Hooked on Likes: Why Social Media Matters to Teens

     For years now there has been an increase in social media use among teens all over the world. Social media is becoming a major part of teens’ lives. Teens enjoy social media for many reasons; whether it is to communicate with their friends and family or to just stay up to date on the recent fads or trends. Teens use social media in their daily lives all over our community.

The Good Side: Staying Connected and Creative

     This is not an article about how terrible social media is or an article to shame those who use it. Social media is not all bad, there are many positive aspects of social media. It is a great way to stay in contact with friends and family; whether they live close by or far away. Teens love to stay up to date on the activities and hobbies people they are close to are involved in. According to Yale Medicine, social media is a great way for teens to connect with people who have similar interests to them. Teens can follow others who share common identities and beliefs.

The Not-So-Good Side: Pressure to Be Perfect

     Of course there are downsides to social media. Over use can have a negative impact on teens’ mental health and in some ways physical health. Over consumption can lead to comparison and self consciousness. What’s more, people can post anything on social media. Teens could be exposed to topics and ideas that may not be appropriate for their age. While there are age restrictions for social media many people change their birthday to fit whatever age requirement is set in place. This means a large portion of teens on social media may not meet the age requirements. 

When Posts Turn Hurtful: Cyber-bullying Online

     Cyber-bullying has become more and more of a problem on social media. Bullying online is becoming more and more normalized. People comment on things they probably would never say to someone if it were not for the screen in front of them. Cyber-bullying has very negative effects on the mental health of those being bullied. Many internet-famous influencers even face cyber-bullying, which has negative effects on them. 

Scrolling Into the Night: Sleep and Stress

     Many teens spend hours on social media. They continue to scroll well into the night. This potentially impacts their sleep schedules, schoolwork, and their safety for those who drive. According to Hopkins Medicine, studies show that sleep deprivation is linked to depression. Many teens and adults think they are only spending a few minutes on social media each night, only to find out they spend hours on social media mindlessly scrolling. 

Mirror, Mirror: Comparison and Self-Esteem
     Teens are exposed to an influx of influencers on social media. Teens see the lives of influencers and celebrities through rose-colored glasses. People only see the aspects of celebrity lives that they want people to see. They have money to dress in a luxurious way. They have the money to hire professional photographers, and they know how to pose perfectly. When all of these things are paired together, it is easy for teens to think their lives are less important. Their view on how they should look, who they should be, and how they should live is skewed. They place more value on how they look or how expensive the clothes they wear are. This impacts their mental health negatively. 

Tips for Finding Balance

     There are things teens can do to improve their relationship with social media. According to the World Health Organization, promote healthy topics and social media use. Teens can learn what topics are appropriate for their mental health and what to look out for on the negative side of social media. Yale Medicine has expressed the importance of parents following the rules they set for their teens with social media. Yale Medicine said, teens are more likely to understand and follow the rules set for social media if they see their parents following the same rules.

Wrapping It Up: Using Social Media Smarter

     Social media is not necessarily a bad thing. There are good and bad aspects to social media, as with any resource. There can be an influx of mental health issues with the overuse of social media. Teens can, however, create healthy habits with social media that can overall improve their relationship with social media. Social media can be positive when it comes to connecting with a wider audience on similar topics.