal-you-re-depressed-ncna794041

Source 2: “Does Social Media Cause Depression?” https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/

Source 3: “Why Instagram is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health”

https://time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/

EVALUATE USAGE

Utah mothers of teens: does your child own their own smartphone? Do they have personal social media accounts? Are you aware of what they do online? What about how much time they spend scrolling? These are just a few basic questions that may be helpful to consider when you’re wondering why your teen is acting “off”. Sure, you can blame it on the hormones or claim that they are just “going through a phase”, but are there other factors that come into play? Certainly! A lot of parents monitor their children’s phone usage, but a fair amount do not. Because so many teenagers are glued to their phones most of the time, and pay more attention to their devices than anything else in this technology driven world, some parents may feel like their relationship with their kids is being hindered. The phone is a distraction, and an interference that can create a gap between a teenager and the amount of face to face interaction they engage in with others. They may seem distant or hard to reach. They may seem irritable or annoyed when asked simple questions. This could very well be because of the negative strain they’re receiving from an endless array of information across social media-more specifically, from Instagram. Did you know, that Instagram ranked the highest in social media platforms that contribute to anxiety and depression? Right up there with Facebook and Snapchat. (Macmillan) Instagram tends to pressure individuals to meet a certain standard or obtain a particular ideal which adds more stress to the lives of teens who are already bombarded with stressors like school, friends, work, etc. 

HOW TO HELP

In the NBC article “Can Your Instagram Photos Reveal That You’re Depressed” it talks about a computer program in the works that is able to spot depressed people just by scanning their Instagram photos. This could be helpful for parents like you if your child isn’t very open about his/her life. You shouldn’t rely on it to give you an accurate diagnosis, but if their posts are looking dark, it could be a sign that something is up. The article suggests you bring it up by saying something like: “I noticed you’re not eating and not going out as much. You’re spending hours on the screen in your bed, you seem really tired — like you’re not sleeping well — and you have a lot of dark pictures on your Instagram.”....... Then ask your child, “Have you noticed that, too? Do you feel any different?” This way you aren’t necessarily accusing them, you are just stating the facts and checking in. A couple other tips are advised in the article “Does Social Media Cause Depression”. Try the following: focus on balance, turn off notifications, set a good example, teach mindfulness, and enforce phone free time before sleep.

UTAH

Obviously in Utah there is a unique dynamic with the large majority belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Now, whether or not you fall into that category, you probably still agree with me when I say there is a distinct standard for how people parent in our state and it entirely revolves around the family. Your family means everything to you. I can’t even imagine, being a mother and having all the concerns and worries that you do for your children, hoping that they don’t get screwed up or lead astray. That is a heavy burden to bear. Finding the balance between being too strict and too carefree is tough! So while keeping an eye on your children and their social media use may be another stressor for you, let me reassure you by saying “you are doing better than you think you are!”

3rd audience: “The student”

Source 1: No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression.” Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uvu.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=acf0bc8f-62a2-42ca-a54c-5fb0eabe7791%40pdc-v-sessmgr05&bdata=#AN=133426611&db=pbh

Source 2: Instagram: Friend or Foe? The Application’s Association with Psychological Well-Being. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uvu.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=cd3ba391-56c3-46b9-97d5-383a27d2d6fa%40pdc-v-sessmgr02&bdata=#AN=2019-53246-004&db=psyh

Source 3: Is Social Media Hurting Your Mental Health? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czg_9C7gw0o

ARE YOU “LIKED”?

How does it feel when your phone buzzes, notifying you that your latest Instagram post just got 50 more likes? Do you feel the gratification and approval from your peers? Do you feel important and liked? What about when you post something and it doesn’t do as well as you hoped? Do you immediately take it down because it’s embarrassing or do you shrug it off and say “My next post will be better!”? Either way, most people your age are trying to find themselves and fit in so what you post tends to be influenced by your peers. You care about what they think because you don’t want to ruin your reputation. Am I right? Some of the most common mental illnesses these days are depression and anxiety, especially among youth. A lot of studies have been done in order to confirm or deny whether the hypothesis that social media plays a role in our overall well being is true or not. 

