Social Media's Effect on Teens

In today’s world, social media is a big part of high schoolers’ lives. A survey was done in 2018, 750 13-17-year-olds, 45% are online constantly. 97% of those students use a social media platform. This could include Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, and many others at your fingertips. A growing question and this article’s topic, is social media affecting student’s mental health? Teens across the world are already super busy. A student’s life can be filled with school and homework then work. Free time is very rare. The extra space can be filled with hours of scrolling through Instagram posts or watching the same Tik Toks. Social media can be a good thing. It provides an opportunity to connect with friends and get connected. It provides a place to enjoy a laugh. It can be a fun app for a quick break. Social media can also be harmful to young minds. It’s an exposure to inappropriate content or cyberbullying. Jealousy is big in social media. These platforms give the opportunity to look at someone’s life. This could be looking at an older “influencer” and begging to look like her. It could be seeing a guy the same age as you making lots of money and climbing his way to the top. Social media, however, only captures the good. This can make the viewer feel like their life is nothing. The viewer will envy the post, maybe even stare at it. Life on social media becomes wrapped around the likes on the posts. Teens can get trapped and develop a poor self-image. Social media can become a distraction. Every now and then, distractions are good. Sometimes you need a break from everything going on. Grabbing your phone is quick and convenient. It shouldn't be a distraction from important things. Social media can distract students from homework. It can turn a 5-minute brain break into an hour wasted watching videos of people dancing. It wasn’t meant to be a distraction, and it shouldn’t be. Social media should be used when it's possible, not in the middle of a homework assignment. Another problem teens may face is the amount of in-person contact they have. Teens spend hours staring at phones. This means they may not have face-to-face conversations every day. The lack of these interactions can cause some teens to feel lonely. Every person needs human contact without being between a screen. Young people also may feel anxious when speaking to others. They are not used to it. Social media does have a lot of downsides. It is important for teens to realize this and make sure to stay connected without the screen. They need to balance the interactions without staring at the blue light. Teens also have lots on their plates. Students should prioritize school. With these downsides, social media can also be a positive thing. It can be a way to stay connected. It is important to remember to use social media as the last thing. Social media should be used when your schoolwork is done after you have finished hanging out with friends. Teens should spend time being teens and not also on their phones.