SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE AND COMMUNICATION ANALYSIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF USERS AT RISK OF DEPRESSION

Abstract

                 This study aims to: 1. examine the patterns and behaviors of social media usage, and
2. analyze the communication of words, messages, and images expressed through social media by users at risk of depression. Data were collected through interviews with psychiatrists regarding patients’ psychiatric information and media usage behavior. Subsequently, digital ethnographic observation was conducted through 1) Facebook pages and depression-related groups,
2) depression-related hashtags on X (formerly Twitter), and 3) images tagged with depression-related hashtags on Instagram. The severity of words and messages was categorized, and hidden meanings in communication were analyzed. The findings revealed five distinct modes of social media usage: 1) posting, 2) sharing, 3) using emoticons, 4) using hashtags, and 5) location check-ins. Regarding social media usage behavior, it was found that X (Twitter) was the most frequently used platform, followed by Facebook groups and Instagram, respectively. Most posts were made at night and commonly contained content reflecting negative thoughts, emotional expression, attention-seeking behavior, or self-harm—such as cutting or drug overdose. The analysis indicated that positive words, messages, or images were often posted from a state of conscious awareness, while negative words, messages, or images posted from the preconscious, semi-conscious, or unconscious mind, respectively. The severity of the messages was inversely correlated with the individuals’ level of self-worth. For instance, highly severe content (e.g., “I want to die,” “bored,” “sad,” “suffer,” “fear of living,” “crying,” “unable to attain          happiness”) reflected low self-worth, whereas content with low or no severity (e.g., “self-love,” “relief,” “smiling,” “encountering positive experiences,” “feeling understood”) indicated high self-worth. Furthermore, the analysis of communicative meanings revealed that messages often carried implicit connotations. The users who with severe depression or that currently undergoing treatment tended to post negatively connoted messages related to death and a desire not to live. In contrast, those in recovery or with improved conditions often transitioned into the role of supporters or advisors to others, posting positive messages to encourage themselves and their communities.