The Effect of Social Media on Teenager: Overview of The Negative Side

Introduction

People ask what is social media? Daniel Nations from Lifewire said, “Social media are web-based communication tools that enable people to interact with each other by both sharing and consuming information.” In this world we have Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is not always easy dealing with teenagers today, especially now that social media is so prevalent in their lives. Amy Patural from Your Teen Magazine said, “Social media isn’t inherently good or bad — it’s all in how it’s used.” The effect of social media on a teenager is often negative as teenagers who use it in the wrong way become vulnerable to harmful acts that happen online every single day. This essay will explore how social media is bad for teenagers because of cyberbullying, the anxiety and depression it can cause many teenagers to feel, and its addictiveness.

The Effect Social Media Can Have on a Teenager

While there are many negative effects for teenagers using social media, there is some good that can come from the proper usage of it. According to Katie Hurley from PSYCOM: “Teens who struggle with social skills, social anxiety, or who don’t have easy access to face-to-face socializing with other teens might benefit from connecting with other teens through social media.” Hurley is stating that social media can help teenagers learn new skills like social skills that could be positive factors in their life. Treyvaud of Family Insights said, “68% of teenagers claim that social media provides them with support during difficult times.” These positive effects, whether it be social media educating teenagers or helping teenagers through horrible times, show how social media can be beneficial when it is used as it is supposed to be used. Unfortunately, this is not often the case.

First, cyberbullying plays a major role in how social media is used in a negative way. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that happens when someone on social media sends a hate message or threatens someone else, especially another teenager. For example, researchers from the New York Post say, “Recent teen suicides have been blamed on cyberbullying, and social media posts depicting ‘perfect’ lives may be taking a toll on teens’ mental health.” Petrov from TechJury compiled data on cyberbullying in 2019 and reported the following statistics, “Online bullying among US teenagers often includes offensive name calling (42%), spreading false rumors (32%) and receiving unwanted explicit images (25%)…Online abuse and suicidal thoughts are directly interconnected 24% have contemplated suicide after continuous cyberbullying.” Many teenagers believe what they see on social media is true, and that can make them feel insecure about their own lives compared to the ones they see online. People’s opinions, even if it is from posting a picture about someone, can damage a teenager’s self-esteem to the point where they might consider killing themselves. In some cyberbullying cases, the rate of teenage girls getting harassed to teenage boys are different, as noted by Katie Hurley in PSYCOM: “Teens girls in particular are at risk of cyberbullying through use of social media, but teen boys are not immune.” Hurley emphasizes that girls can be harassed or made fun of because of their looks or what they wear. At the end of the day, cyberbullying needs to stop due to the way the victims are harmed. So, cyberbullying is an atrocious thing that can happen to teenagers who use social media incorrectly.

Additionally, the misuse of social media can cause teenagers to experience depression and anxiety. As reported by ChildMind: “A 2017 study of over half a million eighth through 12th graders found that the number exhibiting high levels of depressive symptoms increased by 33 percent between 2010 and 2015… Some experts see the rise in depression as evidence that the connections social media users form electronically are less emotionally satisfying, leaving them feeling socially isolated.” Teenagers today often would rather text on the phone even if they are in the same room with the person they are texting. The lack of personal interaction can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can ultimately lead to depression. In addition, many teenagers on social media experience anxiety, as stated by ChildMind, “In fact, experts worry that the social media and text messages that have become so integral to teenage life are promoting anxiety and lowering self-esteem.” This can happen when they “feel pressure to respond quickly online, but they also feel pressure to have perfect photos and well-written posts…”, to quote Very Well Family. Indeed. some teenagers feel anxiety when their post do not get enough likes. Sometimes when teenagers see pictures on social media of their friends at social gatherings, they might feel anxious because they were not invited, or that no one missed that they were not there. The use of social media in place of meeting with people in person is a negative effect that can lead to depression or anxiety.

Lastly, teenagers who feel the need to be on social media all the time can become addicted to it, which can become a problem for them. Newport Academy wrote that “92% of teens go online daily, and 24% say they go online “almost constantly…Scientists have found that teen social media overuse of social media creates a stimulation pattern similar to the pattern created by other addictive behaviors…Each ‘like’ increases dopamine, just as cocaine and other drugs do. In adolescents, the brain is rapidly developing, and the pleasure centers are all coming on board.” The Newport Academy is highlighting that teenagers who overuse social media can create bad habits for themselves which can be similar to having a drug problem. Adolescents who are addicted to their phones to look at social media may feel like their own life is not as important as what is on that phone. Addiction can also lead to sleep deprivation. For instance, The Johnston Press from Inews.co.uk said, “The more time young people spent on sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and Whatsapp, the more likely they were to be sleep deprived.” When social media starts messing with teenagers’ sleep, it can then start interfering with their social life. Therefore, addiction can be a serious negative effect in a teenager’s life when it comes to social media.

Conclusion

In conclusion, social media has the potential to help teenagers who do not misuse it, but cyberbullying, anxiety and depression, and addiction are all negative effects that teenagers are likely to encounter if they do not use social media correctly. In our society we need to find solutions to these problems happening on social media. Parents and caregivers need to be on the lookout for what their teenagers do on social media, and how much time they spend on it.

Works Cited

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4. Johnston Press. “Teens Losing Sleep over Social Media.” Inews, Inews, 6 Sept. 2019, https://inews.co.uk/news/health/teenagers-losing-sleep-social-media-514400
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8. Associated Press. “Rise in Teen Suicide Connected to Social Media Popularity: Study.” New York Post, New York Post, 14 Nov. 2017, https://nypost.com/2017/11/14/rise-in-teen-suicide-connected-to-social-media-popularity-study/
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10. Gordon, Sherri. “How Social Media Negatively Affects the Teen Brain.” Very well Family, Very well Family, 20 Oct. 2019, https://www.verywellfamily.com/ways-social-media-affects-teen-mental-health-4144769