The Systematic Review of Social Media Addiction and Mental Health of Nigerian University Students: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Abstract

The global increase in popularity and accessibility to social media platforms daily, University students in Nigeria, like their counterparts worldwide, are facing unique challenges related to their mental well-being caused by media addiction despite the fact that technology has drastically and dramatically transformed the clinical delivery of mental health services globally in the recent times. However, the relationship between this transformation- social media and the mental health among the University students in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, this paper systematically reviewed the social media addiction and the mental health of the Nigerian University students. It further reviewed and emphasized the good aspect of social media on mental health, the negative effects it has, and the addiction (ugly) developed in the course of using social media. Studies were reviewed to juxtapose the good, bad and the ugly of the use and its influence on mental health of Nigerian students. The paper concluded that, though, social media has contributed significantly to the modern dissemination of clinical delivery but its addiction, could negatively affect the mental health of the students as many studies have established. Therefore, there is a need for a balanced approach to social media usage for this population to have and sustain better mental health because the less they are addicted to social media the better the mental health of the Nigerian students.