A few weeks ago, Gisèle Degiorgio made a decision that would surprise many of her friends and colleagues. She deleted all social media apps from her phone.

The 39-year-old pianist and music educator says she is already feeling the benefits. She now feels calmer, and her mind is “more clear and less bothered”.

“This decision has actually removed from my mind the negativity of social media, such as discussions that turn into arguments and people venting as they immediately turn to social media,” she says.

Gisèle is of the generation that remembers life before social media, first logging on to Facebook at the age of 22.

As she grew older, the impact of social media became increasingly negative.

“When I was younger, I used to see it differently. These were platforms to build connections. But then, as I grew older, I started to feel they are much more invasive. I have ‘followed the flock’ and shared posts and photos to share happy moments.

"But then I started to question: Do I need to know if she or he did this and that? I used to find myself wasting time and scrolling while looking at fake concepts of life: people posting about their happy moments painting a picture of perfection. Then, when someone dies, the platform goes to the other extreme,” she says.

According to a report by MISCO for the Malta Chamber published earlier this year, 90 per cent of people in Malta say they access social media networks at least once a day.

And Gisèle is not the only one to feel the negativity. Research has increasingly shown that social media can take a toll on mental health.

Social's media's twin pressures

Anton Grech, one of Malta’s leading psychiatrists, explains that social media creates pressure on two levels: unrealistic expectations and addiction. 

People share posts of their best moments.

“As a result, people are developing unrealistic expectations about their appearances and life. International research shows this is leading to increased cases of depression, especially among young females,” said Grech, clinical chairperson of Mental Health Services.

The second issue is more insidious – addiction. People are getting addicted to the dopamine kick released in the brain when scrolling and being exposed to “new and exciting” information every couple of minutes. In some cases, this behavioural addiction is taking over people’s lives.

While Gisèle’s experience didn’t reach that extreme, she still felt the need to step back.

‘Mummy, can you put down the phone?’

Her breaking point was when her young daughter asked her to put down her phone.

“I didn’t want to be that parent who gets lost in my screen, so deleting social media apps is a start. At least I want to try and lead by example.”

When Gisèle first joined Facebook, the intention was to connect with friends. She moved on to setting up a professional Facebook page and an Instagram account as life – and her career – progressed. 

After becoming a mother to two children – now aged two and four – she joined online parenting groups in search of advice, but they left her feeling lost.

“I realised that: I just need to figure it out, like my mother did,” she says.

It is resulting in a society that is much more cynical and mistrusting

Six weeks ago, Gisèle deleted her social media apps. Now she only accesses her accounts from her computer, logging in briefly every other week to share posts about her work.

When she shared a post announcing her decision, reactions were mixed. While relatives welcomed her brave decision to “detox” from social media, some colleagues were shocked by the idea.

“Other friends thought something happened – like a cyberattack that drove me to withdraw from social media. Which of course it didn’t,” she said.

Gisèle is pleased with her decision so far, and she can still communicate with friends via WhatsApp.

“I do appreciate that social media can be an important tool to let people know about your work. But it was becoming too much. I know that one can choose what to follow on social media but, in the end, it remains a place where people feel the need to get approval, praise and support among many other things. It is not real life… Now I find that I am reading more articles. I hope to pick up a book soon, and my mind is more clear and much less bothered,” she says.

Social media addiction on the increase

The excessive use of social media is leading to more young people being diagnosed with behavioural addictions, according to Grech.

“Over the years, we have seen an increase in this type of behavioural addiction. People seek help for symptoms such as anxiety, low morale, problems with relationships, or issues at work. And when you dig deeper, you find that the cause is social media addiction,” said Grech.

Countries are beginning to take notice of the issue. This week, the Australian government announced plans to set a minimum age for social media use in response to growing concerns about mental and physical health. The law would make Australia one of the first countries in the world to impose such an age restriction.

While some advocate for age limits, Grech believes education, not prohibition, is the answer.

Grech explained there was an additional factor that was contributing to the negative impact of social media – the use of negative and hateful comments.

“When you say something bad to someone’s face and see their reaction, a natural process kicks in, and you feel bad. This does not happen on social media. It is resulting in a society that is much more cynical and mistrusting,” he said.

“We have reached a stage where people feel that, if they are not on social media, they are left out – they do not know what’s happening. It has become the new piazza (village square) in a world when we no longer meet face-to-face in the piazza and get to really know one another.”