The Effects of Social Media on People's Mental Health

Among the areas that have been affected by the emergence of social media is human health. The ease to join and simplicity of use have made even the sick persons to access these social platforms. There is no limitation to access the social media, and even an ill patient in bed can do that. The access to information on medias such as Facebook, Twitter, and others does not limit the ill-stricken individuals. Research by Antheunis, Tates & Nieboer (2013) shows that over 20% of the people using social platforms are suffering from one sickness or another. Although health status may not be indicated in these social profiles, the increased online search for medication and prescriptions is clear indication that a more significant number of people use social media as a source of information for medical assistance. This essay takes into the account specific effects of social media on mental health.

Nowadays a considerable number of teenagers have been diagnosed to have poor mental health. A great many people think that social media platforms are the main cause of this. Since almost every teenager has at least one social media platform, those who don’t may feel left out and thus will want to own an account too. Social media’s original purpose was to connect people from all around the world in a quick and simple way-over time this aim has expanded and is now used by dishonorable people for other intentions, which now teenagers are facing the consequences of.

The more time people spend on these platforms, the more likely they are to be depressed and socially isolated. I think that a huge reason for this is because most eminent influencers portray their life to be perfect and without any flaws-this causes young teens to compare and demotivate themselves making them feel inferior to others. Nearly everyone on social media makes their life appear impeccable, so teens try to follow that standard and end up being disappointed instead. Posting realistic information and showing the negative part of life can aid young people in realizing that nobody is flawless.

Additionally, another main factor that plays a huge role in wrecking our emotional health is cyber-bullying. I believe that teenagers especially, are huge preys to imposters that disguise themselves to be someone they’re not, and can get lured into these traps if they aren’t careful with the way they use social media. They can be a victim of blackmail or threatening which will make them worry unnecessarily and eventually lead to a mental health issue. Sometimes, young people can leak sensitive information about others as a joke. This can end up seriously affecting the persons’ emotional health and insecurities making them vulnerable to other harmful things.

Social media is like a drug-once you start using it, it’s quite likely that you won’t be able to give it up. Getting addicted to these platforms is a fairly easy task, but on the other hand, it also has a great many side effects. Constantly paying attention to these networking sites can cause us to neglect other more important tasks-It may put our studies, relationships and well-being at risk. Moreover, those people who are addicted, start to experience anxiety if they stop using it.

I heavily agree that social media plays a massive role in most teenagers’ poor mental health. However, it can be avoided If they avert choosing the wrong people to follow or look up to, otherwise it can cause major repercussion and jeopardize their future life. Poor mental health is not something to be brushed over, it should be treated immediately-if ignored, it can lead to a number of detrimental issues such as depression, or in worst case scenarios, suicide.