Between inspiration and anxiety: Social Media's dual impact on the mental health of Nigerian university students

Abstract

Social media is central to the daily lives of Nigerian university students, offering opportunities for communication, education, networking, and creative expression. Yet, excessive or unregulated use has been linked to mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, social comparison, and academic distraction. While global studies have examined these risks extensively, little is known about the lived experiences of students in Nigerian private universities. This study addresses that gap by exploring how social media influences the mental health of undergraduates at Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria. A descriptive phenomenological design was employed with a two-stage purposive and snowball sampling strategy. Students were approached in common campus spaces and invited to participate if they met the inclusion criteria: aged 18 or above, active social media users, and willing to share experiences. Early participants referred peers who also met the requirements, ensuring diversity across year levels, socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, and social media use patterns. Recruitment continued until thematic saturation was reached, yielding 24 participants (12 males, 50%; 12 females, 50%). Findings revealed a dual impact of social media: while some students benefitted from educational resources, creative opportunities, and peer connections, others reported anxiety, low self-esteem, emotional exhaustion, and academic distraction. The study concludes that social media's influence on mental health depends on its nature, intensity, and context of use, highlighting the need for digital literacy programs, mental health awareness, peer mentorship, and accessible counseling services in Nigerian universities.