Essay Sample about Social Media: Negative Impacts

Social media, the interactive technology that seems to be affecting people like you just by itself. It is becoming increasingly clear that social networks have become a big part of people’s lives. What effect does social media have on you? Just one out of ten Americans say social media has a positive effect on them, that alone says a lot about how negatively social media impacts peoples lives. The latest social media statistics show that there are 3.78 billion social media users worldwide in 2021 and this number is only going to continue growing over the next few years.

Social media is taking away all of the originality and authenticity in us individual human beings. Everything has been generated from social media, we’re all influenced or motivated in a way to change or to do certain things. Influencers on social media present unrealistic body types and they’re labeled as this “perfect body image” . The unrealistic beauty standards and false expectations being pushed onto younger kids can seriously knock down their level of confidence/ self esteem and make people self conscious. with photoshop, images are everywhere and lead to distorted body image among a number of teenagers. People constantly compare themselves to other women or men because they dont look like them, society sets a standard. People start doing more and more fashion trends, making people feel obligated to wear something that they don't feel comfortable in.

Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. Cyberbullying is often done by children, who have early access to these technologies. It causes depression and anxiety which can lead to suicidal thoughts or suicide. About 10% of teens report being bullied on social media and many other users are subjected to offensive comments. Social media platforms can be hotspots for spreading hurtful rumors, lies and abuse that can leave lasting emotional sears.

Human beings need face to face interaction to be mentally healthy. The more you prioritize social media interaction over in person relationships, the more you’re at risk for developing mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. 

The idea that you’re missing out on certain things can impact your self-esteem, trigger anxiety, and fuel even greater social media use. FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out, can compel you to pick up your phone every few minutes to check for updates, or respond to every alert. A study found that high usage of social media such as facebook, snapchat and instagram have increased rather than decreased feelings of loneliness.This study found that reducing social media usage can make you feel less lonely and isolated and improve your overall wellbeing.

You're scrolling on a little rectangle in your hand, but why? Turning to social media when you’re feeling down, lonely, or bored, you're potentially using it as a way to distract yourself from unpleasant feelings. You’re constantly scrolling through negative news articles or social media posts, seeking out one negative piece of content after another as a coping mechanism. ( meh- kuh-ni-zm) 

But is it even working? Social media can become an unhealthy way of coping with uncomfortable emotions. The more we consume social media  the worse we feel.

Society today spends most of their time on social media without even realizing the effects. Social skills are important in our everyday lives, sports for instance is a phenomenal way to socialize and stay fit at the same time. We must stop spending so much time staring at a screen in order to bond with family and start interacting face to face. So why don't we all just stop the loop?