The Effects of Social Media on the Mental Health of Young People
In today’s world, many of us rely on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram to find and connect with each other. While each has its benefits, it’s important to remember that social media can never be a replacement for real-world human connection. (Robinson, L, 2020. Social Media and mental health. Santa Monica. HelpGuide)
As a young person myself, social media has always played a huge role in my life; finding notes for school work, keeping into contact with friends and family, and even just for simple entertainment. However, social media is a lot like an iceberg, it may look fine on the surface, but what lies beneath is where the real danger is. Increased rates of depression and anxiety, triggering content with zero warning, lack of sleep and teen suicide lists only a handful of the dangers social media can cause. Social media has a drug-like effect on its’ users. It gives them a feeling of momentary joy, excitement, however a lack of ‘likes’ on a status update or selfie may cause negative self-reflection, prompting continuous checking of the post to see if there are any new likes, thus helping to achieve personal validation. However, realistically, this causes self-disbelief and a constant need of reassurance that they are good enough, pretty enough. The majority of posts on platforms like Instagram and TikTok are manipulated, airbrushed or distorted to make the ‘influencer’ look skinnier, or hourglass shaped, or more tanned, with zero imperfections. This causes feelings of envy, dissatisfaction and most importantly inadequacy. This constant viewing of users bodies which may be ‘better’, with lives more full of adventure, can lead to potential eating disorders, negative intrusive thoughts, even agoraphobia.
Around 10 percent of teens report being bullied on social media and many other users are subjected to offensive comments. Platforms such as Twitter can be hotspots for spreading hurtful rumours, lies, and abuse that can leave lasting emotional scars.[1] Personally, I have been attacked and slammed on twitter by middle aged men and women who resorted to making rude comments about my appearance, or about how educated I am when I was speaking my mind about a specific affair. Here are some examples:
Even though the responses are extremely rude and ridiculous, at times it’s funny to argue with trolls on twitter as they end up not knowing what to say back so resort to calling me ugly, or dumb, or other profanities. Twitter is insanely toxic; filled with racism, homophobia, transphobia and ageism and it is an all-around negative space. I tend to only use it as a news outlet now.
As well as this, there is a constant ‘FOMO’ effect driven by social media. Even though the feeling of missing out has been present longer than social media has, however with the rise of ‘influencers’ posting their new brand deals or five star holidays on their platform, the viewers will feel an indefinite impact on their self-esteem, trigger anxiety and even cause an increased use of social media. Personally, I have experienced this; seeing people on YouTube and Instagram boasting about their villa by the beach or being at an overpriced festival does give me a very overwhelmingly negative feeling. It compels me to pick up my phone more, checking every single alert that may come up, which in itself is very scary and addictive. I have tried in the past to stop using social media, but then I did end up feeling worse because I wasn’t involved in what the ‘big influencers’ were doing, so I felt even more left out. It’s a never ending cycle of feeling inadequate and FOMO, trying to stop using social media to erase these feelings, but then feeling them ten times worse because I’m not using the apps anymore.
Referencing NHS, 2017, ‘Instagram ‘ranked worst for mental health’ in teen survey’, “Instagram is rated as the worst social media platform when it comes to its impact on young people’s mental health, a UK survey suggests,” BBC News reports. The survey asked 1,479 young people aged 14–24 to score popular social media apps on issues such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, bullying, body image and “fear of missing out”.
Honestly, I wasn’t surprised at all when I found this out. The fact that over every other platform, Instagram was ranked the worst when scoring these negative feelings isn’t shocking. Instagram is filled with airbrushed bodies, ‘influencers’ boasting their hundreds of thousands pound holidays, its no wonder it causes its users to feel depressed, anxious and FOMO.
Because I didn’t conduct this report myself, I decided to conduct my own survey to further aid my opinions and the facts proving that social media is incredibly damaging for mental health and self-worth. After finding out from the NHS that so many young people feel worse after scrolling through Instagram, I was determined to ask my own friends and family for their personal views. I received over 80 responses, however due to the fact I used Survey Monkey, I could only review 40 responses. The questions I asked were as followed:
The results of the survey were both unbelievable and incredibly upsetting. 42.5% of the 40 participants agreed that they feel bad about their appearance because of social media, the most common platform being Instagram with 90% of the survey takers using it. As well as this, the most common feelings over the last month were tired (90%) and anxious (67.5%). As 60% of the survey takers are 17–19, this further proves that young people are put under a lot of pressure, and social media only aids negatively towards their mental health.
I received multiple responses regarding whether they had an online persona. One participant said ‘Yes, because people will judge you for being you. I get scared my family, boyfriend and friends will be judged’, another said ‘Yes, I feel as if an image of beauty has to be maintained’. These responses stuck out the most to me, as they’re showing that they, who also both stated they used Instagram, are constantly having to show a fake façade when it comes to their presence online. The fact one survey taker won’t even post their family on social media to avoid judgment is disgusting, and the trolls of Instagram should be held accountable for the trauma they cause. The survey allowed me to see how social media is a common factor when it comes to the deterioration of a young person’s mental state.
Social media is damaging, horrendous and extremely dangerous. Young people are depressed, lonely, and insecure because of the edited images they see on their Instagram feeds. Regardless of the fact it’s not the platform specifically that’s causing the trauma and hurt, but the people using it, the organisation running the company should take action on the trolls and bullies damaging the mental health of young people, its inexcusable. Personally, I feel as though there needs to be a ‘proceed with caution’ warning when you open one of the apps.
[1] Smith, M, 2020. Social media and mental health. Santa Monica. HelpGuide