INSTA ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS

“The Center for Collegiate Mental Health found that the top three diagnoses on University campuses are anxiety, depression and stress. Numerous studies from the US, Canada, the UK, you name it, have linked this high social media use with these high levels of anxiety and depression.” (Parnell) I don’t know about you, but as a college student, I can relate with this. Even though we are all on our own journey to success, a lot of us tend to worry about how we are doing compared to others even though they are taking an entirely different route that is not even relevant to us at all and then end up feeling sorry for ourselves because we see how much good is happening in their lives and how much they are achieving by viewing their social media posts. Why do we do that? They have nothing to do with us, nor do their feeds depict real life. They could have failed an exam just yesterday, but never posted about it so you had no idea and then turned around and posted about passing one the next day which is all you saw. It’s all about sharing the highlights and the positive moments in life online so people will like you and think you’re cool.

HOW MANY USERS?

“As of March of 2018,... 71% of young adults used Instagram” (Hunt) I would consider young adults to be between the ages of 18-30, so your typical college student. The numbers may be slightly off due to the slight advance in time to today, but roughly 70 percent of young adults use Instagram. That is a pretty good majority. With this high of a number, it wouldn’t be surprising for at least some of the app’s users to face problems with it.

INSTAGRAM ANXIETY

In a scholarly article titled “Instagram: Friend or Foe”, it uses the phrase “Instagram Anxiety” to describe how one might feel in their online engagement with the app. “Instagram anxiety was associated with both depression and anxiety. This specific form of anxiety refers to feeling anxiety symptoms about specific processes involved in using the application. It may also be that users who feel anxious about posting pictures or receiving feedback may also tend to feel more anxious in general.” Anxiety and depression go hand in hand. You may not be diagnosed with either illness, but you have probably still experienced some of their symptoms-especially if you use social media often. I know I have. Now, we are all imperfect and all make mistakes so it’s no wonder we beat ourselves up about not having the ideal Instagram account like so and so does, but we have our agency and we can choose to use it more wisely. “Is social media hurting your mental health? The answer is: it doesn’t have to.” (Parnell)

[ma9l]

Thank You for the Suggestion

*This is not supposed to be comprehensible, I just used the word suggestion tool on my phone to create this paragraph. It could turn into something complicated and deep if you wanted it to though*

Yeah but I think that is why we can do it yourself or just riding on my plate or something else to do that and it would have gone up and down the road to get to the point tomorrow night is a plan that would have been doing it in like the last year of a relief program in my country that would make sure there was no worries in my life and the logo of my skills to be cherished by the people of my family and the community and my mom and my parents and my children of all ages who were going to be a part time teacher and a whole hour long as they were made to be happy with their work for the next generation and then they would sacrifice their stuff for us know that we could have totally do you think you have the company to make a difference to the world we can all agree to the fact of our friendship that is the best thing you thought about that haha and it is so good that you called me back on my phone with my mom in a couple nights before I was a little bit tired haha so much so that I am at school so much more to be a part time job and she is so excited too and I don't want you to be a girl but she is so cute but it doesn't really matter.

?????

[ma9l]

"Sleep is Nice"-A Poem By Me

Soft and cozy in my bed

Wrapped in blankets tight and snug

A warm embrace like a hug

Dreams of wonder in my head

What's that I hear?

That awful noise, that awful sound

Its getting loud, pound, pound, pound

Oh, the ringing in my ear!

One eye opens, then the other

I reach my hand to make it end

Back to dreamland, my old friend

Returning to that beautiful rest

Where I can relax without disruption

It sure feels good to sleep

This is me trying to be a poet. It's an Italian sonnet. Can't ya tell? Well at least I think I followed the rules of a sonnet... Who am I kidding, poetry has no rules! It's purely creativity. In case you haven't figured out what I'm talking about in this poem, I will tell you! It's about me sleeping the night away in my comfy bed when all of a sudden I hear a noise. What is it you ask? My alarm clock. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. (How rude! I was having a good dream.) The sound is excruciating. I muster up all the strength I've got to lift my arm and turn it off so I can go back to sleep. Do I have places to be and things to do? Probably. Do I care? Nope.

I was inspired to write this sonnet because I loooovvveee sleep. I cherish it. Lately I haven't been sleeping very well so I was sort of just imagining the ideal situation (aside from the alarm going off). Sometimes I wish I could sleep for days. That'd be nice.

