A Neuro-psychiatrist consultant, Dr Maymunah Kadiri, has linked the rising cases of depression and suicide, particularly among youths, to the pervasive influence of social media.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Kadiri outlined how social media, alongside environmental stressors, relationship issues, life challenges, and inadequate parenting, significantly contributes to mental health issues.

“Social media gives us that picture of a perfect life; so, people will want to be like those they see on the internet and also want to live perfect lives.

“It is so unfortunate because social media has no rules or regulations, and so you cannot really curtail how people use social media and what direction they follow,” she explained.

Kadiri pointed out that many youths, particularly those without meaningful engagements, often fall victim to the illusion of perfection portrayed online, which fosters restlessness and inadequacy.

She also highlighted how social media amplifies unrealistic depictions of success and happiness, fuelling feelings of inferiority among users.

“To these set of people, everything they see on the internet is expected to be real, reliable, and practicable. Unfortunately, not everything posted on social media is realistic; people exaggerate issues to suit their desires,” she added.

Dr Kadiri expressed concern over the addictive nature of social media, noting that many individuals are so tethered to their devices that they struggle to spend even a minute offline.

The neuro-psychiatrist emphasised the need for widespread educational campaigns to address the mental health risks associated with social media use.

“When you know better, you have to do better for yourself and society. We need to keep teaching society that not everything seen out there is real,” she said.

She further warned that social media inadvertently serves as a platform for individuals to learn self-harm methods, compounding the risk of suicide.

While acknowledging the positive aspects of social media, Kadiri lamented its misuse by users who focus on projecting exaggerated strengths and achievements.

“Social media is a good technological innovation but has been used by many people to exaggerate their strengths and achievements rather than a combination of strengths and weaknesses,” she remarked.

She called on individuals to exercise caution in their online engagements and underscored the importance of balancing social media use with real-world connections and activities to protect mental well-being.