Essay Sample: Is Social Media Beneficial or Harmful for Teenagers' Mental Health?

The effects that social media can have on the mental health of teens are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Teenagers are more susceptible to peer pressure, cyberbullying, and sexting, all activities involving digital communication. The larger a teen's digital friend circle, the more anxious they are about keeping up with everything online, which can cause them stress and anxiety. Researchers are just beginning to establish a link between depression and social media. When you consider cyberbullying, slut-shaming, and other harsh online behaviors, it is easy to see why social media may be a toxic source of anxiety for many teenagers. Teenagers begin to lose vital sleep when they get on social media in the middle of the night. According to research, increased screen usage has been linked to the development of ADHD-related symptoms such as trouble concentrating and hyperactivity. While jealousy and envy are typical emotions, they can harm adolescent brains if they dwell on comparing themselves to their peers. Consequently, this sleep loss can lead to moodiness, a drop in grades, lack of physical activity, and overeating, as well as exacerbate existing problems like depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While social media is a wonderful way to stay connected with friends and family, it is different from face-to-face communication. A teen, for example, cannot see or hear a person's facial expressions or tone of voice online. Many teenagers spend so much time online updating their statuses that they forget to engage with the individuals in front of them. Teenagers who prioritise social media will frequently focus on images they take to illustrate how much fun they are having rather than on having fun itself. As a result, their relationships and overall life satisfaction may decrease. Social media can also be a significant factor affecting teenagers' mental health, causing depression, anxiety, envy, and antisocial behavior. Each of the above impacts will be discussed in greater depth below. A study published in Computers in Human Behavior found that people who used more than seven social media platforms had more than three times the risk of depression. Social media use can be associated with an intensification of the symptoms of depression, such as a decrease in social activity and loneliness. Several other studies have found that extended usage of social media is associated with indications and symptoms of sadness, anxiety, and low self-esteem, particularly in young people. Teenagers' emotional investment in their social media accounts is common. According to some research, the greater a teen's online social circle, the more anxious they are about keeping up with everything online. Teenagers are also under pressure to submit excellent images and well-written posts, which can generate a lot of worries. Additionally, one British study published in the Journal of Youth Studies surveyed 900 teens between the ages of 12 and 15 about their social media use and its impact on sleep. Consequently, this sleep loss can lead to moodiness, a drop in grades, lack of physical activity, and overeating, as well as exacerbate existing problems like depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Jealousy and envy can wreak havoc on teen brains if they dwell on comparing themselves to their peers. Some teens, particularly those that feel bad about themselves, are targeted because they are envious of the target's clothes, body, boyfriend, success, or any number of other factors. This can contribute to sadness, loneliness, rage, and a range of other problems. As a result, youth risk having shallow or unauthentic relationships. As a result, when social media takes centre stage in a person's life, friendships and romantic relationships may suffer. Teenagers who prioritise social media will frequently focus on the images they take that illustrate how much fun they are having rather than on having fun itself. All the data presented here, as well as the information available both online and in-person, show that social media has a substantial impact on teenagers' mental health. Social media can create melancholy, anxiety, envy, and antisocial behavior, breaking friendships, families, and acquaintances, and making it difficult to distinguish between fact and fantasy. Having stated that, two questions remain unanswered: What can you do to keep social media from negatively impacting your mental health?