By LILIAN U. OKORO

A Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Maymunah Kadiri, has warned that social media addiction or overuse is a risk factor for depression and mental health problems, which could escalate to suicidal tendencies.

Kadiri, also the Medical Director of Pinnacle Medical Services, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos, citing multiple studies linking heavy social media use to depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and emotional trauma.

She lamented that many people had become so addicted to social media that they could not stay a minute without checking phones to chat on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, watch movies, or follow news updates.

Kadiri explained that social media had both positive and negative effects on mental health, noting, “While many of us enjoy staying connected, excessive use/addiction can fuel anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation.”

According to her, social media can help one connect with friends and work contacts, raise awareness on important issues, and find peer support, but overusing it can take a toll on mental wellbeing and happiness.

“Excessive social media use can trigger feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation, worsening symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress,” she said, warning that people often used it as a “security blanket” in social situations.

“Whenever we feel anxious, awkward, or lonely, we turn to our phones and log on to social media, but this only isolates us further, creating a negative, self-perpetuating cycle,” Kadiri explained.

The therapist emphasised that even small actions on social media, like liking or disliking a post, could alter brain chemistry, triggering elation for one person but dysphoria for another, which might contribute to suicidal ideation.

“As dysphoria increases, it alters the brain chemistry, mood changes, and depression may set in, causing a loss of interest in activities a person ordinarily enjoys,” emphasising the emotional risks of excessive use.

Kadiri defined dysphoria as “an emotional state often following mental illnesses or physical conditions, marked by profound uneasiness and dissatisfaction with life, sometimes leading to depression, anxiety, or agitation.”

She, therefore, called for limits and regulation of social media usage to protect mental health, particularly among youths, urging awareness of the psychological impacts of overexposure. (NAN)