People who suffer from inflammation often spend more time scrolling through social media in hopes of interacting with friends and family, a new study revealed this week. The study, conducted by Dr. David S. Lee, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Buffalo, found that when the body is healing from inflammation and other illnesses, individuals tend to increase their social media use.
“Inflammation is typically followed by behaviors and symptoms associated with sickness that can help the body heal,” said Dr. Lee in a press release. “Humans are social beings, and when we’re sick or injured, it may be adaptive for us to approach others who can provide social support and care.”
The study, which analyzed 1,800 college- and middle-aged participants, found that C-reactive protein (CRP), produced as the body’s response to inflammation, can influence social media usage. It observed that individuals feeling under the weather engaged in more direct messaging and posting to friends’ pages compared to when they were healthy.
Interestingly, the study found that inflammation did not lead people to use social media for entertainment purposes, such as watching funny videos. The middle-aged group’s social media interaction did not change much, as they typically use such platforms “less than once a day,” despite the growing number of this age group engaging on them. However, college-age participants showed an increase in social media use during periods of inflammation.
Dr. Lee hopes to use the findings of this study to educate individuals on using social media as a means of connecting with others. He believes that understanding the relationship between social media use and inflammation can further inform our understanding about the potential links between the body and daily social behavior.
“For some people, the relationship between social media use and inflammation may be a positive feedback loop, a cycle where more social media use leads to more inflammation, and more inflammation then leads to more social media use,” Dr. Lee added.
Overall, this study sheds light on the connection between inflammation and social media use, highlighting the potential impact of physical health on our online behavior and interactions.