81% of adults report that social media helps them maintain relationships with family and friends, and 68% say it helps them feel more connected to communities of interest (Auxier & Anderson, 2021).
When used in a supportive way, positive social media can be a connector that strengthens our real-world relationships by helping us keep in touch and share important life updates. It is still important to consider healthy boundary setting.
Using social media intentionally can also reduce feelings of loneliness by increasing our chances of connecting with people who share similar interests and life experiences, thus reducing any feelings of shame or stigma, as we can learn and create with others.
These communities can be powerful in enhancing our wellbeing, especially when we can access emotional support, practical advice, and coping strategies.
The key is to curate your online world.
One practical way to do this is to have a “tech check-in” each day where you review your feed, unfollow accounts that drain you, and intentionally engage with content or people who energize and support you.
Studies suggest that social media can enhance wellbeing when it facilitates meaningful interaction and supportive relationships (Burke & Kraut, 2016). You can focus on the quality, not the quantity, of your connections.
Meaningful interactions with a few close contacts can feel more rewarding than a high number of shallow connections. Ask yourself, “Do my social media interactions make me feel more connected, or do they leave me feeling isolated?”
It is also important to remember the benefits of connecting in the real world, as it helps you feel seen and heard, rather than just being watched. Human beings are biologically wired for face‑to‑face connections, such as eye contact, touch, and shared physical space.
Online connection works best as a complement, not a replacement, for offline relationships. In this way, social media is less likely to become the primary source of stimulation or validation.
A Take-Home Message
Positive social media use, when done in a meaningful, intentional way, can enhance connections.
By building specific relationships online with a particular focus, rather than scrolling passively or chasing validation, we can curate an online world that feels psychologically and emotionally safe. This enables us to be more authentic and to enter spaces that help fulfill our needs.
However, social media cannot be the only source of connection. Ultimately, people thrive when they have multiple ways to connect with others, their communities, and themselves.
Social media is one part of this ecosystem. To thrive, we need a balance of online and offline relationships, community involvement, and self-connection. Social media can enhance, but not replace, the rich experiences of real-world human experiences.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our five positive psychology tools for free.
Social media can affect our mood, self‑esteem, and sense of connection, but how do we move from feeling drained by our feeds to using them in a way that truly supports our wellbeing?
Mental wellbeing is closely tied to balance in life, including how we engage with technology. When we have good mental wellbeing, we feel that our lives are in balance.
