Social Media Usage for Mental Health Information among University of Ilorin Undergraduates
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Social & Digital Media Discourse
Abstract
The increased deterioration of mental health among undergraduates, its causes, and viable panaceas are
becoming an academic concern and a populated area of study among researchers worldwide. Amidst this is
a bone of contention among scholars on the relevance of social media and its role in improving or
deteriorating the mental health of undergraduates. Social media and its affiliated applications may either
depreciate mental health or improve it among undergraduates. Thus, through an exploratory qualitative
research design, this study investigated social media usage for mental health information among University
of Ilorin undergraduates to understand the consequences of social media use on their mental health. The
study purposively sampled thirty undergraduates using the in-depth interview as the instrument for data
collection. Findings revealed that there is high usage of social media among the undergraduates. Based on
the findings, the high usage of social media is borne out of the need to gratify their mental health needs,
using it to seek mental health assistance. While there is an attestation by the undergraduates that social
media usage has positive consequences on their mental health, the platform is found to predispose them to
depression and low self-esteem. The study recommended that mental healthcare providers should focus
more on mental health advocacy on social media as this would help to give credibility to mental health
information available on social media.
Description
Keywords
: Mental health, Social media, Stigmatization, Uses and gratification