When it comes to social media and mental health among teens, results show that suicide, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders run rampant amongst teenagers (Karim, 2020). Social media use among young people is at its highest peak (Karim, 2020). In 2022, 95% of teenagers that were surveyed reported using social media, this statistic shows that social media is becoming nearly universal (Karim, 2020). In 2023, Pew Research found that 9 out of 10 teenagers use YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram because this vast amount of teenagers use social media, researchers have noted the variety of negative effects it is having on teenagers (Karim, 2020). Another concern with social media is how it is affecting teenagers' lack of sleep which then leads to depression and anxiety (Karim, 2020). However, sleep depriviation due to late night social media scrolling is most closely related to those who commit suicide, as well as suicidal thoughts among teenagers (Karim, 2020). “Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. It is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development,”(World Health Organization, 2022). It is clear that mental health is incredibly important, and it is important to understand the negative effects social media can have on one’s mental health, especially among teens (World Health Organization, 2022). The problem of drastic decreases in mental health among teenagers that result in suicide, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders stems from an overuse of social media (Karim, 2020).
The teenage years are themselves hard without social media influences like Instagram and Snapchat. Regular development changes combined with other life issues and events can already put young men and young women at risk for suicide (Bergman, 2022). The rate of suicide has dramatically increased in the past decade, along with the usage of social media amongst teenagers (Bergman, 2022). Researchers have linked aspects of social media use to a higher risk of suicide (Bergman, 2022). Overuse of social media poses a significant risk for young teenage girls (Bergman, 2022). Girls who are 13 years old and who use social media for 2 to 3 hours daily are at a higher risk of suicide than young adults (Bergman, 2022). The type of content that teens are consuming can also affect them to follow unhealthy challenges on TikTok and Snapchat, which can then lead to suicide. A United Kingdom study of 14 year olds and their social media use had some startlingly shocking results (Bergman, 2022). Online harassment and poor sleeping habits caused by constant social media use by teenagers make them more susceptible to depression and poor self esteem, which are two issues that lead to suicidal thoughts and then suicide (Bergman, 2022). Social media platforms can indeed danger teens with its pro violence and discriminatory algorithms, which prioritize profits instead of public safety (Bergman, 2022). Cyberbullying amongst teenagers on social media can lead to suicidal thoughts, and the exposure of unhealthy challenges on social media can lead to contemplation of self harm, such as cutting or burning oneself (Bergman, 2022).
It is important to be forewarned when it comes to the dangers of social media. Social media can be a useful tool, but it has been scientifically proven that it can negatively affect mental health by causing depression. Across the world, 4 billion people use social media platforms, and 280 million of these users have diagnosed depression (Cronkleton, 2022). Studies have shown that there is indeed a link between social media and depression (Cronkleton, 2022). In order to understand how social media can cause depression, it is important to have a proper understanding of what depression is. “Depression is a mood disorder that leads to low mood and symptoms that affect various aspects of an individual’s daily life, such as their sleep, appetite, and employment,” (Cronkleton, 2022). Some depression symptoms include feeling hopeless, irritable, worthless, fatigue, sleep issues, and thoughts of suicide (Cronkleton, 2022). Doctors will only diagnose depression if these symptoms have been severely present daily for over two weeks (Cronkleton, 2022). It is crucial to go to a doctor if one is experiencing these symptoms for two weeks or more (Cronkleton, 2022). Depression caused by social media is usually when the user is constantly scrolling and excessively using their social platforms continually (Cronkleton, 2022).
There is a rising tide of anxiety amongst teenagers, and usually these anxiety filled teens are clutching a beeping and buzzing smartphone with a flood of constant social media notifications. Many experts have noticed that a rise in anxiety in general began in 2010 with the creation and invention of the iPhone (Shafer, 2017). Constant social media use has been proven to cause anxiety amongst teenagers and even adults (Shafer, 2017). Anxiety can be caused from social media scrolling in a variety ways. For example, seeing people posting about being at an event or events that one had not been invited to, feeling pressure to post attractive content of oneself, or having someone post negatively about oneself. Likes and follows on social media can cause anxiety in teenagers because it can become a source of validation (Shafer, 2017). If one does not get a certain amount of likes or does not have a large following it can cause anxious thoughts. FOMO, fear of missing out, is something that runs rampant amongst the teenagers of today. (Shafer, 2017) Fear of missing out is something else that causes anxiety in our culture today (Shafer, 2017).
Firstly, eating disorders are commonly believed to be a problem that girls and women struggle with, this is simply untrue (Sidani et al., 2016). Boys and men also struggle in this area, as well. It is important to note that there is a correlation between eating disorders and social media (Sidani et al., 2016). This correlation can be found specifically in the aspect of comparison of body types (Sidani et al., 2016). An analysis of YouTube videos on anorexia, showed that one-third of the anorexia related videos can be classified as “pro-anorexia” and these videos statistically received more views than videos that discuss the dangers of anorexia and eating disorders (Sidani et al., 2016). It has been proven that people who frequent instagram consistently are more prone to having an eating disorder than those who do not have social media platforms they visit constantly (Sidani et al., 2016).
In conclusion, it has been proven that social media usage can be damaging to one’s mental health if used daily, constantly, and consistently (Katella, 2024). Suicide, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders are four specific results that occur with consistent usage of social media among teenagers. Although social media has many benefits, such as being able to stay in touch with long-distance friends, it is important to have discretion when using social media. Having screen time limits and being wary of the content one is viewing, are two important concepts to keep in mind when using social media platforms (Katella, 2024). It is also important to help others realize the importance of mental health (World Health Organization, 2022). Taking small steps, such as keeping devices out of bedrooms or stopping midnight scrolling, will greatly increase one's mental wellbeing (Katella, 2024). It is vitally important to be aware of how long one spends on social media, paying attention to how it is mentally affecting oneself, and seek help if one feels depressed or suicidal.
Works Cited
Cronkleton , E. (2022, September 28). Is there a link between social media and depression? www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/social-media-and-depression#seeking-medical-advice
Karim, F. (2020). Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 12(6). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.8627
Katella, K. (2024, January 8). How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: a Parent’s Guide. Yale Medicine. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/social-media-teen-mental-health-a-parents-guide
Shafer, L. (2017, December 15). Social Media and Teen Anxiety | Harvard Graduate School of Education. www.gse.harvard.edu. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/17/12/social-media-and-teen-anxiety
Sidani, J. E., Shensa, A., Hoffman, B., Hanmer, J., & Primack, B. A. (2016). The association between Social Media Use and Eating Concerns among US Young Adults. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(9), 1465–1472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.03.021
World Health Organization. (2022, June 17). Mental Health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-respo
Bergman, M. (2022). Social Media & Suicide | Social Media Victims Law Center. Social Media Victim’s Law Center. https://socialmediavictims.org/mental-health/suicide/
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