SOCIAL MEDIA AND TEENS

Social media is getting more and more popular among people, especially teenagers. Everyone is constantly posting their perfect lives on the social media sites but it is actually deceiving. In reality, their lives may not be that perfect. It is true that social media has some benefits. It helps us connect all over the world. According to child psychologists and therapists, spending long hours on social media sites can be harmful for teenagers. Studies show that anxiety and body issues are two common health problems that happen because of the overuse of social media.

Only in the USA, seventy-five per cent of teenagers have social media accounts. Some teenagers say that they feel anxious when they can’t access their profiles or update for a long time. They may also judge their self-worth by the number of followers they have or the likes and comments they get for their posts. It is because of the fear of missing out or the need to feel accepted. Spending too many hours on social media can also lead to body image issues. Teenagers compare themselves with the unrealistic and photoshopped photos of “perfect girls or boys” on social media. This is why putting their best images becomes too important for some teenagers: To compete with others.

However, teachers, psychologists and therapists don’t think it is necessary to stay away from social media completely. They suggest that they can use it in many positive ways. Using it for following sports events you are interested in, informing people about important issues or raising awareness of social issues are some examples.