David Strickland

l. Introduction

A. Attention Getter
Social Media! Communication platforms and devices! Just about all of us use them. In fact,
many American young adults cant seem to get away from them and find themselves fixated on
them. And were now starting to see a rapidly increasing correlation of problems associated with
it. From what we think of as a fun way to communicate and interact with friends and family, or
even just as a way to pass time scrolling on your phone or laptop, can in fact be just the
opposite from that. Cell phones, mobile devices and social media platforms are beginning to
increasingly become some of the leading causes of depression and other mental health related
issues among many young adults in recent years and up until recently.

B. Background and Audience Relevance

The reason that you are going to want to know why this information about the harms of using
social media and mobile devices excessively, is because just about all of us use social media.
And the ways in which it can affect us, may not be noticeable until potential risks develop or
progress. And as young adults and Americans in general, who use these communication
technologies often, we should be aware of current statistics and potential risks of these pass
time activities.

C. Speaker Credibility
I myself am a young American adult in college, who engages in social media and can
speak to and relate to what it is like to use the communication and social media platforms.

D. Thesis
The overuse of social media and cell phones among young adults has a direct
correlation to depression, stress related anxieties, and many other mental and physical health
concerns. But it is not just the use of the use of these social media platforms causing these
issues. It is how people are using them and are affected by them. I look to explain: the varying
levels of social media and cell phone use by young adults and reasons for dependency on
them; the correlation of using social media and technology and how they relate to depression,
stress anxieties, envy, lowered self esteem, and negative affects on overall well-being: and
lastly, how the use of social media and technology use leads to physical problems such as
fatigue and sleep disorders and ways they can be prevented. All of these different symptoms
are a direct correlation found from researchers who have conducted multiple studies in recent
years to observe and note the the side effects of social media use and its potential negatives
effects in exchange.
 E. Preview of Main Points
So again, I will first be discussing today the actual numbers of young adults who are using these
various social media platforms and devices, how often they are using them, along with reasons
for why this attachment seems to exist. Secondly, I will be explaining how these numbers
correlate to expected depression levels, stress anxieties and other mental health issues. And
lastly, I will be explaining how there is also risk of physical harm, such as fatigue and sleeping
disorders and ways to avoid this.

Transition to first main point

Now, I will discuss the the numbers of young adults visiting these social media platforms and
using mobile devices.

ll Body

A. Main Point 1: Young adults using social media platforms and devices

1. Sub point 1: In a study conducted by the Anxiety

and Depression Association of America they evaluated 1,787 young
adults ranging from the ages of 19-32. Within these groups they had them
rank how often they used social media platforms on a low to high ranking
of how often they visited social media websites weekly. They found that
As many as 90% of young adults in the United States use social media,
and the majority of users visit these sites at least once a day. SM use
accounts for about 20% of time online on personal computers and 30% of
time online via mobile phones. That is an extremely large number, clearly
being a large concern at hand assuming its risks. From their study they
concluded that Median total time on social media was 61 min/day.
Median social media site visits per week across all platforms was 30.

2. Sub Point 2: With these large numbers of

communication and social media platforms being used, there is a
correlation of why young adults seem to be so attached to these things.
Sarah Banducci from the University of Illinois News Bureau discusses this
in her article called Study links mobile device addiction to depression and
anxiety. She brings up studies done by Professor Alejandro Lleras also
from U. of Illinois. He discusses in these studies, how addictive behaviors
to these communication devices for for many young adults lead them to
feel like they need their phones with them at all times. Which down the
 road links to depression and anxiety. While discussing an experiment
where he compared allowing students to have a phone during a stressful
situation versus not having one, he states that individuals who were
allowed to keep their cellphones during an experimental, stressful
situation were less likely to be negatively affected by stress compared
with those without their phones. He goes to mention how this might be a
security blanket to feel comforted during stressful situations, but is only
short term fix and most likely not an actual stress alleviator. But these are
some of the reasons that young adults have such great dependence on
having their phones and social media platforms.

Transition
Now, I will explain to you relatedness of these numbers of young adults who showed to use
social media platforms and devices in abundance, to depression, mental health concerns, and
anxiety rates.

B. Main Point 2: Link to depression and mental health concerns.

1. Sub Point 1: It isnt just being on social media and using a phone or laptop that
solely leads to these mental health issue. It is largely a result from how young adults
perceive what they are viewing and how that directly correlates to varying levels of self-
esteem and well being. This is mostly seen on social media platforms such as
Facebook. Where people can constantly see who is doing the latest and greatest things
in life, whos achieving things in life in various aspects, and generally who is living a
wonderful and enjoyable life. The problem with this, is that young adults do not realize
that most of the time, these are just the surfaces and masks of people's lives. They are
just seeing all the great stuff, that people want them to see. But young adults can
become unsatisfied with themselves while seeing their friends doing all of these great
things in life on Facebook and ultimately lose self-esteem. This term is coined as
Facebook Envy. In the article Study links Facebook Envy with depression in college
students from the Denver Post, it states that Margaret Duffy, a researcher for this study,
found that Facebook can be a fun and healthy activity if users take advantage of the site
to stay connected with family and old friends and to share interesting and important
aspects of their lives. However, if Facebook is used to see how well an acquaintance is
doing financially or how happy an old friend is in his relationship things that cause
envy among users use of the site can lead to feelings of depression,. So, it is not just
the communication/social media platforms, or the physical phone itself that causes these
signs of depression, yet it is how young adults perceive what they are seeing and letting
it negatively affect self-esteem through feelings of envy. Also, elaborating on this this
idea, the article states that one researcher claimed It is not the social medium itself that
is to blame for depression but the feelings that it might trigger, particularly Facebook
 envy. Our findings point to the important factor of how communication platforms and
individual dispositions intersect.

