Social Media Comparative Anxiety Disorder

Diagnostic Criteria

• Developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear or anxiety from the use of social

media and comparing the individual to their peers on social media.

• Individual avoids social media (deleting their Facebook accounts, or never logging in)

• Marked anxiety towards not fulfilling goals and dreams and perceiving others on social

media fulfilling their goals and comparing themselves to that

• Low self-worth, low confidence

• Depression, lack of fulfillment, and enjoyment

• Avoiding past relationships that would cause anxiety especially if that person has

fulfilled a lot of goals and is well off

• Loneliness because the person wants to ignore their peers and friend groups so they can

avoid the anxiety of being stagnant

• Thoughts of suicide, feeling like there is no way out, and that it is too late to turn their

life around

• Closing off oneself from the outside world because of the anxiety that comes with it

• Fear of going to public places and seeing happy people that have fulfilled their dreams

• Fear of communicating with others that have fulfilled their dreams and goals

• Staying in their comfort zone so they can run away from the feeling of anxiety

• Obsessive and compulsive thoughts of the future and comparing themselves to others

on social media
 • Symptoms are present for as long as the thoughts of comparing themselves to others is

in their head, symptoms occur more frequently on social media

Diagnostic Features
The primary diagnostic features of SMCAD (Social Media Comparative
Anxiety Disorder) is a feeling of anxiety when the use of social media is
involved. By comparing oneself to others within their social and peer groups
that seem to share the illusion with others that their lives are filled with
enjoyment, positivity, and fulfillment. A feeling of anxiety and low self-worth
is manifested and accompanied by the person who spectates and observes
these peers that share this within their network. Thus, this person tends to
delete or deactivate their social media accounts, and close themselves off
from the online world. The pain and anxiety that comes with observing
others that are “fulfilling” their lives by posting it on their social media
accounts, is too great to withstand for the person with SMCAD. Usually a
person with SMCAD shows signs of depression and low self-esteem, which
goes hand and hand with SMCAD.

Prevalence
The prevalence of social media comparative anxiety disorder over a 12-
month period in the United States is around 15% of the population who uses
social media (Anxiety Today 2011; Wilson and Jones 2012). Prevalence
estimates show higher representation in Caucasian, Asian, and Indian
Americans than in African Americans and South Americans (Rod En La.
2013). The gender rate is relatively equal, with males being at 50.2% and
females at 49.8% (Stord T F. 2014).

Development and Course

Onset usually begins around the age of 16, during adolescence and beyond.
There are cases of social media comparative anxiety disorder below the age
of 14, with how integrated social media has become in our youth there is
more and more of these cases with this disorder developing in first world
countries. Symptoms can be developed chronically and could be
intermittent. It depends on the individual, and the amount of time spent on
social media platforms (Yuri Ed B. 2014). The circumstances of when social
media comparative anxiety disorder develops varies, but for the majority of
individuals with this disorder it is usually when this person is going through a
rough patch in their life. A person who is stationary in a period of time in
their life and not doing things that actively work towards their goals to
improve their lives is more susceptible to SMCAD.

Risk and Prognostic Factors

Temperamental
Individuals who use social media platforms on a daily basis and tend to be
more neurotic than emotionally stable are at a higher risk of developing
social media comparative anxiety disorder. Also, individuals with low self-
esteem and confidence are more susceptible. This is because SMCAD stems
off lack of self-worth, and low self-esteem. Research shows that if these
individuals had higher confidence and were more ambitious, SMCAD would
be less likely to develop. Research also shows that if they had their own
goals that were driving them and actively working towards those goals, that
individual wouldn’t be anxious about their peers on social media and
wouldn’t be anxious about the amount of time they have wasted not fulfilling
their goals. When an individual observes others reaching their goals and
making a difference in the world on social media, it makes them reflect back
on their lives and what they could be doing differently. Which in return
causes them to compare themselves to their peers and be anxious and
mindful of the fact that others are surpassing them or doing things that
make them look at their life in a negative way.

