Social Media’s impact on Teens Today
By Syona Vashisth
It is no surprise that a majority of the younger generation is being exposed to social media, many of whom have no limits whatsoever on what they see or how much time they spend on it. Social Media has had and continues to have many benefits for our society, such as raising awareness on a variety of issues and boosting small businesses; however, for adolescents, there are quite a few setbacks that genuinely do affect their mental health and behavior.
By now, it is very apparent to many that social media makes teenagers feel depressed, anxious, and stressed. They see pictures and videos of people online, many of which are heavily edited and face-tuned, creating an alternative world that really isn’t true. The use of photoshop has developed significantly, making these pictures online seem very real and authentic, when in real life it is just the opposite. However, it is hard for teens, and even kids and adults to actually comprehend that because of how engrossed and engaged they become on their screen. They compare who they are to the people in a virtual world, and end up feeling bad about their appearance, personality, and lifestyle because it doesn’t seem to match the “perfectness” they see online.
Many teenagers develop depression because they don’t feel worthy enough in who they are. Furthermore, when teenagers are depressed, they tend to spend even more time on social media because it's such an easy way to pass time and see what other people are doing.
The loop seems endless, and it is very hard to break without restrictions, which many teens are opposed to because it feels like it invades their privacy and freedom.
Not only is depression a huge outcome of social media; body image problems stem from this world as well. Once again, teenagers and adults are constantly pressured to look beautiful, strong, and desirable because that is what they see online.
According to a survey by Common Sense Media:
35 percent of teenagers on social media worry about being tagged in unattractive photos
27 percent are stressed out about how they look when they post pictures
22 percent feel bad about themselves when nobody comments on or “likes” their photos.
Teenagers are so caught up in what people see and think about them online rather than in person, and much of their stress from these statistics end up creating long-term body image issues that are often reinforced because of social media.
Although there are many negative aspects that stem from social media, there are a few positive outcomes as well. It allows teenagers to connect with one another on an online platform. Some of these people may find it hard to open up to their peers in person, so having this online option makes the door easier to open. However, it is important to know how to limit and control the time you spend on these apps. For example, simply deleting the app from your home screen lowers the urge to open and check it, therefore decreasing the amount of time spent on social media.
If you want to take it even further, leave your device at home or in a certain area of your home when you are not using it to see how you feel without it. Another way to lower the urge to check your social media is to turn off notifications. You won’t see a little button every time something happens, so you won’t have the urge to open and check it right away.