Human beings are inherently social. In order to thrive in life, we need companionship and strong connections with others. Being social with others can help decrease anxiety and stress, while increasing joy and self-worth. Many create these meaningful relationships with others through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
While these popular social media platforms have many pros, it is important to remember that social media can never be a replacement for real-world human contact. “There’s something about the interactions occurring on social media that makes them qualitatively different from in-person interactions, some of which are intentionally part of the way apps are designed,” said Mitch Prinstein, the American Psychological Association’s chief science officer. Additionally, face-to-face interaction can trigger hormones, such as oxytocin, that alleviate stress and make you feel happier, healthier, and more positive.
Conversely, spending too much time on social media can cause depression or FOMO (fear of missing out). Social media, particularly Instagram and TikTok, can be used to create an unrealistic façade of one’s life, making it seem like it is perfect. Unrealistic posts create correspondingly unrealistic expectations for teens. Sophia Choukas-Bradley, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Delaware who studies adolescent mental health, states, “Instagram users who engage in digital status seeking (looking for popularity online) and social comparison (evaluating oneself in relation to others) tend to experience negative psychological outcomes. Such behaviors have been linked to increases in depressive symptoms, social anxiety, and body image concerns across age groups, as well as decreases in self-esteem.” Many young, impressionable teens see influencers’ posts and feel as if they need to look like and act like them. According to The Guardian, “nearly 6 out of every 10 teenagers consider themselves to be everyday users of TikTok.”
In addition, social media can be addictive. Scrolling through different videos or pictures releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that creates the feeling of satisfaction and motivation. This neurotransmitter drives consumers to keep coming back again and again, creating a cycle. According to psychologist Adam Alter, a professor of marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business, “Instagram, like many tech platforms, is designed to be bottomless, and you don’t have to do much to access that bottomless content. Just keep scrolling.”
Constant use of social media has a myriad of negative impacts on one’s mental health, such as loneliness, lack of sleep, and self-doubt. Although social media can have many positive effects for teens, such as empowering them to build and maintain strong relationships and enabling them to stay connected with the world, it is imperative to use social media in small amounts as it can lead to a plethora of mental health issues that can ultimately have repercussions throughout one’s entire life.
SOURCES:
https://www.mga.edu/news/2022/06/is-social-media-bad-for-your-mental-health.php
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/social-media-and-mental-health
https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/study-social-media-use-linked-to-decline-mental-health
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