It is probable one will not die from sending a meme to a friend. There is no obvious risk in searching for the perfect low-quality photo that entirely captures exact feelings in response to a reel a friend sent just moments ago. Many teenagers in current times can relate to finding enjoyable content and sharing it with friends, which in turn, cultivates stronger bonds. However, upon digging deeper, one arrives at the conclusion that online platform present potential hazards around each corner. Many teens feel incapable to stop scrolling after a couple minutes; rather, they spend countless hours online consuming media and developing unhealthy lifestyles. Although many teenagers believe that absorbing social media content is simply a means to connect with other young adults, they should be aware of this trap. Continuously chasing short-term pleasure through social media has damaging effects on the human mind, and may leave one with a lack of empathy, loneliness, crippling addiction, and an increased risk of mental health issues.
In contrast to teenagers, older generations tend to be dismissive or suspicious of social media, while countless teenagers feel it is almost an essential part of modern-day living. The U.S. Surgeon General “Social Media and Youth Mental Health Advisory” survey shared that fifty-eight percent of teens expressed that social media helps them feel approval. The study also showed that sixty-seven percent of teenagers felt that online friends could support them through tough times, and seventy-one percent used these platforms to showcase their creative side (Murthy). Upon evaluating these statistics, one could conclude social media is actually beneficial. The sense of being socially
accepted is valued by many people, so would it not make sense to let teenagers enjoy this affirmation in the online world?
With its perceived positive aspects, could social media sites possibly have negative elements? Rather than affirming and connecting people, it has been proven that reducing face-to-face interaction and increasing exposure to highly filtered content often leads people to a lack of empathy. Dr. Helen Riess, author of 'The Empathy Effect,' communicated her concern about the decline of compassion online by asserting, “The detachment (of empathy) can result from not fully grasping the full emotional experience of others” (Miller). Personal communication is part of what makes a human, human. If one does not perceive how upset their friend is across the screen, then they are more likely not to provide the reassurance and tenderness their friend requires at the time. Without the non-verbal feedback of face-to-face communication, it is easier to be harsh or cruel in one’s speech.
With the lack of empathy often attached to social media, it is no mystery why loneliness frequently affects the lives of young people of America. A study from the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University shows that negative social media experiences often go hand in hand with feelings of social isolation. The research demonstrated that for every ten percent of negative social media experiences, the feelings of solitude increased by thirteen percent (Primack). Alice Walton, who holds a Ph.D. in Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, communicated her alarm by confirming, “negative social media interactions may make one more likely to isolate and that existing feelings of isolation could also lead a person to use social media more” (Walton). The self-inflicted isolation has affected many a teenager, and social media is the culprit.
However, these are only a few examples of how social media may affect a teenager destructively, since addiction to online material is startlingly common. The Familial and Adolescent Health Survey conducted using the Gallup Panel, discovered that teenagers from the U.S. spend an average of 4.8 hours per day on popular social media apps, while the recommended screen time for youth is a mere two hours per day (Green). This prolonged screen time can lead to addiction, as teens continuously seek the high from their first experiences, and need more stimulation to feel satisfied. Teen social media consumers begin to crave “likes” on their posts the way someone might crave addictive drugs (Amirthalingam). Prolonged use of social media results in crashes, leaving individuals feeling drained and unmotivated. This frequent exposure also diminishes enjoyment of everyday activities, as brains adapt to expect higher dopamine levels, and can lower responses to healthy pleasure. Dr. Nancy DeAngelis, the director of Behavioral Health once testified, "Social media platforms drive surges of dopamine to the brain to keep consumers coming back over and over again” (Green). The overuse of social media is propelling numerous young adults to the point of becoming mindless online junkies, seeking the latest content for hours without end.
While an addiction to social media may be seen as a bad habit which makes a person sluggish, does it really affect mental health? In truth some researchers are concluding that it presents little cause for concern. A study from Columbia University found that daily social media use is not a strong risk factor for depressive symptoms in adolescents. Researchers analyzed data from 74,472 students between eighth and tenth grade, and found that the increased use of social media did not necessarily lead to higher depression rates. For girls with minimal depressive symptom risk, a weak association was noted, but overall symptoms were rare. For boys, there was no correlation to enhanced depression, and some data implied that social media consumption might even assist in protecting against it (Kreski). With this information, one may believe that the overuse of screen time has insignificant effects on mental health, but more recent studies prove this is rarely the case.
While information from Columbia University suggested potential positive effects on mental health with social media, post COVID pandemic demographics were not considered. A newer study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that teens using social media for more than three hours daily are at increased risk for psychological health problems. Since the COVID pandemic, there has been a rise in depression and anxiety among teens, with concerns about low self-esteem, eating disorders, body image, and suicidal thoughts (Riehm). Scrolling for even a few minutes, one is exposed to influencers sharing their personal beliefs on how to live life to the fullest, people exhibiting the best or worst day in their entire existence, and numbing content with minimal importance. With the average teen spending 4.8 hours online daily, it is understandable that teens who consume this type of content could consider themselves insignificant and become prone to long spells of depression.
The mental health risks, addiction to social media, lack of empathy, and loneliness often associated with the overuse of online media should be regarded with caution. While social media may have some benefits, it likely holds more hazards and should be used in moderation. So instead of scrolling for the perfect meme, perhaps a teenager should simply put down the phone, enjoy face-to-face interactions with friends, and utilize their mind in healthy ways.
Works Cited
Amirthalingam, Jashvini, et al. “Understanding Social Media Addiction: A Deep
Dive.” Cureus vol. 16,10 e72499. 27 Oct. 2024, doi:10.7759/cureus.72499 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11594359/
Green, Emily. “How Technology Is Harming Our Ability to Feel Empathy.” Street Roots, 15 Feb.
2019, http://www.streetroots.org/news/2019/02/15/how-technology-harming-our-ability-feel-empathy.
Kreski, Noah, et al. “Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms Among United States
Adolescents.” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 68, no. 3, Mar. 2021, pp. 572–79, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.006.
Miller, Sarah. “The Addictiveness of Social Media: How Teens Get Hooked.” Jefferson Health –
Greater Philadelphia & South Jersey Region, 2 June 2022, www.jeffersonhealth.org/your-health/living-well/the-addictiveness-of-social-media-how-teens-get-hooked.
Murthy, Vivkey. “Surgeon General Issues New Advisory About Effects Social Media Use Has on
Youth Mental Health.” 2024-01-02 03:56 | Archive of HHS.Gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , 2 Jan. 2024, https://public3.pagefreezer.com/browse/HHS.gov/02-01-2024T03:56/https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-about-effects-social-media-use-has-youth-mental-health.html
Primack, Brian, et al. “The Association between Valence of Social Media Experiences and
Depressive Symptoms.” Wiley Online Library, 6 June 2018, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/da.22779
Riehm, Kira, et al. “Associations between Time Spent Using Social Media and Internalizing and
Externalizing Problems among US Youth | Adolescent Medicine | Jama Psychiatry | Jama Network.” JAMA Network, 11 Sept. 2019, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2749480
Walton, Alice. “Loneliness Linked to Negative Social Media Experiences, Study Finds.” Forbes,
Forbes Magazine, 24 Jan. 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2019/01/24/loneliness-linked-to-negative-social-media-experiences-study-finds/#4d1b99397afe
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