Social Media Affecting Mental Health

Variety+of+apps+consisting+of+some+of+the+most+popular+apps%2C+Instagram+and+Youtube+demonstrating+how+connected+the+world+is.

Variety of apps consisting of some of the most popular apps, ‘Instagram’ and ‘Youtube’ demonstrating how connected the world is.

Dylan Wilkins, Writer

With the rise of social media, some believe that the population is more connected than ever. Others also believe that the almost constant barrage of perfectly filtered photos on ‘Instagram’ and ‘Snapchat’ are bound to diminish someone’s self-esteem. Despite this, some note that certain aspects of social media have a deeper and darker tone to it, than simply posting an innocent selfie.

“Social media is able to connect people all over the country and all over the world.” 7th grade, Isaiah Pruitt, said.

The more time someone spends social media, the more likely they’re going to be exposed to self-esteem diminishing photos of social media influences with ‘perfect’ bodies. This may cause them to feel like an outcast, for looking different or liking different genre of music.

Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, found that, “Teens who spent five or more hours a day online were 71 percent more likely than those who spent less than an hour a day to have at least one suicide risk factor (depression, thinking about suicide, making a suicide plan or attempting suicide).”

One example of the darker side of social media is cyber-bullying. According to the ASPF (American Foundation For Suicide Prevention), girls are more likely to be ‘cyber victims’ and boys are more likely to be ‘cyber perpetrators’. Social media also brought an array of fun to fatal internet challenges.

“My cousin’s friend has been sent to a rehab facility like a year ago, he had attempted suicide from the bullying he got over Snapchat, so I am against heavy use of social media”. 6th grade, Samir Dudley, said.

One infamous challenge was ‘The Whale Challenge’. The challenges start off pretty easy, requiring the victim to watch a horror movie or to listen to a new genre of music. The challenges then increase in difficulty leading up to the final challenge: ending your own life.

Social media is also hindering the ability to stay focused during conversation or school work. There is a phrase in cognitive science that says, “the brain wires the way it fires”. This means the more a brain does a specific activity, the more it ingrains that into the brain, making it easier to complete whatever that task is next time. This works the same for social media, checking your phone every morning, looking through your ‘Instagram’ feed every hour, or anxiously awaiting a message from your friend, are all slowly being carved into your brain.

“When you’re talking to someone about something and they just pull out their phone checking Facebook or something. To me, it’s just a distraction from your everyday life, yes some may be you friends. But otherwise you’re just giving strangers random pictures or facts that you have.” 8th grade, Dillon Neil, said.

Social media may have a few benefits but the peer pressure, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts overtake the small benefit of talking to a friend.