In this digital age, social media has become a norm in everybody’s life. People of all ages have an account on many social media platforms. People use these platforms to see pictures of their friends and family and chat with them. This daily use of social media has many positive and negative aspects. Today, we are going to take a look at the impact of social media on mental health of students and children.
Impact of social media on the mental health of students
Social media can have positive as well as negative effects on the mental health of students. As far as the positive effects of social media on mental health are concerned, students can make a vast network of friends on social media platforms. They can also check on the daily activities of their classmates and peers and can communicate with them daily. Students can also maintain their organizational activities increase their network and get better outreach.
That being said, social media can also have many negative effects. Students can get addicted to social media and waste much of their precious time. There are also many instances of cyberbullying and harassment issues on social media platforms and the students can fall prey to them very easily. Social comparison and unhealthy competition can also take a toll on the mental health of students.
Social Media Addiction Effects On Mental Health
Social media addiction means spending an unhealthy amount of time on social media apps. This happens when social media usage begins to interfere with your daily life, and you check your social accounts every few minutes. You get anxious about checking your account every once in a while and get tense when you don’t have your phone on you. Your relationships and responsibilities go down the drain and the phone becomes the only meaningful thing in your life.
- Increased Stress And Anxiety: Constant social media use can give you a fear of missing out and staying up to date with everything happening on the internet. You can also fall into the comparison trap where you compare yourself with others. Both of these situations can give you stress and anxiety.
- Low Self-Esteem: When people see others achieving a lot in their lives, they can get depressed. When they can’t get the same amount of validation others are getting, their self-esteem can take a fall. Too much dependence on online validation can also put them in a bad position and can take a toll on their confidence and self-esteem.
Effects Of Social Media On Children’s Mental Health
While children can make good social connections and can learn a lot from social media, they can also suffer a lot from it. Children can learn valuable information from social media like Facebook and YouTube. YouTube is an important platform that can greatly enhance the education of children. They can also interact with their teachers and fellow students on social media and can stay in touch with them around the clock.
However, children are particularly vulnerable to cyberbullying and can fall into many dark groups where they can be manipulated. This puts their mental health in a bad place. Increased screen time can also impact the sleep cycle of children and can give them mental and physical strain. Children addicted to social media have been proven to have short attention spans, which can interfere with their learning abilities. They can also stumble on sensitive content on the internet, which can be detrimental to them.
Effects Of Social Media On Mental Health Statistics
Many studies have been conducted that have shown the adverse effects of social media on the mental health of people. Some of the most important studies shown in this regard show an increased incidence of:
- Depression And Anxiety: A study done by JAMA Psychiatry showed that people who spend more time on social media platforms have a 27% increased chance of getting depression and anxiety. The study also showed that every hour spent on social media computed an increased risk of about 2.3% of getting depression.
- Cyberbullying: A study done by Pew Research Center in 2023 showed that 42% of adolescents with social media accounts have suffered cyberbullying or have seen it happen to someone close to them. The victims of cyberbullying are 2 to 3 times more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety later in life.
Conclusion
Social media has been one of the most significant inventions of the modern world. But if anyone becomes too dependent on social platforms and can’t separate themselves from them, they might be addicted to these platforms. They should do something to tear themselves away so as to prevent getting any depression, anxiety, and self-esteem issues. Healthy use of social media apps should be promoted so that any bad effects on people’s mental health can be prevented.
