Second Major Assignment Final draft

Final draft

Social Media’s Effect on Mental Health 

There are multiple platforms of social media, all with similar effects on people. There is Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and many more. Social media is very unique and addicting. There are many consequences that stem from using it but at the same time, it is so hard to stop using. People know the negative effects it can have on them but it’s too hard to just stop using it. This addiction can have serious effects on a person’s mental health and way of life. Social media is mainly marketed towards young adults whose brains are still growing, As a result, the media has a greater effect on them. Since I am a young adult and use social media I am very curious about the effects it has on me. Being a young adult, I can confirm first hand as to how addicting social media is and I can see how one’s mental health can truly be at risk from it. Social media causes people to suffer from cyberbullying, loneliness, depression and much more, therefore, it is not good for one’s mental health. These consequences are unique to social media. It’s not just normal bullying that stems from social media, it’s specifically cyberbullying. People say things online to others that they would never say in person and the easiest way to do this is over social media. Loneliness and depression from social media is rooted in seeing other pictures online. Many pictures that people can see on social media cause many different reactions which will lead to these psychological effects. Social media’s grasp is difficult to let go of due to its unique nature and the way it is engineered to be addictive. 

Bullying has been a problem in society for as long as people have been alive. It wasn’t until technology and social media became so popular that cyberbullying developed into a major issue. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that takes place on social media. In many cases, people don’t even know who the bully is. In The Journal Of School Violence, there were three studies I focused on about cyberbullying. All three studies concluded that certain “venues” attract Cyberbullying. In the first study, it is suggested that “common venues of cyberbullying have likely shifted to social media”(Cyberbullying Via Social Media). Social media platforms sadly make it easy to cyberbully people. A bully does not have to confront anyone face to face, therefore, they are not afraid to say anything to them. On social media, people can make fake accounts which makes it easier to bully someone without them knowing who it is. In Study 2 it concluded that “cyber-aggressive comments directed toward random people known only online were seen the most frequently and seen as the most acceptable”(Cyberbullying Via Social Media). When you don’t know the person you are bullying, you are less likely to feel bad because you know nothing about the person, which makes it feel more acceptable to hurt them. Cyberbullying causes a lot of harm to people, especially those of younger ages. Social media is always at your fingertips and people can go on it anytime they want. In an article on FindLaw.com, it emphasizes that “With around-the-clock access to social media and the Internet, victims often feel as if there is no escape from cyberbullying”(findlaw.com). Even when people are home, which is a safe place for most, they can’t escape social media. If people have technology they are always at risk of being exposed to all types of bullying, which can be dangerous if people feel there is no escaping it. This form of bullying can, and most likely will, lead to depression and many mental health problems. 

Depression is one of the most serious side effects of social media. There are many factors that play a role in causing depression from social media. When you are scrolling through pictures of other people you can’t help but compare yourself to them and wish you had similar characteristics. In a study done by NCBI, they surveyed many young adults about how social media and depression are connected. The study showed that “individuals in the highest quartiles of SM site visits per week and those with a higher global frequency score had significantly increased odds of depression”(NCBI). This proves that when people are addicted to social media they are more likely to develop depression. The way to fix this is by using social media less. In an article from Forbes, they talked about a study from the University of Pennsylvania where young adults reduced their use of social media by 10 minutes per day. The results were as expected, “people who limited their social media use to 30 minutes felt significantly better after the three-week period, reporting reduced depression and loneliness, especially those who came into the study with higher levels of depression”(Forbes). If people try to reduce their social media use than they will be less likely to develop depression. On most social media platforms you see pictures of people and their amazing lives. Most of these people are falsely representing their lives and putting these pictures out there to make it look like they have something more. When someone sees these pictures they can’t help but want the life they are seeing and they compare themselves to it. This can easily make someone depressed and try to change their appearance to match the pictures they see. 

While looking at other people’s social media posts people develop a fear of missing out. When people are posting on social media, they usually post what they are doing and who they are with. There are also many news accounts that post the latest of what’s going on in society. Young adults are addicted to checking their media feed out of fear that they will miss something. If people see their friends posting a picture without them it will be sad and not want to miss out, so they keep checking media to see more. Also, most young adults don’t watch the news or read the paper so they rely on social media to keep them updated on society. People like to know what’s going on in the world around them at all times, especially in the media and about celebrities. Social media is the key place to find out what is going on with the latest trends and gossip in pop culture. By wanting to be in the know at all times leads to constant checking on your media accounts. An article by The Care Center Of Mental Health stated that “Always on’ communication technology can cause feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and inadequacy through highlighting these activities, compelling users to stay continually engaged and up to date due to fear of not being involved”(Care Center For Mental Health). These feelings are ones that will surely lead to depression and a sad life all because of the media.