2. Sub Point 2: There is also an observed link with social media use to depression
among college in other ways. Some of these reasons as stated in the same study
previously stated by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America say that the
causes of these depressive feelings may vary in sources other than just envy. Such as
already feeling depressed, alienating themselves on these platforms and not interacting
in person with other people, causing depression and feelings of loneliness. But the study
found that the more time spent on social media ultimately led to more feelings of
depression. It states from the study of 1,178 adults observed that Compared
to those in the lowest quartile, participants in the highest quartiles of social media site
visits per week reported greater depression. And for young adults ages 19-23 who were
in the upper quartile of time spent per day on social media,(60-120 and 120+ minutes)
making up 80.5% of adults in this age group, they were just one of the age groups
reporting higher depression feelings. 80.5% makes up much of that age group, and for
the upper quartile groups of social media users to report more depressive feelings than
the lower quartiles, truly brings attention to the issue of risks linked with the use of
communication and social media platforms among young adults.

Transition

I have now discussed some of the reasons young adults are so attached to social media and
their phones, as well as the number of young adults who use social media platforms. And we
have looked at the direct correlation of social media and device usage linked to depressive and
negative mental well being symptoms. I will now discuss, how the overload of using social
media and devices can also lead to physical negative impacts on your body, such as fatigue and
negatively impact your sleep patterns. And I will explain potential ways to fix this problem.

C. Main Point 3: Fatigue and negative impact on sleep

1. Sub Point 1: There are also physical negative effects from using these
communication/social media platforms as well as personal devices. One study was
conducted by M.D. David Volpi, where 4,100 people were surveyed between ages 20-24
on how much they information and communication technology. From this group 32
individuals were further selected to be observed that were considered to be heavy
information and communication users. From this he found and stated that Heavy cell
phone use showed an increase in sleep disorders in men and an increase in depressive
symptoms in both men and women. He also found in this study that Regular, late night
computer use was associated with sleep disorders, stress and depressive symptoms in
both men and women.. And that the combination of both of these uses of cell phones
and laptops increased these symptoms.
 2. Sub Point 2: For the actual reasons behind these correlated symptoms multiple
researchers found no clear explanation for this. But they assumed one theory in which it
could be caused from the overuse of always contacting friends and family through social
media platforms. David Volpi goes on to explain potential ways to prevent these
symptoms from happening. He recommends to create very habitual sleeping patterns, to
work out regularly, and to keep a TV or device away from yourself and out of your room
at night. This is all done in order to create a healthy sleeping environment to decrease
chances of the use of these technologies and social media platforms. Which could lead
to depression, poor sleeping patterns and fatigue.
3.

Transition and Signal Closing

Ive now discussed the three separate and related topics of; numbers and reasons for
dependency of social media use among young adults; the links from social media/technology
use to depression and negative mental health symptoms; and the negative physical impacts
such as fatigue and sleeping problems. And Ive explained how all of them collectively are
related to the the growing dependency of social media platforms among young adults in
America

lll Conclusion

A. Restate thesis
Once again, social media platforms and devices such as cell phones and laptops are directly
correlated to some of the rising and leading statistics for depression and negative health risks
among young adults.

B. Review main Points

Overall, many young adults use communication social media platforms in America and are
extremely attached to them. And we saw that many of these young adults who are heavy users
are experiencing some type of negative health and depressive effects because of it. Some
young adults today are even being affected physically with negative sleep patterns and fatigue.
And even though current researchers don't know the exact reason of why this correlation exists,
there are certain ways to avoid these negative effects of the use of social media platforms and
technology use.
 C. Memorable Closer

So, whether youre just using social media platforms on your phone while youre bored
during the day, or find yourself addicted to these websites and apps and are getting lost in time
constantly on them. It is vital to be fully aware that there are potential risks of being too
consumed with these platforms and devices, such as becoming depressed, having a slightly
lowered overall well-being, and even having negative impacts on your sleeping schedule! So,
set down your phone every once in awhile, get outside, enjoy the fresh air, and enjoy life as it is
in front of you and not through a glass or plastic screen!

Work Cited

Banducci, Sarah. "Study Links Mobile Device Addiction to Depression and Anxiety." News Bureau.

Illinois News Bureau, 2 Mar. 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

F.A.C.S., David Volpi M.D. P.C. "Heavy Technology Use Linked to Fatigue, Stress and

Depression in Young Adults." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 02 Aug. 2012. Web.

25 Feb. 2017.

Gauldin | The Denver Post, Anna. "Study Links Facebook Envy with Depression in College

Students." The Denver Post. The Denver Post, 22 June 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

Kevin, Wright B. "Communication Competence, Social Support, and Depression Among College

Students: A Model of Facebook and Face-to-Face Support Network Influence." Taylor and

Francis Online. Journal of Health Communication, 3 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

Lin, Liu Yi, Jaime E. Sidani, Ariel Shensa, Ana Radovic, Elizabeth Miller, Jason B. Colditz, Beth

L. Hoffman, Leila M. Giles, and Brian A. Primack. "ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIAL

MEDIA USE AND DEPRESSION AMONG U.S. YOUNG ADULTS." Depression and Anxiety.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 19 Jan. 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

Discussion Questions
 1.) What Social Media platforms seem to cause the most depressive symptoms
among young adults?
2.) Do you think there is such a thing as spending an unhealthy amount of time on
social media?
3.) Have you ever felt or noticed decrease in well-being from using social media
platforms?