It turns out Instagram might be good for more than selfies and food porn. People are using the photo-sharing platform to open up about their struggles with insecurity and depression — and are actually finding solace in the app, according to a new study from Drexel University.

In February, researchers analysed the responses to nearly 800 Instagram posts tagged with #depression out of a pool of 90,000 images from 24,920 unique users over one month.

They found that the online platform is widely used for health-related conversations and can actually be a useful resource for those seeking mental-health support.

Uploading pictures on Instagram can be easier for people who struggle to put their feelings into words, and they view it as a safe place where they are part of a community.

"Many of the data we analysed was specifically about body image and appearance," the study's co-author Dr Andrea Forte told Yahoo Beauty. "If we look at the top 100 tags that occurred together with #depression in our data set, we find terms like #fat #anorexia #beautiful #skinny #bulimic #ugly #thin #starving. When we analysed the posts, we found that images about food and appearance attracted more responses than many other kinds of posts — both negative and positive comments."

Surprisingly, the data revealed that the positive comments far outweighed the negative ones. Favourable feedback included expressions such as "you are strong and beautiful", according to the survey's co-author Nazanin Andalibi.

It seems Instagram is onboard with this approach. Towards the end of 2016, the app came out with its own suicide-prevention tool that allows users to notify human operators of an emergency when they think someone might be in serious trouble. The operators are then able to provide help by directly messaging with the user in trouble or with their friends.

Andalibi said in a press release that she thinks Instagram is taking a step in the right direction, but should focus more on its existing support groups. "Rather than diverting people away from these platforms, or making design decisions that would further stigmatise sensitive disclosures, they should work to foster these communities of support that are arising organically on their platform."

But while this research highlights Instagram as an effective outlet for people with depression, past studies have suggested that the app is actually responsible for causing depression and affecting self-esteem – especially in women.

The Drexel scientists argue that not everyone is taking to Instagram to show off their bodies, and that more people are turning to it to share personal and sensitive information hoping "to seek support, find similar others and disclose stigmatised experiences. Importantly, in response they often receive positive support."

The bottom line? Any healthy outlet that brings you comfort is more than OK.

From: Dr. Oz The Good Life