Environmental
Children who grew up with technology like tablets, phones, and computers
that have access to social media are far more likely to develop social media
comparative anxiety disorder later on in life. Compared to a person who
grew up off social media, they tend to value social media less than people
who grew up with it (York PD. 2013). Individuals who were traumatized, or
bullied growing up through social media and social platforms like for an
example instant messenger, are also at a greater risk of developing social
media comparative anxiety disorder. Children who were compared to their
peers and siblings, whether it be their parents, grandparents, teachers,
authoritarian figures are also at a greater risk of developing SMCAD. With
how the media portrays people in the marketing business like ads,
commercials, television shows, movies, and how those people's lives are
filled with enjoyment and ambitious day to day tasks and goals, more and
more people are falling victim to the problem of constantly being compared
to idealistic models of what people look like in “Hollywood”. Which is
considered a false reality, a fantasy, but people find it hard to see what is
real and what is fake, and the expectations of individuals who are victimized
by social media are high because of these unrealistic characteristics that the
media portrays to the public.

Genetic and physiological

Social media comparative anxiety disorder is heritable. Children’s whose
parents have had an anxiety disorder or have dealt with depression are
more likely to develop social media comparative anxiety disorder and have a
vulnerability to it. Since this disorder is relatively new, and social media has
not been out for too long, more information is needed to determine the
exact cause of social media comparative anxiety disorder, but research
shows that people who have dealt with SMCAD have some history in their
lineage with anxiety and depression. It is thought to believe that a lack of
serotonin in the individual could be a contributing factor. Since memory is a
leading cause of anxiety and events when the individual feels threatened,
the amygdala and hippocampus abnormalities could be a significant factor in
the cause of this disorder. Perhaps a series of chemical imbalances, an
example would be the lack of serotonin mentioned before.

Culture and Gender Related Diagnostic Issues

Since social media is rarely available to third world cultures, social media
comparative anxiety disorder is only a problem for first and second world
cultures, the majority of third world countries have not yet experienced this
disorder. If third world cultures were to experience social media, they would
not experience it the same way as the United States or the U.K. Most people
would be envious of the people who share their riches over social media, like
pictures of food, cars, and houses. Since most of them do not have these
luxuries, they long for it. They would not experience anxiety, but rather
inspire them instead (Jades Y. 2013). First world countries problems and
third world countries problems are much different. Third world countries
have to deal with surviving, making sure they have enough food for their
family and themselves. First world countries have problems like rescheduling
a doctor's appointment, or making sure to pay their bills on time. Some
studies have shown that people that worry less about the little things and
more about surviving by hunting and gathering have less anxiety overall.
They are in a tougher environment but yet have less anxiety to deal with
(Mino T. 2016). With how the world is today, more and more people are
sitting around and indulging in their own thoughts. They surf the web, and
soak in all the information they consume on a day to day basis, and this is a
contributing factor to anxiety. When a person is not as busy, and has more
time to think, there is higher probability that that person will develop a
mental disorder. The brain is a powerful tool used to survive, but when left
vacant with thoughts and feelings it can cause issues (Baker F. 2008).
Between men and women, both are equally susceptible to developing social
media comparative anxiety disorder (Stord T F. 2014).

Functional Consequences of “The Name of Your Disorder”

Social media comparative anxiety disorder can cause an individual to
distance themselves from friends and family. It can also hinder a person’s
life through their occupation. Now a days, social media is becoming more
and more acceptable to be used at a professional level. If a person distance
themselves from social media, and their work has a Facebook page, it could
cause a lack of trust and separation between employees (Adele L. 2014).
Not only can it affect one's work life, but also their personal life as well.
Anxiety alone can really affect a person’s life, adding that with an anxiety
based off social media in this technology driven world will just be more
problematic for the individual with this disorder. A person who is dealing
with anxiety needs support, and cutting out your support by avoiding social
media will just make it worse. Which is why this disorder could be really
detrimental to a person and his or her family (Bose J. 2017). If an
individual's only way of contacting his close friends and family is through
Facebook, a person could really distance themselves from everyone that is
needed to be there, their support group. Everyone needs a support group,
especially those with mental illness. When an individual distance themselves
from their support group, that is when mental problems occur, and this is
one of the outcomes of social media comparative anxiety disorder. It is a
never-ending cycle that could end up being fatal for an individual without
support (Maxwell Q. 2014).