Although many believe that social media is very bad for your health, there are also people that believe otherwise. Some believe that social media can actually be good for your mental health. In an article in the Washington Post, they list five reasons why social media can be good for teens. The first reason is that “it lets them do good”. Social media exposes people to what is going on around the world. This article says that “Kids realize they have a voice they didn’t have before and are doing everything from crowdfunding social justice projects to anonymously tweeting positive thoughts”(Washington Post). Even though this is a very good thing, it is concerning if to much time is spend online. Kids need to learn how to get out from behind a screen and use their real voice while interacting with their peers. Social media will not help people develop good social nor will it ever take the place of making a physical connection with one’s community. Knowing that a world of information is at one’s fingertips on social media can be dangerous. This easy access makes people want to check their social media more often to be informed on the world. This phenomenon causes people to get addicted which leads to depression and anxiety. Another way social media is thought to be good, is that it can help people express themselves. People have a variety of different talents and being on social media supposedly makes it easier for people to share these talents and express themselves. The Article in the Washington Post believes that “Digital technology allows kids to share their work with a wider audience”(Washington Post). Although this statement is true, there is also a negative side to sharing your work on social media. There may be people that admire your work and share positive comments, but this does not stop the critiques from showing up. There are many cruel people in the world that are all over social media. Sharing your work online opens the door for these people to cyberbully you. This isn’t something anyone wants to go through so it is better to express yourself in other ways that don’t involve social media. Similarly, this article states that social media is thought to provide support. If someone post about a problem they are having, they will most likely get some mean and cruel feedback that they don’t want. The Washington Post reports that “Suicidal teens can even get immediate access to quality support online”(Washington Post). If a suicidal teen receives a mean comment or see something hurtful after trying to get support on social media, this will most likely make their condition worse. You never know what people are truly going through and you definitely won’t understand by seeing one of their social media posts. People shouldn’t rely on social media to personally help them or to help achieve any goals. 

No one shouldn’t have to use social media to feel like they belong and have people in your life. You may find people who understand you and you may feel like you belong in a group but you should do this in the real world and not over a computer screen. These last two statements on how social media can be good for people are very similar. One is that it strengthens friendships. It suggests that in some listed, they “show that social media helps teenagers make friends and keep them”(Washington Post). Even though people may be able to make many friends on social media it isn’t good to rely solely on that. It is good to make real-life connections with people not just over a screen. Also if people have friends on social media it is easier for them to bully you. Cyberbullying between the friends you have on media is very likely to happen. To prevent this, make friends in the real world, not online. Lastly, social media “offered a sense of belonging”. Feeling like you belong because of social media use is not good. This article states that “They report feeling less isolated and have become more socially adept, partly because of an increase in technology use”(Washington Post). Increased use in technology should not be a good thing. I mentioned before how increased use of social media and being on it all the time causes depression. People shouldn’t need to be on social media to belong. People should go outside and have human contact to feel like they belong. I believe that the negative effects of social media definitely outway the positive. 

In conclusion, social media is not good for young adult’s mental health. As previously stated there are many negative side effects of being addicted to social media. Social media is a source for cyberbullying, depression, anxiety, and many more effects that are not good for your mental health. Many people may not even realize they are addicted nor do they see the role social media is taking on their health. I personally never thought that I was experiencing anything negative from the media. Thinking back I definitely use social media too much and, if not careful, it will eventually lead to negative effects unless I reduce my use. Even a small reduction can greatly improve one’s life. With lower social media use comes more time to be with friends, enjoy outside activities and spend important time with one’s family. People don’t need to completely cut social media out of their life but rather try to strike a balance. The first step is to be more aware of the time being spent and the effects it is having on one ones mental condition. People need to be more aware of these effects and start to learn about what social media is doing to their health. By doing this I believe everyone will have a healthier and happier life. 

Work cited 

O’Reilly, Michelle, et al. “Is Social Media Bad for Mental Health and Wellbeing? Exploring the Perspectives of Adolescents.” Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, vol. 23, no. 4, 2018, pp. 601–613., doi:10.1177/1359104518775154.

Walton, Alice G. “New Studies Show Just How Bad Social Media Is For Mental Health.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 18 Nov. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2018/11/16/new-research-shows-just-how-bad-social-media-can-be-for-mental-health/#2b351427af44.

Knorr, Caroline. “Perspective | Five Ways Social Media Can Be Good for Teens.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 29 Mar. 2019, http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/03/19/5-ways-social-media-can-be-good-for-teens/.

Whittaker, Elizabeth, and Robin M. Kowalski. “Cyberbullying Via Social Media.” Journal of School Violence, vol. 14, no. 1, 2014, pp. 11–29., doi:10.1080/15388220.2014.949377.

Lin, Liu Yi, et al. “Association Between Social Media Use And Depression Among U.s. Young Adults.” Depression and Anxiety, vol. 33, no. 4, 2016, pp. 323–331., doi:10.1002/da.22466.

“Cyberbullying and Social Media.” Findlaw, education.findlaw.com/student-conduct-and-discipline/cyberbullying-and-social-media.html.