[ma9l]

Annotated Bibliography: Instagram and Depression Sources

Frison, Eline, and Steven Eggermont. “Browsing, Posting, and Liking on Instagram: The Reciprocal Relationships Between Different Types of Instagram Use and Adolescents’ Depressed Mood.” CyberPsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, vol. 20, no. 10, Oct. 2017, pp. 603–609. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1089/cyber.2017.0156.

The authors in this article took the approach of doing a longitudinal study on 671 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19. They decided to do this because they noticed that a cross-sectional longitudinal test had not yet been performed between mental health and Instagram use. The results confirmed that the more browsing one does on Instagram, the more depressed their mood is. On the flip side, they also found that the more depressed one is, the more likely they are to post on Instagram when they are depressed. It addressed both sides. Either Instagram can affect your mood, or your mood can affect how you behave on Instagram. This article was published in 2017 and the authors both have a PhD in this field of study which increases their credibility. Charts of data were provided to demonstrate how they measured and collected their results. The charts display information regarding the different times the participants were interacting in different ways on Instagram (posting, liking, or browsing) and jotted those activities down. In order to measure, they used a scaling system of numbers 1-7 where participants would rank how often they did one of the 3 activities with 1 being never and 7 being several times a day. Another chart shows the relationships between those activities with a depressed mood so we can see how they correlate. Something these authors took into account was they considered whether gender had anything to do with the likeliness of someone being depressed after spending time on Instagram, but the results for each sex were similar. To my understanding, there are multiple ways one can browse on Instagram whether it be by scrolling through your feed, viewing stories, watching Instagram TV/other videos, and visiting accounts of those you follow. Because there is such a variety in what you can do on the app, there must be a variety of emotions that users experience as they bounce from one activity to another. The article stated that browsing had the largest impact, but I am still curious as to how the others compare.

Hunt, Melissa G., et al. “No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression.” Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, vol. 37, no. 10, Dec. 2018, pp. 751–768. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1521/jscp.2018.37.10.751.

This article can be found in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. Here, four authors work together on an experimental study to discover if social media plays a role in causing “worse well-being.” Rather than experimenting with only one platform, participants (from the University of Pennsylvania) were asked to limit the use of three: Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat to ten minutes a day or they were assigned to just use them as they normally would for three consecutive weeks. This created a control group and a test group. Interestingly enough, after the three weeks were up, both groups resulted in being less anxious and having less FOMO (fear of missing out). The authors credit this to more persistent self-monitoring. However, the group who limited themselves proved to be less depressed and lonely than the controlled group who didn’t make any changes. The study is only about a year old having been performed in 2018, a lot of facts and numbers were included thanks to the authors’ research, a clear outline of the process, and a defined prospective timeline of events. The procedure involved a voluntary sign up, surveys scaling different categories, participants sending screenshots of their battery level at specific times which is affected by the amount of time they spend on certain applications, etc. It is very thorough and well thought out. Limitations and the possibility of manipulation were considered as well. This study focused on social media in general, yet each form of social media has unique characteristics that could potentially alter or skew results based on which specific applications were used at a particular time and for how long the user spent on a single platform. For example, Facebook has a lot more to see than Instagram does when it comes to scrolling. Facebook is endless, whereas Instagram displays a kind reminder saying “you are all caught up” once you get to where you left off. I feel like one could be tempted to waste more time on Facebook than Instagram and therefore be exposed to more negative factors and consume information that would affect them mentally. Then again, maybe it all comes down to the content provided. Either way, based on the findings of this study, the authors recommend limiting your social media use to 30 minutes a day to improve your well-being.

Hwnag, Ha Sung. "Why Social Comparison on Instagram Matters: Its impact on Depression." KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems, vol. 13, no. 3, 2019, p. 1626+. Gale OneFile: Computer Science, https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.uvu.edu/apps/doc/A586241540/CDB?u=utahvalley&sid=CDB&xid=c957fbb6. Accessed 26 Oct. 2019.

