Social Networking: Identity Illusion and Effects on Mental Health

Abstract

Over the years, internet has successfully taken over our lives and has become a one-stop shop for all our queries. The United Nations Children's Fund reported that India has 137 million internet users, taking the third place in global ranking, out of which 60 million people are users of different social networking sites (SNSs). As the youth of today struggles to create an identity for themselves, they are increasingly drawn towards and influenced by the world of social media. With the growing popularity and frequent usage of SNSs, about 86% of adolescents are drawn towards this virtual reality. Away from the stressors of daily life, this virtual world creates a kaleidoscopic view of life that has endless possibilities. The overuse of SNSs, however, can create an illusion of identity which fulfils their psychosocial needs. This paper attempts to review the existing literature on social networking and its effect on adolescent identity illusion and mental health. Research on adolescents using SNSs indicates that they tend to self-present and self-express themselves in a socially desirable way, which creates a mirage of their true identity. Furthermore, evidence suggests that excessive use of SNSs may negatively impact one's mental health, resulting in low self esteem, inhibited interpersonal interactions, depression, compulsive behaviour and narcissism.