the downsides of social media

The Downsides of Social Media

Noah Meyer-Delouya 10193889 Image retrieved from Pexels

How are

platforms affecting our youth?

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25% of students who use social media for 2+

hours a day report poor self-rated mental health, psychological distress,

suicidal ideation or unmet need for mental

health support.[1]

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Planned Parenthoodbelieves it's not realistic forpeople to stop using social media. [1]


Rather, we need to learn to use it safely. [1]

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A new survey by the American Psychological

Association (APA) found about 90 percent of

people aged 18-29 were using social media, up

from just 12 percent in 2005. [2]


Such avid technology and social media use

has paved the way for the 'constant checker',

those who constantly check their emails, texts

or social media accounts.

These 'constant checkers' reported higher

stress levels than their less-connected peers.

[2]


It's also bad news for adults and families with many families

reporting a much stronger disconnect due to the distractions of

social media. [7]

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This includes working adults

who are increasingly checking e-

mails on their days off reporting

higher stress levels. [7]

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Despite the negative affects of stress which are

going up with increased social media use, people

are getting more addicted and spending more

time on social media. [2]

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Academics found that young women are

more likely to compare their appearance

with that of their peers’ images on social

media than they were with celebrities [3]Image retrieved from Flickr

After viewing photographs of friends on Facebook and other

social media, women are more likely to induce feelings of guilt

or shame and lead to unnecessary dieting. [3]


70% of young women engage in editing their photos due to the stress and

pressure of feeling like they need to appear more beautiful in comparison

to the constantly viewing other women [3]


FOMO

What is it?


As a result of constant immersion into the world of social

media, teenagers are becoming stressed, having body image

concerns and not even sleeping the right amount due to the

constant need to stay up to date and relevant in the world of

social media. [4]

Fear of Missing Out

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Some people experience FOMO so badly that it

has led young people to partake in drinking and

substance misuse due to it's constant portrayal in

social media. It's a new form of peer pressure that

isn't necessarily intentional. [4]


How can we make social

media safer for our health?



It is beneficial and necessary to limit our use

of technology and presence on social media.

Taking a detox can be one of the most

helpful ways in managing stress [6]

It is additionally beneficial how in the United Kingdom and

other countries, some schools are beginning to offer courses

on how to cope with FOMO and other anxieties due to social

media. [4]

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We should multitask less is a step in the right

direction as heavy media multitaskers are less

effective than people doing one task at a time

when it comes to controlling memory, switching

between activities and paying attention. [5]

Image retrieved from Max Pixel

References[1] Payne, E. (2015). Teens' poor mental health linked to social media use. The Ottawa Citizen

[2] Lifestyle, Health and Wellbeing (2017). Despite negative influence, people can't stop using social media: study. Deccan Chronicle

[3] Ratcliffe, R. (2017). Friends’ pictures on social media have biggest impact on body image. The Guardian

[4] Martin, D. (2017). Pupils to be taught how to build 'resilience' and fight 'fear of missing out' in new lessons on social media pressures. Daily Mail U.K.

[5] Reddy, S. (2014). Your Health: Study Finds Some Teens Can Excel at Multitasking. Wall Street Journal

[6] Staines, M. (2017). Social media linked to rising stress levels. Newstalk

[7] Spenlow, D. (2017). Take A Digital Detox: Constantly Checking Social Media Can Drive You Insane. The Marshalltown