The study was officially published in March of this year (2019) by Hu Sung Hwang at KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems. Out of all of the articles, this one was the most applicable to me because the study focused on college students. 245 college students who used Instagram were surveyed on questions related to Instagram activities and their relation to social comparison. The article claims that there are three types of comparison: upward, downward, and horizontal that each contribute to our psychological well-being either positively or negatively and considers whether or not they contribute to depression. I wish she would have gone into more depth on what defines the three types of comparison because I didn’t quite understand that concept and how it tied back to the topic. Unlike the other sources a lot of background information on the topic was provided here which gives us a better idea of how educated the author is on the subject matter. It also makes up for the lack of charts or photographs as proof of experimentation having taken place. Another thing the author made sure to do was she broke it down and looked at individual aspects of the title of the piece, meaning she separately discussed instagram, social media, and depression and then combined them to understand how they are connected. This journal excerpt was long and well-developed. The areas measured include: Instagram use, activity, social comparison, depression, and demographics.  The final results produced are as follows: “Taken together, these findings indicate that the daily amount of time spent using Instagram and the frequency of Instagram use influence all types of social comparison. In addition, they also suggest that users who spend more time looking at other people's status updates or commenting on other people's photos are more likely to experience upward social comparison than other types of comparison.”

Lup, Katerina, et al. “Instagram #instasad?: Exploring Associations among Instagram Use, Depressive Symptoms, Negative Social Comparison, and Strangers Followed.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior And Social Networking, vol. 18, no. 5, May 2015, pp. 247–252. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1089/cyber.2014.0560.

Similar to the NBC article below, this study focused on Instagram as an outlet rather than an inlet. In a sense, this means the authors were considering how people use the platform to express themselves, particularly when they are sad. The authors predicted that the negative connotation of Instagram has risen due to social comparison and the number of strangers followed. The second contribution (strangers followed) hadn’t been addressed by any of the other articles yet, so that was a clever insight. They were able to reach the wide array of 18-29 year olds by hosting an online questionnaire for 117 individuals. By doing this, they were able to analyze both how frequently the participants used the app as well as the number of strangers they followed. To insure that the test was reliable, two different types of scales were incorporated: the Center for Epidemiological Resources Scale for Depression and the Social Comparison Rating Scale. This helped them measure and recognize patterns and relations: “Findings generally suggest that more frequent Instagram use has negative associations for people who follow more strangers, but positive associations for people who follow fewer strangers, with social comparison and depressive symptoms.” A question I have is what about having strangers as followers? A lot of accounts are public on purpose because they want strangers to follow them. Does that influence what people post? I wouldn’t be surprised if it did because these kinds of people are usually concerned about the numbers and getting people to follow them, which only happens when they post certain things. I would even go as far as saying they become fake. They post what their followers want to see as opposed to what they sincerely want to share. Why? They don’t even know these people? I would be curious to learn more on this matter. Anyway, in the title of this article, the hashtag #instasad is mentioned. I had a hard time deciding if that was a real hashtag that the study was based on or if it was created by the authors because it made sense with the topic. Either way, you can surely find the tag on Instagram and a decent selection of depressive posts linked to it. Because this study was performed in 2015, it is more out of date than the other sources I looked into, but it is important to view earlier stages of research to see how it’s grown and developed over the years. Having been released 4 years ago, it’s interesting to note that the same problems we experience today existed back then.

Mackson, Samantha B., et al. “Instagram: Friend or Foe? The Application’s  Association with Psychological Well-Being.” New Media & Society, vol. 21, no. 10, Oct. 2019, pp. 2160–2182. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/1461444819840021.

An obvious curiosity that was explored within the article: “Instagram: Friend or Foe?”, was that of the difference between those who use Instagram and those who don’t. The question in the title itself imposes that we ask ourselves how we personally view the platform. I don’t think most people would strictly say one or the other, I believe there is hesitation because so many of us have a love-hate relationship with Instagram, making it both a friend and a foe, just at different times. Now, depending on who is asked, people might wonder whether or not the impact the app has on it’s users is really all that significant compared to people who avoid it entirely. Is it worth avoiding? Or does it hardly do any damage? I feel like Instagram should be balanced between friend and foe, landing in the middle somewhere as more of an acquaintance than anything else. This way, it’s up to you to decide on the kind of relationship you want to have with it. If you want to get to know it better, you’ll spend more time with it, whereas if you have negative feelings toward it, you may want to distance yourself at times and take frequent breaks. Isn’t that how relationships with humans are defined? Along with this, some of the most common mental illnesses these days are depression and anxiety. They almost go hand-in-hand. This article addresses both as their negative connection with Instagram is brought into question. Results confirmed that those with the application ranked higher in experiencing symptoms of the illnesses than those without it. The reason they refer to the platform as a “friend or foe” is because it can be used for both good and bad. Yes, this article is up to date-very much so, in fact. It was put out on the 10th day of this exact month and year. In depth research on depression and anxiety were outlined near the beginning of the issue. This was smart and necessary because it provides readers with the opportunity to be more informed on the illnesses before drawing conclusions about it. In short, this article was a success because it clearly proved that “Instagram is associated with psychological well-being.”

