Too much time spent on Facebook has been associated with various mental health problems such as depression and low self-esteem. In addition to the dangers of excessive social media use, a new study found out that having too many Facebook friends could also be linked to higher levels of stress.
Fox Health reports a research published in Psychoneuroendocrinology shows the possible relation of Facebook to high levels of stress hormone, cortisol. According to findings, having more than 300 friends on Facebook significantly increases cortisol levels among users.
"We were able to show that beyond 300 Facebook friends, adolescents showed higher cortisol levels; we can therefore imagine that those who have 1,000 or 2,000 friends on Facebook may be subjected to even greater stress," said lead author Sonia Lupien of Montreal Mental Health University in a statement.
For the study, 88 students from age 12 to 17 were asked about their frequency of Facebook use and number of Facebook friends, as well as their self-promoting behaviors and their friends' supporting behaviors. The researchers then measured the participants' cortisol levels four times daily for three consecutive days.
Results show that those who had more than 300 friends on Facebook had higher cortisol levels compared to those who had fewer friends.
Reduced cortisol levels, however, were found among those with more friendly Facebook interactions.
According to Lupien, higher levels of cortisol in early adolescence could lead to depression years later.
"Adolescents who present high stress hormone levels do not become depressed immediately; it can occur later on," she explained. "Some studies have shown that it may take 11 years before the onset of severe depression in children who consistently had high cortisol levels."
Although Lupien said there are still other factors that contribute to increased levels of cortisol, the researchers "estimated that the isolated effect of Facebook on cortisol was around eight per cent."
