Over the past few years, social media use has skyrocketed, especially among teens. Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, and Twitter are some of the most commonly used social media apps. Many of these apps are appealing because they offer features like direct messaging and stories that allow people to share moments of their lives. But is social media helping keep teens connected in the digital world or putting them in harm’s way?
What is causing the recent surge in social media use?
To first understand the effects of social media, we have to understand why teens are using it so much. This can be explained by technological advances in the past few years that made devices available to a wider range of people. Social media is now key for communicating and learning more about the world, which is why teens are so drawn to it. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many teens have relied on media to manage their lives and communicate their concerns. As a result of having attended online classes all year, most students now spend most of the day in front of their computers and on their phones, either chatting or browsing. Although being on these sites for a chunk of time everyday can appear harmless, too much exposure can cause negative effects.
Can social media really cause any harm?
Many studies in the past few years have shown that obsessively browsing social media can significantly impact teens’ mental health. Mental health problems among 14 to 17-year-olds increased rapidly between 2010 and 2018, and teens with mental health issues are more likely to overuse social media. Constant overstimulation by browsing social networking sites is hypothesized to trigger the fight or flight response within the nervous system.
Social media is also known to cause body image and self-esteem issues, especially among young girls. It’s easy to feel inferior when you see popular influencers’ “perfect” lives. Chronically, social networking can also cause a lack of sleep, as most young people stay up scrolling through their social media feeds. This can also be explained by FOMO or the fear of missing out. It is common for young people to feel that they don’t want to miss out on any fun their friends might be experiencing since they don’t want to feel left out. This results in constantly checking your social media feed to see what everyone else is doing. Although, people often post on social media looks way better than their actual experience.
Has social media use resulted in any positive outcomes?
Overuse of social media can indeed have a negative impact on self-esteem and mental health, but the significance of its positive effects cannot be overstated. The use of social media has revolutionized communication since DMs make it easier than ever to send and receive messages. In addition, social media sites allow you to connect to people who share your interests and goals, raise awareness for worldwide issues, or promote your small business.
For many teens in the midst of the pandemic, social media became their primary means of communication as quarantine was very isolating. Furthermore, many teens with mental health issues can turn to social media to find someone to talk to during times of alienation, which greatly benefits their mental health. Young people living in small communities may have limited access to resources, so online networking can be of great help. By increasingly using social sites, teens can learn communication skills as the digital world becomes a part of daily life. Social media can also allow teens to build a platform where they can express themselves, such as starting a blog, business, or a non-profit organization. Likewise, social media is also a great tool for spreading awareness about worldwide issues. By posting about these issues frequently, you’ll have the chance to educate many people about them.
What can be done going forward?
Considering the detrimental and positive effects of social media is to your benefit if you are a teen who consistently uses social media. One solution to dampen social media’s possible harmful effects would be to limit your time on apps and spend your time doing other activities such as going outside or hanging out with friends and family. Having downtime is an easy but significant solution for social media reliance Monitoring what you see on social media is also possible. Make use of the networking opportunities or only look at positive posts that benefit you. Overall, it is important to raise awareness about the detrimental effects social media can have on teens and take advantage of the positive uses of social media.
tl;dr
Over the past decade, social media use has risen, most significantly among teens and the younger generation. This has caused many negative effects, including mental health and self-esteem issues. Constant comparisons are also common as teens contrast their lives with their friends and influencers based on what they see on social media. Social media isn’t all negative, though; its use has brought about many positive effects, including the ability to raise awareness about many social and worldwide issues, efficient communication, and self-expression.