Macmillan, Amanda. “Why Instagram Is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health.” TIME, 25 May, 2017, https://time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/. Accessed 21 Oct. 2019.

This TIME  article is slightly outdated because it was written in 2017, but that doesn’t mean the information within it is false; In fact, Instagram has been around for almost 10 years so it is actually more recent than it is old. I stated in my project proposal that through my research I wanted to see how Instagram compared to other social media platforms and this article addresses exactly that. “Out of five social networks included in the survey, YouTube received the highest marks for health and wellbeing and was the only site that received a net positive score by respondents. Twitter came in second, followed by Facebook and then Snapchat—with Instagram bringing up the rear.” This supports my topic and tells us that Instagram is the least beneficial for our well being, which reinforces the significance of researching this specific issue. The author was helpful as she compared the pros and cons (positive/negative effects) of social media rather than just focusing on one or the other. Not only does this article give us the facts, but it also suggests ways to change. Some of those ideas include: a “heavy usage” warning, a highlight for photos that have been edited or changed from their original state, and finally teaching it to students as part of their health education in school. I agree with these ideas and I’m excited to see the difference they will make after being implemented. I’m especially passionate about having it be taught in schools because children are the rising generation and humanity depends on them for creating a bright future. Not only that, but they are also the most common users of these platforms ranging from elementary to college aged students, thus are the ones most needing to be educated in safe usage. As we can see, action is fortunately already being taken, but the issue can’t be fixed overnight. I appreciate how it concluded by saying “We must be ready to nurture the innovation that the future holds.” Technology is a part of our day and it isn’t going away so we need to find ways to embrace it.

Miller, Caroline. “Does Social Media Cause Depression?” Child Mind Institute, https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/. Accessed 22 Oct. 2019.

This article was written by a member of Child Mind Institute, a non-profit organization. Her name is Caroline Miller. The organization is dedicated to helping children and families with mental health issues and disorders. Although there is not an exact date listed, the website is current and still running because the copyright year is 2019. Outside educational sources have been linked throughout the write-up with raw facts and data to inform readers about the studies that have already been done as a reminder that people are actively engaged in resolving the conflicts with social media. Since the website revolves around mental health, some of the links take you to related subjects written by other members of the Child Mind Institute team that can deepen your understanding and widen your view of mental health. Miller has the perspective that Instagram doesn’t directly cause depression, but that the time spent on Instagram only correlates with the rise in depression. Several negative associations with social media besides depression, but those which still fall in the same realm, are listed in consecutive headings. For example, sleep deprivation, isolation, or less healthy activity are a few Miller dives into. A clinical psychologist for CSI says: “The less you are connected with human beings in a deep, empathic way, the less you’re really getting the benefits of a social interaction… The more superficial it is, the less likely it’s going to cause you to feel connected, which is something we all need.” I couldn’t agree more. Often, it’s easier to replace our social health with social media rather than going out with friends or attending events, but social media needn’t be a replacement. Instead, it should only be considered an additional way to connect with others. It’s a great tool to keep in touch with people-especially for those who live far away, but it isn’t a genuine way to develop and strengthen relationships. Thanks to the article, 6 tips for healthier social media use are layed out near the conclusion of the piece This shines a spotlight on us as it invites us to reflect on how we can improve our health as it relates to online activities. This is similar to the article by Pawlowski who also gives helpful advice on the matter.

Parnell, Bailey. “Is Social Media Hurting Your Mental Health?” YouTube, uploaded by TEDxTalks, 22 Jun. 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czg_9C7gw0o.

