The Negative Effects Social Media has on Teens Mental Health
Introduction:
Social media has impacted all people worldwide; it is a platform where many can connect with family, friends, and others worldwide. Social media is a tool that can certainly be used for good, but in recent years, studies have shown the adverse effects social media has had on teenagers' mental health. This opinion article by the Richmond Times-Dispatch was released on February 17, 2020, explaining the adverse effects that social media has on young adults of today's society. Could most children or young adults be engaging in unhealthy or harmful behavior because of the influence social media has on their mental health? Since 2011, there has been a significant increase in North American youth experiencing mental distress, leading them to seek treatment for their mental health issues; the rising numbers lead directly to the smartphone's high rise and social media use among teenagers. Social media can negatively affect teens by distracting them, often disrupting their sleep, exposing them to bullying, having unrealistic views of other people’s lives, and peer pressure. Social media can be used for positive purposes such as connecting with friends and relatives; it can also be used to stay informed on what is happening around the world, but when social media is used for wrong, it can severely affect the mental health of many usually resulting in severe consequences.
Research Results:
According to the article written by the Canadian Medical Journal titled “Smartphones, social media use, and youth mental health,” states that the number of teens reporting moderate to severe mental distress grew from 24% in 2013 to 39% in 2017, the numbers of self-reported depression, major depressive episodes and suicidal over the past two decades have been very alarming in the United States, with nearly 90% of children between the ages of 13 and 17 own smartphones. In 20 different studies, the results show that young teens who spend excessive time on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook tend to have an increased concern about body image, leading them to experience negative moods and increased desires to alter their appearance. In seven separate studies, it indicates that too much time spent on the internet can lead to self-harm and suicidal behavior among adolescents. In most cases, when young teens express thoughts of harming themselves on social media, viewers' responses tend to applaud harmful ideas than offer words of encouragement. Spending excessive time on smartphones is interfering with many teens' ability to socialize face to face with other peers. Usually, they have the habit of looking down at the cellphone even when they are in others' presence, referred to as phone snubbing. The addiction to the internet affects teens during waking hours; nearly 64% of adolescents are getting inadequate sleep. Studies show that the lack of sleep due to internet use during the night time is one of the most significant contributing factors in increasing teen mental health issues.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the use and obsession with social media are not going away anytime soon. The parents' and educators' responsibility is to teach today's teens about the harmful effects social media can have on their mental health before they encounter or start experiencing those problems. There are many ways that parents can help their children stay safe from the adverse effects of social media. Parents should remind their teens that social media can and should be a tool that can be used for good. Parents should always remind their adolescents that they can come to them or any trusted adult when they need help with whatever they might be going through or experiencing. These are things that parents should remind and talk about with their teenagers because, in today's society, social media has a huge impact on so many young adults that with the adverse effects, it can cause significant harm to their lives and their mental health that is why it is important always to remind the young adults of the negative effects social media can have in their personal lives and how are ways they can handle those situations the right way if they ever have to go through those types of problems while using social media.
Works Cited:
- Vinay Prajapati. “The Negative Effects of Social Media on Teenagers, Youth or Adolescents.” TechPrevue. 03 Mar. 2020. Web. 14 Feb. 2021.
- Krietz, Chloe, Kameron, and Wyatt. “The Negative Effects of Social Media for Teens.” Smart Social. 05 Apr. 2020. Web. 14 Feb. 2021.
- Times-Dispatch, Richmond. “Opinion/editorial: Excessive Social Media Can Harm Teens’ Mental Health.” 17 Feb. 2020. Web. 14 Feb. 2021.