Nicole Pawlik

Block 03

Social Media Research Paper

The Downside to Social Media

Human beings are social creatures who have a desire to communicate and share videos

with their peers. Social media has been around longer than today's teenagers have, but has now

become an integral part of their lives. It evolves more day by day, and is becoming addictive for

some. Today’s adolescents are in a constant draw of using social media, which results in negative

effects on one’s mental well being, body image issues, and believing a false sense of reality.

For a technology that is supposed to bring people closer together, spending too much time

engaging with social media can lead to an increase of loneliness and anxiety and potentially

spike mental health problems of depression. Studies have shown that “social media takes a

mental and emotional toll on some young people. It is linked to increased anxiety, depression and

decreased relationship skills” (McDaniels). Young teens spend an extensive amount of time on

social media platforms to essentially fit in, to interact with one another, and see what one is

doing in their day to day lives. Teens can be thrown into a loop of checking their platforms

constantly, therefore reducing how much in-person interaction teens get during the day and how

much time it keeps adolescents up at night. Social media is a battle to stay on top, in terms of

relevancy and popular status, which can become overwhelming for a young teen. This is where

addiction to social media comes into play. Platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook

are sites that generate a fear of missing out that leads to a feeling of being disconnected from
social experiences. Experts from Columbia University revealed that “Young people’s brains are

still developing, and as individuals, young people are developing their own identities. What they

see on social media can define what is expected in ways that is not accurate and that can be

destructive to identity development and self-image” (Columbia). One main problem with social

media is the damage and destruction it causes to sleep schedules, leading to anxiety and

depression. People stay up late online, get disrupted by the light from their screens, and wake up

to answer messages. Adolescents can get the sense that their peers expect constant interaction

online and availability, resulting in many future declines in mental health.

Body image in adolescents is harmed by social media use. The rise of social media usage

affects individual's viewings and can lead to unhealthy eating habits and disordered eating. It's

clear that social media is filled with people presenting the best version of themselves. Scrolling

through ideal body types leads to constant comparisons that are unrealistic standards. Individuals

on social media also utilize sources such as photoshop and filters which play into the unrealistic

body standard. Author Gary Goldfield. Phd, goes on to say that “Youth are spending, on average,

between six to eight hours per day on screens, much of it on social media…exposing users to

hundreds or even thousands of images and photos everyday” (Goldfield). Children that are too

young to understand the reasoning behind social media struggle to accept the fact that it may not

be as “perfect” as someone on the media. Adolescents spend much time contemplating on

whether appearances are their fault, bringing a decline on healthy meal intakes, self-love and

personal image. In a recent interview with New York Times, Sarah Wheaton adds that ‘There are

hundreds of influencers that are praised for having the perfect body when chances are, it’s

completely edited. Which gives off the impression that you can’t feel comfortable in your skin
without using Facetune” (Leaning Network). The obsession for teens grows to want to look

perfect, just like celebrities do online, circling back to the negative side to social media.

Social media has spun out on how humans view reality. It is true to say that social media

as a whole has damaged society. In a recent article, a reporter said that “the misinformation and

disinformation propagated by social media create a chain reaction of harm”(Rosenberg). It is

clear that social media distorts intelligence and degrades human ability to make good decisions

for the future. It bends an individual's perceptions of the public. Since a very young age, humans

have spent their lives capturing and storing information about the world and using that

information to develop their own thinking. However, social media platforms have inserted

themselves into this process, really changing what it means for humans to perceive the world. An

example would be the Kardashian family which use their large platforms to advertise

questionable products. It writes, “Influencers are profiting off people’s insecurities and their

wants to have a life as they show”(HS Insider). Most of these lives are showcased to bring in

money for large companies, but it is all fake. People do not all live in luxury, wealth, and fame.

What is being displayed on social media is not what really goes on in the real world, not nearly

close enough. There is struggle, poverty, and broken families, but yet people on social media

don’t see that because it is not the ideal or most easy thing to see. Social media needs to show

what is behind the camera, not what is staged and fake.

Although social media has a negative impact on adolescents, many report that there are

positive aspects to it. Teens have reported that being on social media radiates feelings of

acceptance and support from many communities. On CNN health, it was reported that “social

media is a good way to showcase talents and humor” (Holcombe). As well as allowing kids

various platforms to communicate with friends, which can result in an increase in teen
self-confidence. Some teens may also struggle to express themselves through in-person

interaction, talk about eating disorders, mental illnesses, or sexuality identity, and social media

just may be the right outlet for expressing emotions and receiving support. Another great aspect

to social media is the global awareness and engagement that teens gain,

“social media exposes teens to current events and important issues occurring all across the

world” (Pacific). Overall social media gives teens a chance to voice their opinions and become

active in communities and have the opportunity to build awareness for things found important to

an individual.

Social media has both negative and positive attributes which can contribute to

adolescents' development and well-being. Although it can bring about good in a sense of forming

healthy friendships and being the real you by voicing your ideals, it can decline one’s

self-esteem, body image, and mental health issues.

● “Are There Positive Effects of Social Media for Teens? - Pacific Teen.” Pacific Teen

Treatment,

https://pacificteentreatment.com/technology-addiction/social-media/effects-of-social-med

ia-for-teens/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

● ---. “Social Media: False Reality and Unnecessary Pressure.” Eating Disorder Hope, 17

Nov. 2015,

https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/social-media-false-reality-and-unnecessary-pre

ssure.

● “Newsela | Negative, Positive Effects of Excessive Social Media Use on Teens Studied.”

Online Education Platform for Content | Newsela,

https://newsela.com/read/teen-emotional-health-social-media/id/31745/. Accessed 23

Mar. 2023.

● https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/02/social-media-body-image

● https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/just-how-harmful-social-

media-our-experts-weigh

● https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/learning/what-students-are-saying-about-how-socia

l-media-affects-their-body-image.html