Resources

The current study focuses on how COVID-19 affects young adults' mental health, how they utilize social media and the social support they get from it, and how it affects their mental health during stay-at-home orders. The motivation for utilizing social media for informational purposes was linked to depression symptoms, and a higher level of online informational support contributed to the symptoms worsening. When young adults had a higher level of offline emotional support and a lesser level of online informational support, they had the least amount of depression symptoms. This study has communication implications for college leadership, companies, non-profit organizations, families, and friends who want to assist young adults in their post-COVID mental health recovery. Returning to normalcy necessitates a concerted effort to reestablish offline social support. The importance of emotional support from offline relationships in lowering depressed symptoms is highlighted in this study. It would make a difference to have someone who displays affection and listens to someone in person.