Teens and Social Media
Social media has a negative side, even if we enjoy browsing through TikTok and seeing those adorable Instagram pictures of puppies and kittens snuggling on top of one another. While influencing all youth, the negative aspects of social media particularly harm women.
In a specific study, young women who are dealing with pre-existing mental health issues are more likely to utilize comedy-related content to cope with their emotions, therefore aggravating their problems by not getting competent care.
Another thing we have all personally gone through in the traditional FOMO instance is that while you are simply sitting at home gazing at a textbook, your friends and the ACT you took are hanging out without you sharing humorous stuff on their private stories. I personally know this; after it has occurred once, you start to worry about it happening again.
Of American social media users, 44% suffer from cyberbullying. People could be affected in many different ways from one another. Too afraid to confront people in person, individuals hide behind their computers to ridicule others.
The last topic I want to discuss is something I have noticed more and more of as my buddies age—all of these celebs and influencers showing in swimming suits with their unattainable body shapes.
Now, my suggestions for what we can do to make social media more positive:
Cut back on your screen time. You can instead use this time to do non-digital activities!
Put your phone down when you have to miss an event. I realize this is easier said than done, but perhaps try handing your phone to a family member and instructing them to hide it somewhere so you avoid FOMO.
Be compassionate. This is most likely the simplest item on my list. Encouraging kindness among ourselves and each other should ideally affect our entire community as well.
Follow the people you find encouraging. Look for people who inspire you instead of following those who only post about the highlights of their lives and are in bathing suits. Some bloggers share about their difficult days or offer affirmations or inspirational words. (My personal favorite is Anastasia Dupree.)
I know these are only a couple of minor changes that could be made but when I made them in my life, I noticed a huge difference.
Sources:
Crosby, “How Social Media Affects Women’s Mental Health: Negatives vs. Positives.” https://thriveworks.com/blog/how-social-media-affects-womens-mental-health-negatives-vs-positives/
Cultivating-health. “Social Media’s Impact on Our Mental Health and Tips to Use It Safely,” September 20, 2024. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/social-medias-impact-our-mental-health-and-tips-to-use-it-safely/2024/05.