Today, more than ever, social media platforms are accessible to most people worldwide, including teenagers. While social media can benefit young people in many ways, it also has disadvantages. In a world where social media use has become so widespread, it is crucial to understand how it affects young people and their well-being.
In 2023, the United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory, Social Media and Youth Mental Health, on the impact of social media use on youths. Among the many studies cited there, there was a paper by three researchers, including Professor Alexey Makarin of MIT, published in 2022 about the link between social media use and mental health. In the study, the researchers determined that between 2004 and 2006, as Facebook was being released at different university campuses, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety increased among university students who had access to Facebook. This important study accomplished what many other papers failed: proving a direct causal link between social media use and mental health problems. “So far, it has been challenging to ascertain whether social media was actually the cause of poor mental health. In this study…we were able to establish this causality,” said Professor Makarin.
According to psychologist Jean Twenge of San Diego State University, depression, anxiety, and loneliness in teenagers began to increase since 2012. Around the same time, more young people started using smartphones and social media applications. Teenagers began spending less time with each other and more time on their phones and other devices. While only 50% of teenagers in the United States used social media regularly in 2009, the number increased to 95% in 2022.
Studies have confirmed that decreasing the use of social media improves the mental health and well-being of young adults. In one study, some students at the University of Pennsylvania were asked to reduce their social media usage for three weeks. The researchers asked other students to keep on using social media as usual. After three weeks, it was found that the students who reduced their social media usage experienced less depression and loneliness compared to the students who continued using social media as usual. In a similar study, some Facebook users were asked to deactivate their Facebook accounts for four weeks. Four weeks later, it was found that their subjective well-being had significantly improved.
Higher social media usage is linked to teenagers suffering from increased body dysmorphia, low self-esteem, depression, sleeping problems, and eating disorders. Studies have found that these affect young girls more than young boys. Girls are also more vulnerable to cyberbullying and harassment. Online body shaming can lead to youngsters, especially young girls, developing self-esteem issues, body dysmorphia, and eating disorders. The unrealistic beauty standards glorified on social media platforms can affect the self-esteem of young girls and boys, leading to depression and other mental health issues. Adolescents who use social media excessively often suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. Many teenagers use social media after midnight, reducing their hours of sleep to less than seven hours and worsening their sleep quality. Adolescents require more sleep for their healthy neurological development; those who do not get enough sleep at night are more likely to develop depression and suicidal ideation. Using too much social media can also cause neurological changes in adolescents that lead them to become addicted to social media.
Social media is replete with harmful and inappropriate content unsuitable for young people. Self-harm and suicidal behavior are often encouraged in social media, and exposure to them may affect vulnerable teenagers who are already struggling with mental health issues. Social media is full of predators who want to exploit children and teenagers sexually. Adolescents who use social media unmonitored are vulnerable to such predators. There are also people on social media platforms who wish to sell drugs and harmful substances to youngsters. So, if left unmonitored, many young people are at risk of developing drug addiction.
Social media platforms may often be harmful for young people in many ways, but if used properly, they can also be beneficial. There are countless ways in which social media can be helpful to young people. Social media platforms make it simple and easy for people to communicate with others from all over the world. Teenagers can use social media to make friends from different cultures and backgrounds. Such friendships broaden their perspective and help them work towards becoming global citizens. Social media can provide young people with an outlet to express their creativity. Teenagers can find and build communities of like-minded peers. There are numerous different kinds of groups on social media, including support groups for depression and other mental health issues. These groups can provide safe spaces for teenagers. Young people from marginalized communities can find social media especially useful if they want to connect with others like them.
Social media platforms can affect adolescents both negatively and positively. Unmonitored and excessive use of social media is harmful, so teenagers, their parents, and educators should try to design a balanced approach to using social media. Parents and educators should teach adolescents how to navigate social media safely. Adolescents’ social media use should be monitored and limited until they are old enough to use social media properly. If used responsibly, social media platforms can be good networking tools and outlets for creativity.
Author: Sophie Sana