Unlike the other sources I found, this one is in video format as a 2017 TED Talk. Bailey Parnell is the speaker. She’s an award winning digital marketer, public speaker, etc. In her talk, she, herself, started out by demonstrating a monologue of someone scrolling through Instagram and reacting to its content. It was funny, lighthearted, and relatable which is a fantastic way to introduce your subject and get your audience engaged. Parnell had previous data and statistics to show up on her PowerPoint slides, but she also did some primary research on the spot by surveying her listeners. She asked them questions and had them raise their hands. She was able to involve her audience, and see if her previous research aligned with the experiment she did in the moment. One example of this was when she asked if anyone noticed the notification alert in the upper corner of her slides. Several people had and admitted that it was driving them crazy. I am the same way because I am always checking my notifications to get them to disappear. It’s like a checklist where you have to mark the task off to say it’s been acknowledged and completed. Is this a demonstration of addiction or obsession? Something to think about.. Bailey used pathos through her tone of voice, but mainly towards the end of her speech as she had slides of kids who had committed suicide because of the bad experiences they had online. It got so bad for them that they gave up because they couldn’t handle it anymore. If that doesn’t encourage you to reevaluate your online interactions with others, I don’t know what does. The stance she took on the issue was that social media isn’t the issue, it’s the people who use it. We don’t have to be negatively impacted by it, but we allow ourselves to be by the way we engage with it. Like several other articles, tips were given on how to be safer online and Parnell also says not to get rid of it because it's not going anywhere, but to, instead, find ways to practice “safe social”.

Pawlowski, A. “Can Your Instagram Photos Reveal That You're Depressed?” NBC, https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/can-your-instagram-photos-reveal-you-re-depressed-ncna794041. Accessed 22 Oct. 2019.

This news piece has a unique take on the depression/Instagram correlation concern. Instead of seeing the platform as an inlet where one is obtaining a bunch of information that can contribute to their mental state, it views it from the opposite side of the spectrum in saying Instagram can also be used as an outlet for your emotions and reveal whether someone is depressed to their followers based on certain characteristics like the color scheme they use in their photographs. The colors blue, white, gray, or black seem to be more commonly associated with depressed individuals due to their dull, melancholy appearance, but not always. It’s important not to assume that everyone who uses that color scheme is depressed, but is still a trend amongst persons with depression. The article is rhetorical and uses a great deal of pathos in its tone as it appeals to emotion. It does this by giving a real life example of a woman who filled her account with pictures that portrayed how she was feeling which was, in fact, depressed. It also discusses how a computer program was designed to review these photos and identify whether someone was depressed. It is still in the works, but could be useful in the future for assisting those who aren’t receiving proper help with their condition. I was curious before starting my research on this issue about how involved parents are with their children’s social media use and under a heading titled “If you’re a parent worried about your child’s Instagram images…” it advises them to check in with their kids in a constructive way. If I were a parent, I would be following my kids on all the platforms and addressing them in person if I noticed anything concerning because they probably aren’t going to approach me voluntarily. I think it’s safe to say that most parents want to have a strong and trustworthy relationship with their children so they feel safe enough to talk to them when they aren’t feeling like themselves, but unfortunately this isn’t always the case. That is where social media becomes a tool for parents. The article concludes with a paragraph on self-reflection and self-analyzation which encourages you, if you’re feeling down or different, to look at your own photos to see if any of them confirm depressiveness. This applies to everyone whether you’re the one who is depressed or someone you know. It can either persuade you to reach out for assistance, or allow you to be a helping hand for someone else.

Wong, Brittany. “An Instagram With No 'Likes' Could Have A Big Impact On Mental Health.” HUFFPOST, 10 May 2019 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/instagram-hiding-likes-mental-health_l_5cd092d3e4b0548b735e50bc?guccounter=1. Accessed 21 Oct. 2019.

This article from HUFFPOST has an interesting layout. Aside from other sources, Wong uses the visual spectacle to her advantage by including a video introduction and a screenshot of an Instagram post to break up the written article itself. Perhaps the most important thing about this source, and the reason it is so reliable, is the fact that Adam Mosseri, who is the head of Instagram, was directly engaged-and he should be! Who is more credible to speak about this topic than the head of Instagram himself? He performs a presentation in the video where he suggests three ways to make the Instagram app safer for its users and to actually combat cyberbullying which can most certainly contribute to depression. If the head of instagram recognizes that something is up, then something is definitely up. Granted, money could very well be his motivation for making these changes, I still think he is wise in making these suggestions. In Canada, a separate test was being experimented with based on the question: ”Could a like-free Instagram make us a lot less thirsty for approval and more mentally sound?” In simpler terms, the number of likes would be removed from a person’s post so that the viewers focused more on the content of the picture rather than the engagement with it. This differed from Mosseri’s suggestions, but was still a clever idea and worth reading into. Negative and positive effects of social media are mentioned throughout the article, links to related sources are cited, and it was written in May of this year so it is very recent, which makes the data more relevant to the present. The author of this source even includes examples of a man and woman (Sarah and Cam) who personally participated in the experiment with a “like-free Instagram” in order to see how they benefited. They both reported that they prefer not being able to see the likes on photos. Count me in! I want to know what that kind of experience is like. Imagine how much your thought processing would change!

