Oxford Dictionary defines social media as “the websites and software programs used for social networking”. Studies carried out on teens’ usage of social media show that more than 90% of teenagers use social media, and by the age of 17, three-fourths of teenagers have at least one active social media account. Social media has a wide range of effects on the mental health of teenagers. It can be a tool to combat loneliness and create new relationships, consequently establishing a sense of community. But it can also drastically increase depression and suicidal ideation, damage self esteem, and is host to cyberbullying. In this essay, I’ll be arguing why social media negatively impacts the mental health of the majority of teenagers.
Before starting, I should establish that social media is purposefully designed to be addictive, and at a young age it is difficult to control one’s daily usage. All the issues I’ll be discussing stem from excessive social media use.
Depression
Perhaps the most common mental health issue unrestricted social media usage causes is depression. Research has shown that excessive social media use can be one of the factors that can get a person diagnosed with depression, and teenagers are especially vulnerable.
Studies have shown that girls are more susceptible to this than their male counterparts.
To demonstrate the link between excessive social media use and depression, a study was carried out at the University of Pennsylvania. 143 students were divided in 2 groups: one group was allowed to continue their normal social media usage, while the other’s usage was restricted. Their mental health and behavior was observed for three weeks, and the results were clear: the group with limited usage showed signs of a better mental health, while the other showed increased signs of depression.
Jordyn Young, co-author of the study and a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, quotes: “No matter where they started off, if they were told to limit their social media, they had less depression, no matter what their initial levels were”. His words imply that reducing social media usage always shows an increase in mental-wellbeing. The opposite is also true: an increase in social media usage results in increased depression levels.
So why exactly does unrestricted social media usage cause depression? Well, it’s been scientifically proven that face-to-face social contact reduces the risk of depression. Since social media is designed to be addictive, and it’s hard for teens to monitor their usage, they often start spending too much time on it, therefore becoming more vulnerable to depression. Moreover, social media is a place where people post only their happy moments. Excessive comparison with someone’s “perfect” life can make one’s own life seem unfulfilling and dull. This can possibly lead to depression and a phenomenon called FOMO.
FOMO
FOMO, or fear of missing out, is anxiety caused by an interesting or exciting event happening somewhere else. Comparison and peer pressure have always existed among teenagers, and the dramatic rise of both, thanks to social media, contributes to low-self esteem and FOMO. According to a 2015 study, 56% of Australian teens are heavy social media users. These teenagers also reported higher levels of FOMO. 63% felt upset when they missed out on outing with friends, and when asked why, 54% of them said they were afraid their peers were having “more rewarding experiences” than them, without them.
So how is FOMO affecting teenagers? Researchers from the University of Glasgow say that teens aged 13-15 are delaying their bedtime, and the culprit is social meida. However, even though psychiatrists say that any form of screen should be avoided in bed, a study of 12,000 teenagers showed that it is “especially challenging” for teens to turn off their phones to go to bed, and FOMO is one of the main reasons why. Dr Holly Scott from University of Glasgow says that teens’ anxiety of missing out on what their peers are doing is to blame for the difficulty they experience turning off their devices to sleep. Sleep is extremely vital for both the mind and body; an imbalance of sleep leads to deteriorating mental health.
FOMO also attacks self-esteem. In fact, it’s both the cause and effect of it. When a teen constantly sees their friends posting about happy and exciting events, they start believing their friends’ lives are more fulfilling than their own, which in turn leads to depression and low self-esteem. Now this insecure teenager, with the instilled belief that their life is “boring”, will persistently check their friends’ social media for updates, so that they don’t “miss out” on anything they do. Depression and insecurity can take a very serious toll on anybody’s mental health, especially a teenager’s.
Cyberbullying
American psychotherapist John Tsilimparis defines it as “the repeated and willful use of digital technology to harass, threaten, embarrass or target another person”. Cyberbullying is more serious than traditional bullying, because the bully can keep themselves anonymous , and the former has no time constraint like traditional bullying, which can only be carried out during school hours. According to a 2018 American study, out of the total number of surveyed teens, 59% said they had experienced cyberbullying at least once. Although the total number of surveyed teens is not mentioned in the article, and therefore we can’t be sure how serious this statistic is, it is still concerning that more than half of those teenagers were bullied online.
Experts say that low self esteem is both the outcome of cyberbullying and the determining factor of someone being cyberbullied. This is similar to FOMO being both the cause and result of insecurity. Bullying weakens one’s sense of self worth, and then in turn, this person becomes a likelier target for further cyberbullying, since these bullies look for a person who can’t defend themselves. And that’s when the teen, already left depressed and insecure by social media, becomes the perfect target, and can get stuck in this vicious cycle if this problem is not addressed.
