Social media use amplifies delusional disorders: SFU study

A new study from Simon Fraser University researchers has found a close link between high levels of social media use and psychiatric disorders that involve delusions, such as narcissism and body dysmorphic disorder.

According to the recently published study in BMC Psychiatry – a systematic review of all available academic literature including scrutiny of over 2,500 publications on social media use and psychiatric disorders – forms of delusions were by far the most prevalent type of psychiatric disorders related to high social media use.

These disorders include narcissistic personality disorder (delusions of superiority), erotomania (delusions that someone famous loves you), body dysmorphic disorder (delusions of flaws in some part of one’s body) and anorexia (delusions about body size).

“Social media is creating conditions where delusions can more easily be generated and sustained due to the presence of platforms and apps that cater to the disorder’s causes, plus the absence of effective reality-checking,” says Bernard Crespi, a professor of biological sciences and Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Genetics and Psychology at SFU. “This research has important implications for the causes and symptoms of mental illnesses, and how they can be exacerbated by online social platforms.”

According to the authors, social media itself isn’t inherently problematic, but the virtual worlds – coupled with social isolation in “real life” – create environments where people can maintain a delusional sense of self identity without scrutiny.

While social media can have positive benefits through its ability to create communities and help people feel more togetherness, Crespi and his co-author Nancy Yang argue that higher-risk individuals are often negatively impacted by high social media use. 

They also point out that the features of many popular apps and platforms sustain and exacerbate mental and physical delusions, by enabling self-presentation in self-promoting but inaccurate ways.

The profound difference between online and in-person social interactions – where people are more likely to have their delusions kept in check by physical and emotional reality – exacerbate deviations from mental well-being, he adds.

The study concludes that people with disorders involving high levels of delusionality would benefit from reducing their social media use. It also calls for more research to be done on the specific features of social media that encourage delusions and look for ways to make online social interactions more grounded and real life-like.

To achieve this, the researchers cite the potential of eye-contact technology, 3D perspectives, avatars and other immersive technologies.

AVAILABLE SFU EXPERTS

BERNARD CRESPI, professor, biological sciences, Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Genetics and Psychology
crespi@sfu.ca

CONTACT

MATT KIELTYKA, SFU Communications & Marketing 
236.880.2187 | matt_kieltyka@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University 
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778.782.3210

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