Lots of teenagers love social media. Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, and even Tiktok allow us to have online interactions with family, friends, and peers. One click of a button and you can boost someone's self-esteem, one click of a button and you can completely destroy it. The internet changes the perspective of the world in different people's minds by playing mind games (especially on women). From low self-esteem to indirect communication, social media twists the minds of young girls into thinking that they will never be “normal”. Today, I will be showing you how the internet has impacted the girls of our generation and why you should be more self-aware of the amount of technology you use on a regular basis.

  Social media impacts young girls and teenagers all around the world negatively with commercials, advertising, social media platforms, etc. Companies pay models, celebrities, and influencers to try their products and post reviews online for the internet to see. The CEOs use young girls' mental health as an advantage to gain more money and popularity through algorithms because they know that they are more likely to fall for peer pressure. These platforms cause self-esteem to drop dramatically and don't make anyone feel better about themselves. In fact, Scientists are afraid that social media is actually promoting anxiety. The internet can manipulate these young girls' minds into rethinking their body image because they don't look like the model that they see, or that they don't fit in the quote-on-quote beauty standard that society pushes onto them. Royal Society for Public Health asked 14-24-year-olds in the UK how social media platforms impacted their health and wellbeing. The results found that “Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all led to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, poor body image, and loneliness”(Rachel Ehkme, Child Mind Institute). 

  As decades pass and time flies, social media has become more and more addicting. Whenever we hear the ding of a notification our brains get nervous because we don't know what to expect from it. Catherine Steiner-Adair from Child Mind Institute says, “As species we are very highly attuned to reading social cues”(Catherine Steiner-Adair). The internet causes people to have indirect conversations which is not good for teens because the brain is still developing. Young children miss out on facial expressions, body language, and even different vocal reactions that you would experience while having a conversation in real life, which makes communicating in person seem more scary and difficult. In fact, because of the amount of invisible social clues, we get through chatting and texting online, it's almost like having a one-way conversation with your screen. Researchers from the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of NC Chapel Hill found that many teenagers' brains may become more sensitive when anticipating social rewards and punishments over time with increased social media usage. Eva Telzer, a professor in UNC-Chapel Hill’s psychology department said, “The findings suggest that children who grow up checking social media more often or becoming hypersensitive to feedback from their peers”(Eva Telzer).

off the charts because of social media. On the surface, social media may seem like a good thing but the lack of in-person communication, the psychological decrease in brain development, thoughts of low self-esteem, and so much more have been the main causes of mental health issues among these teens. A report from Facebook found that 32% of teenage girls say that Instagram makes them feel worse about the bodies they live in, especially since most teens are still figuring out their identities. Social media is like a contest to see who can get more views, likes, reposts, and follows just by sharing what they look like. This shifts the minds into thinking that your appearance is a really important piece of you and who you are as a person. A research study in 2019 found that teenagers that use their phones for more than 3-4 hours each day are at a high risk of developing a mental illness. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has discovered a new anxiety disorder because of the internet. They call it “social media anxiety disorder”(Valley Oaks).

Some symptoms of social media anxiety disorder include the following: 

Stopping to check social media in the middle of conversations
Spending more than six hours each day on social media
Lying about the amount of time on social media
Drifting away from family and friends
Neglecting/ losing interest in school, work, and hobbies
Experiencing extreme nervousness, anxiety, or withdrawal symptoms when not able to check social media

Social media isn't all that bad when you use it in a healthy way. One of these ways is to reduce how much time you are using the internet on a daily basis. Time management is very important when it comes to technology, especially when you are still growing. Not using your phone 1-2 hours before bed, disabling notifications during school/work, and even removing certain apps all together can help with reversing social media anxiety disorder, low self-esteem, nervousness during in-person conversations, etc. It is also good to replace having online conversations with real ones in person every once in a while. Having face-to-face conversations with friends and family can be beneficial for emotional and mental health. It is good to educate yourself on how we use social media shows edited, filtered, and unrealistic versions of ourselves to the public. It can reduce negative feelings and thoughts and any doubts you may have about giving social media a break. If you ever need to talk to someone about any problems happening in your life with cyberbullying, hurtful thoughts or just concerns in general help is always here. There is a community of people all over the world that is willing to help anyone who may be struggling with any illness or disorder regarding social media. 

Social media can be a handful, especially when you don't know how to use it. It can make you feel terrible about yourself and it can make you feel like you're not wanted. It can bring you down in so many ways but you have to keep pushing yourself and overcome anything in your way from reaching any goals you may have in life. Remember that there is always someone out there with help if you are willing to accept it.