Does Social Media Affect The Emotional
well-being of Teenagers?
Over the past decade, there has been a concerning increase in
mental health issues among teenagers. Many experts are now
questioning the extent to which the use of social media is
contributing to this rise.
Using social media increases the fear of missing out and
feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation. In turn,
these feelings negatively affect your mood and worsen
symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
41% of teens with their social media usage at its peak have
poor or very poor emotional health. 10% of teens from the
highest-usage group expressed suicidal intent or self-harm in
the past 12 months.
The average American teenager dedicates roughly 4.8 hours
each day to using seven of the most popular social media
apps. Among these apps, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram
consume the majority of their time, accounting for 87% of
their total social media usage. More specifically, 37% of teens
report spending 5 or more hours daily on these platforms,
14% spend between 4 and less than 5 hours, 26% spend
between 2 and less than 4 hours, and 23% spend less than 2
hours a day on these three predominant apps.
Teenagers who have low parental monitoring and weak
parental relationships and part of the 60% of the highest
frequency of social media users. They said they had feeble
emotional health compared to the other 25% of teens who are
also part of the highest frequency of social media users
reported high parental monitoring and strong parental
relationships.
The same study found that 22% of heavy users who had poor
relationships with their parents and lacked parental
monitoring reported having suicidal or self-harming thoughts.
In contrast, only 2% of heavy users with strong parental
relationships and monitoring reported similar thoughts.
Some researchers believe that frequent exposure to social
media may lead to overstimulation of the brain's reward
centre. This overstimulation can trigger pathways in the brain
that are comparable to those activated in cases of addiction
when the level of stimulation becomes excessive.
Based on a research study focusing on American adolescents
aged 12 to 15, findings revealed that individuals who spent
more than three hours daily on social media were twice as
likely to experience adverse mental health effects such as
symptoms of depression and anxiety.
As the adolescent brain is still developing, it’s more
vulnerable to time online. And since teens can sometimes
struggle to self-regulate their screen time, their exposure – and
the risk of harm – increases. As a result, teen social media use
often correlates with symptoms leading to depression, anxiety,
low self-esteem, envy and loneliness.
Associate Professor Alina Morawska is the Centre Director at
the Parenting and Family Support Centre in the UQ School of
Psychology.
“Adolescence is a time when peer relationships are
significant, so there may very well be pressure from the peer
circle to be online,” says Alina.
In the initial half of 2020, research carried out by the
Australian Government's eSafety Commissioner revealed that
44% of adolescents surveyed had come across adverse
encounters online. These encounters varied from unsolicited
contact with unknown individuals to involvement in sharing
inappropriate content, as well as intentional exclusion from
social gatherings or communities.
The use of social media varies greatly among individuals.
Some utilize it as a means to stay connected with friends and
family, while others engage with it for various other purposes.
However, the online environment can pose challenges, as it is
not uncommon to encounter individuals with malicious
intentions who can disrupt the positive aspects of social
media. It's crucial to bear in mind that interactions on social
media do not always translate to authentic human connections
and may not necessarily contribute to the development of
meaningful social skills, particularly in younger users. Certain
individuals on social platforms may prioritize self-promotion
over exhibiting genuine care for others, which can be
indicative of traits associated with narcissism. The University
of Pennsylvania conducted a comprehensive study which
found that frequent use of social media is associated with
increased feelings of loneliness and depression among the
younger population. The study highlighted the negative
impact of social media, pointing out issues such as exposure
to negativity, racism, body shaming, and online harassment
that significantly affect the mental well-being of young
individuals.
The prevalence of cyberbullying and the widespread exposure
to filtered posts and highlights of peers' lives on social media
platforms can significantly contribute to feelings of
depression and anxiety in teenagers. These unrealistic
expectations portrayed online can create a distorted sense of
reality, leading some young people to develop a belief that
they are somehow inferior to their peers.
Research conducted in 2019 suggests that people who spend
more than three hours a day on social media may be at a
higher risk of experiencing mental health issues. In today's
digital age, numerous social media platforms provide a "your
activity" feature, which enables users to keep track of the
amount of time they spend on the platform. This tool can be
particularly beneficial for adolescents and young adults,
supporting them in monitoring and regulating their social
media usage to promote better mental well-being.
In conclusion, we can summarize that, the use of social media
is having a significant impact on the emotional well-being of
teenagers. Excessive use of social media platforms has been
linked to feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, isolation, and
a fear of missing out. This can lead to negative effects on
mood, exacerbating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and
stress. Studies have shown that heavy social media users,
especially those with weak parental relationships and low
parental monitoring, are more prone to experiencing poor
emotional health and having suicidal or self-harming
thoughts. Additionally, excessive use of social media may lead
to overstimulation of the brain's reward centre and is
associated with adverse mental health effects, particularly
among adolescents. The online environment can also pose
risks, exposing adolescents to adverse encounters and
disrupting the positive aspects of social media. It's important
to understand that interactions on social media may not
always foster meaningful social connections and can
contribute to feelings of low self-esteem, envy, and loneliness.
Resources
www.helpguide.org
www.apa.org
www.yalemedicin.org
www.study.uq.edu.au
www.psychologytoday.com article written by therapist Sue
Scheff
