Burke and her team of researchers analysed 1,910 Facebook users from 91 countries, asking each of them to fill in a survey at the end of each month.

After analysing their responses, alongside their Facebook behaviour, Burke discovered that online interactions with friends predicted improvements in such measures of well-being as satisfaction with life, happiness, loneliness and depression.

In fact, her team learned that just 60 comments from close friends per month can have as much of a positive effect on our psychological well-being as major life events, which suggests that, if you’re feeling down, you should get thee hence to social media.

This news may come as something of a surprise to many, especially when you consider how many articles there are about the benefits of digital detoxes, the rampant misogyny present on social media platforms, and the rise of online braggarts.

And let’s not forget that a study by University of Michigan psychologist Ethan Kross last year found a direct correlation between time spent on the social media site and feelings of dissatisfaction, loneliness and isolation.

However Burke has a theory to explain why so many unhappy people are on social media – and it sort of makes sense.

This social media platform boosts your emotional well-being as much as marriage