Comment: Social media… Is it really the centre of isolation & loneliness?

In this day and age, there's very few of us who aren't on social media.

Whether it's constantly checking Snapchat or updating your Instagram, it's fair to say a lot of us check our social media accounts daily.

Scratch that. A lot of us check our social media accounts hourly.

But is it ruining our friendships and making us lonely? I'm not so sure.

A recent study carried out in the US claimed that we're on social media for at least two hours per day (which is probably fair), however, those two hours apparently double our chances of experiencing social isolation and low self-esteem.

When we're exposed to idealised representations of other people's lives, we feel envious and jealous, right?

And yeah, if one of your mates is living it up in New Zealand while you're slogging away at a 9-5 job, obviously you're going to wish you were on a sunny beach with a cocktail in hand.

But my point of view is; if we took social media away from the picture, and you met your friend for a coffee and she showed you pictures of her holiday, those envious feelings are still going to pop up.

The research, which was carried out in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, is saying that social media is the root of our social isolation, but I really don't think that's entirely true.

Another study by Drexel University found social media to actually be a pretty positive platform for people who have low self-esteem.

Those who might not be as confident to speak out in social situations, can interact with people online, which in turn made them more vocal in their day to day lives.

Researchers investigated the 'depression' hashtag on Instagram, and what they actually found was pretty inspiring.

"Emotional support and esteem support, which includes comments such as, 'you are strong and beautiful', were the most popular comments among the 'depression' hashtag," which is pretty refreshing.

Numerous bloggers and social influencers are now coming forward to say that their lives aren't what you see on social media. Those pictures and statuses are only highlighting the good points, and while it may seem like everything is prefect – they go through tough times as well.

None of us are flawless, and we all project the best images of ourselves on social media.

"The emotional support of trying to cheer someone up and provide support in the post or comment space could be viewed as a type of cognitive intervention (i.e., trying to help the person overcome negative thinking by developing positive thinking)," the study explained.

I think that at first, social media was (and partly still is) a platform to show off and boast, but it's changing into a place where people are becoming more real about their day to day lives and their struggles.

We all need to stop being so naive that everyone else's life is perfect, because just like our own, it's not.

Social media may be an enhancer, but it's not the root cause of isolation or loneliness.

However, if you need support, never be afraid to speak out. Check out this website for if you need any advice or someone to talk to.