Social Media Use and Teen Health

By Arush Satasia

Today, the existence of life without social media is not even imaginable, and so it is for teenagers. The impact on mental and physical health can be enormous, and hence both good and bad impacts must be taken into consideration.

Positive Impacts of Social Media:

Connectivity and Well-being: Social media can lead to the well-being of a teenager in a way that well-being can be fostered through the creation of links with other young people and hence offer some mental health. There is evidence to show that social media, as long as it is used to enhance the quality of relationships or give information, will increase well-being and raise a child's mood.

Building Identity and Self-expression: For many teenagers, social media are a means of

self-expression through which they can feel the support of others. Due to this, their self-esteem and the feeling of confidence are raised.

Learning and Exposure: Social media helps teenagers to learn political and social ideas, and hence it widens their perspective.

Negative Impacts of Social Media:

Mental Health: The adverse effects of social media are quite substantial, and among these, mental health is considered significant. There is proof that the excessive usage of social media can become the cause of anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems. Emotional investment that social media makes one have, like a fear of missing out or feeling of inadequacy due to comparison, seriously affects mental health.

Disrupts Sleep: Healthy sleep is important for the normal development of a teenager, but increased use of social media destroys normal sleep patterns. The use of social media after the deadline may lead to poor sleep quality and decreased sleep duration, which is associated with a number of health problems, including a decrease in mental health.

Risks of Cyberbullying and Privacy Issues: they can face bullying and may overshare personal information with the world leading to privacy issues. Managing privacy settings and understanding the implications of sharing personal content are skills that young social media users need to have.

Balancing Use Of Social Media

The impact of social media on teens is complex and multifaceted; it can offer potential benefits and risks. The crux of the matter is in figuring out how to maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks. It teaches teenagers to maintain healthy interaction, healthy boundaries and enjoy social media holidays regularly.

Education on responsible use of social media, the understanding of and identification of signs of mental tiredness, and building of real-life relationships play a role in guiding a teen to navigate the digital world safely and healthily.

Further, we know more about the role of social media in our lives, and the more it becomes imperative to consider it from a balanced perspective and identify the bright side of its application in our connection and the dark one.

References:

Yale Medicine

Harvard Public Health