Social Trap: Why Does Scrolling Phones Increase Anxiety? Psychologists Reveal the Psychological Code of College Students' Alcohol Dependence

Social Trap: Why Does Scrolling Phones Increase Anxiety? Psychologists Reveal the Psychological Code of College Students' Alcohol Dependence

Social Dilemma: Why Do Others Seem Better Off?

Have you had this experience: scrolling social media, seeing others'wonderful lives, unconsciously comparing yourself—the more you compare, the worse you feel. For college students, this feeling might unexpectedly connect with alcohol dependence.

Today let's discuss how online "comparison psychology" affects college students' mental health. First, what's upward social comparison? Simply, we unconsciously compare ourselves with seemingly better, more successful people.

Four Psychological Elements: Chain Reaction of Upward Comparison, Deprivation, Anxiety, Alcohol Dependence

In the internet era, such comparisons become easier—social media everywhere showcases others'carefullycuratedperfectfinelifefragments. Relative deprivation is when after comparisons, we feel deprived of things we should have, generatinga sense of loss.

Anxiety is easier to understand—anervous and anxiousemotion. Alcohol dependence is physiological/psychological reliance on alcohol—can't live without drinking.

Research Revelation: Psychological Survey of 3096 College Students

To explore these relationships, researchers conducted an interesting study. They recruited 3096 first-year students from an eastern Chinese university—under teacher supervision, completing computer-based mental health assessments at enrollment.

Researchers screened 364 students with drinking behaviors by asking "Have you drunk alcohol in the past year?" letting them complete follow-up assessments. After excluding ineligible samples, 329 valid samples were collected.

Mediating Role: How Anxiety Bridges Social Comparison to Alcohol Dependence

Results found significant positive correlations between online upward social comparison, relative deprivation, anxiety, and alcohol dependence. Meaning—the more you compare, the easier to feel deprived, anxious, and alcohol-dependent.

Further analysis found anxiety mediates between online upward social comparison and alcohol dependence. Meaning—when college students compare themselves online seeing others better off, anxiety arises, potentially leading to drinking toalleviateanxiety.

Chain Reaction: Psychological Path from Comparison to Alcohol Dependence

Relative deprivation and anxiety together serve as chain mediators between online upward social comparison and alcohol dependence. College students generate relative deprivation from online comparisons, which worsens anxiety, ultimately increasing alcohol dependence risks.

Why? College students are at special life stages—beginning independence, exposed to more external information, easily influenced. Social media content provides abundant comparison materials.

Five Coping Strategies: How to Escape Social Comparison Traps

1. **Social decluttering**: Regularly clean follow lists, reduce unnecessary comparisons 2. **Realistic cognition**: Understand social media shows carefully selected fragments, not real life 3. **Self-affirmation**: Focus more on personal strengths and achievements, build confidence 4. **Healthy alternatives**: Replace drinking with healthy activities like exercise, reading 5. **Seeking support**: When anxious, talk to friends, family, or counselors

This research reminds us—not only showing online upward comparison's impact on college mental health, but providing new perspectives on alcohol dependence causes. If college friendsexcessively focus onothers' lives then become anxious/drink to cope, care for them more, help adjust mindsets, avoid alcohol dependencepredicament.