[ma9l]

Everything Except..

More than once, I've been driving down the road with a friend and experience a conversation similar to the following:

Them: (*messing with the radio) What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Me: Um..I like almost any music.. except the stuff I don't like.

Them: So what do you not like?

Me: I don't like rap, or screamo music, or techno-whatever. I'm also not a fan of super twangy country.

Them: I see.

I feel like a lot of people can relate to me in this scenario where not all of your favorite songs fit into one genre, maybe they do, but I dare say that most people are open to various types of music whether it be country, pop, rap, jazz, blues, etc.

Therefore, a new genre is created and it's by default called "anything except the stuff I don't like".

No one said you are only allowed to like one kind of music, so why limit yourself? I think it's great to incorporate this genre into your listening because it makes you more diverse as a person.

To give you an idea of what this genre looks like, here is a small excerpt from one of my playlists:

The Sound-The 1975

Welcome to the End of Your Life-The Driver Era

Angel-Shaggy

Still Into You-Paramore

Grace-Lewis Capaldi

Waves-Dean Lewis

Strangers-The Jonas Brothers

House Party-Sam Hunt

Nobody Can Save Me-Linkin Park

Blue Ain't Your Color-Keith Urban

 As you can see, I like a lot of different music and this playlist is proof of that.

[ma9l]

sTyLe

Today my outfit consisted of the following pieces:

-A striped blue and white short sleeved t-shirt

-Skinny jeans

-Black Converse high tops

This is called the “trying to be cute, but not wanting to look like I tried too hard” look.

Truth is, I really didn’t try that hard because it’s fall break and I’m lazy, but the outfit did the job of making me look good on it’s own, so it’s a win-win.

I got my top from Nordstrom Rack for cheap (it was like 8 bucks). It is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I usually wear it when I don’t use heat on my hair (i.e curling or straightening it) because I can do a quick, simple hairdo (bun or braid) and it works with the shirt because the shirt is simple too. Weird logic I know. Girls: tell me I’m not the only one who wears certain outfits with certain hairstyles. It’s a thing.

My jeans were from a boutique and they are one of my favorite pairs because they haven’t faded in color, they don’t have holes in them so I can wear them to work and not have to change my pants in the middle of the day, and they also match with everything! Score!

Finally, I decided to wear my Converse today because they’re basically the only shoes I wear. They are always right by the door so it’s a habit for me to throw them on before heading out.  I have had them for years and since I wear them everywhere I go, they are dirty and scuffed up. but I like them that way; It gives them character.

This is my style. I don’t know where it came from, but it represents who I am. I prefer sneakers over heels. I’d rather be comfortable than fancy. Sometimes I like to dress up for no reason. I like trends, but also enjoy making things my own. I’m a simple, easy going person, and it shows in my dress.

What’s your style?

[ma9l]

Book Review

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

I just recently finished reading a book called “Girl, Stop Apologizing” by Rachel Hollis. It is the sequel to the book “Girl, Wash Your Face” which I have also read. They are self help books that are geared towards empowering women to reach their goals and  encouraging them not to let the opinions of others or the lies of the world hinder their efforts in doing so.

Rachel Hollis does a good job of writing in a way that women can relate to. She is casual, makes jokes, and confesses her own mistakes. She admits that she is imperfect, but that she is trying. She also lets them know that she is fully supporting her readers as they strive to better themselves.

I enjoyed this particular book because it is real. Rachel is a New York times best selling author who is honest and human. She is not fake and cares immensely for her followers. The way she writes is pure and unique. I appreciate that. It allowed me to connect with her even though I have never met her before. I had a difficult timing putting either book down because I feel like she was speaking to me as I flipped through the pages.

I’ve read each of them once through cover to cover, but I immediately want to go back and read them again and actually perform the exercises she outlined and apply the advice she gave.

I LOVE these books and highly recommend them to any women who feel they are losing at life and posses feelings of inadequacy. They will change your life.