Victims reported trouble falling asleep and increased anxiety, and extreme cases of cyberbullying can lead to PTSD and suicide. Younger victims tend to resort to self harm or drugs to counter the psychological pain, which further deteriorates their physical and mental health. This alone is an indicator that cyberbullying is extremely serious.
Positive Effects
It would be wrong to assume social media has no benefits for mental health, though. Social media has completely changed the way we communicate, because distance and time don’t matter anymore. Social media not only helps us nurture existing relationships, but also allows us to talk to anyone and establish new relationships. It is extremely relevant and helpful these days, as it is the primary tool we are using to keep in touch with loved ones during this pandemic.
Research has also shed light on the fact that it can be very helpful for mentally challenged teens. WHO states that the age of 14 is when half of all mental health illnesses start, and it’s essential these teens get emotional support. There are all kinds of people on social media, and since communication is now easier and faster, these teens can find a caring group of people online, especially when they don’t have any offline support. This establishes a sense of community in people; feeling part of a group and being understood is essential to one’s mental well-being.
Rebuttal
While there’s no denying the mental health benefits of social media, most of the available statistics clearly show that social media harms teens’ mental health more than it helps it.
To cite the study carried out by the University of Pennsylvania that I cited in the “Depression” section, the results clearly showed that limiting social media usage decreases levels of depression.
Even though online communication has made it easier to reach out to people, face-to-face communication is proven to reduce the risk of depression and contributes to a better mental well-being. This research also supports the fact that while social media can combat loneliness, owing to its addictive nature, it definitely increases it in the long run.
Evaluation
The role of social media, despite all the benefits and harms discussed above, ultimately depends on the nature of use. Harvard T.H. School of Public Health’s research shows that “routine social media use”, meaning “everyday use to share and respond to content shared by others” is positively associated with these three outcomes: mental health, social well-being, and self-rated health. On the other hand, an “emotional attachment” to social media, characterized by frequent logging in and checking for any likes and updates, is negatively associated with all three outcomes mentioned above. In other words, if social media is used as a tool for communication instead of a source for fulfillment, it will help our mental health much more than harm it.
Despite there not being enough statistics on the topic of social media, there’s one thing for sure: unrestricted social media is toxic to mental well-being. But banning it is extremely difficult, if not impossible. It would be pretty foolish too, considering it’s what almost all large companies are using to expand their businesses, and psychologists for online therapy. We don’t even need to look further than the text messages and video-conferencing apps we are using to stay connected in this pandemic. If social media is used in moderation everyday, it can definitely benefit mental health.
Reflection
I chose this topic because it has present-day relevance and I personally find it very intriguing, as a teenager myself. I also selected this because I have done research on it before, and so I thought
it would be easier to attempt. In retrospect, I should’ve chosen a different topic to challenge myself.
In regards to my sources, I made sure to choose reliable organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, and Harvard, which were also relevant to mental health. I chose Oxford Dictionary for meanings, since it’s a trusted source for definitions. Although, looking back, all the sources I chose were websites: I could’ve also used books or journals as references. Also, the majority of my sources were in the form of easy-to-read articles. My grade level expects me to use longer papers, studies, and peer-reviewed articles that focused on specific issues within the topic and provided in-depth analyses.
Reflection revealed procrastination to be the hindrance to all this. Almost all my research was last-minute work, and so I settled for simpler articles instead of detailed research papers, which was expected of me at this level. I also felt over-confident, because I have taken this subject before. I was able to grasp the concepts much quicker than my peers, and I believed I’d do better than them anyway. But after peer reviewing, I saw my class fellows were able to use much better and solid sources than me. This taught me that having an edge over people doesn’t mean I’ll always perform better. Overall, I simultaneously feel good and unsatisfied with this essay. I think I’ve evaluated my information and my conclusion really well, but I definitely could’ve done better in research.
Conclusion
Social media is powerful but neutral. Just as a knife can be used to both kill people and cut restraints of captives, social media both benefits and harms our mental health. It is a source of support for depressed people, and connects us with loved ones. But it can also distance us from them, and cause depression in the first place. Excessive social media usage can be very damaging to mental health, but banning it is almost impossible, especially given the current importance and relevance it has in this pandemic. Even though I believe it’s more harmful than beneficial, my findings have also led me to believe we can put it to good use if we minimize daily usage and view it simply as a tool for connection instead of a means of self-fulfillment or a cure for loneliness.
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