Social Media Has a Dangerous Effect on Teenagers
As he walks in the doors of his High school, Scotty Bellinger immediately regrets his decision of going to prom this year. The junior was excited and looking forward to dancing with friends and having a memorable time, however, as expected, not a single person engages in reality. Instead of opening their eyes to what is in front of them, every teenager on the floor indulges in some sort of social media.
From the beginning of time, humans have craved social interaction. Whether in the form of physical touch, vocal interaction, or even visual interaction with other beings, people thrive being in the presence of others. Many readings (including studies by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Leyton Young) prove that positive hormones such as serotonin and oxytocin are released when people are socially active. While it is essential that we humans spend time with one another, by having too little social interaction, the opposite effect can and will happen. In fact, there are multiple findings that without the proper amount and correct type of social interaction, humans will become mentally and emotionally malnourished.
“It’s crack. It’s an addiction. I feel that maybe I’m going to miss out on something if I wait to check my text messages and emails. ”
It is already widely known that due to an extreme amount of growth, teenagers’ hormones and chemical balances are constantly changing, and if something goes wrong in that process, it is more than likely that this will affect their mood and well-being also. Hundreds of thousands of teenagers are becoming depressed and full of anxiety, and the numbers are rising. Ronald Aslop, writer from Bucknell University, writes about a 15- year-old explaining how damaging social media can be, “‘It’s crack. It’s an addiction,’ Hennigan says. ‘I feel that maybe I’m going to miss out on something if I wait to check my text messages and emails. It could be a friend I really want to see texting me to go have lunch, or a professor sending an email to change a homework assignment.’” In the same way, all teenagers that make social media a daily part of their lives and struggle with even the idea of being away from their virtual addiction. In addition, Jacqueline Nesi and Mitchell J Prinstein did a study about the constant comparisons people continuously participate in via socially media and found that the more time spent on social media comparing themselves, the more depressive symptoms people were diagnosed with.
Already surrounded by several pressures (academically, athletically, friend group/clique related, and more), social media creates even more pressures in teens’ lives. As soon as a social media app is opened, subconsciously the teenager is already participating in comparing others to one’s self. At Bellinger’s prom, students were most likely videoing or taking pictures of their surroundings and posting it to show others how much “fun” they are having, when in reality not much is going on.
In just about every social situation with teenagers, you can find a screen involved.
Instead of living in the moment, social media consumes their time.
Several have tried to combat the issue of social disconnection from social media with the debate of how connected the world is because of it. A study written by Joseph Berger shows the subconscious division of humans into different social groups, but in the current day, humans are divided against their own will due to the constant pressures from social media. In a so-called extremely connected world, with the facts of being socially active boosting one’s mental well-being, it is interesting that depression is constantly happening. However, the truth is that there is a major difference from having the ability of being connected and truly connecting with someone. Some may argue that having the ability to keep up with another person at all times via social media is overwhelming and instead gives people higher expectations of other people. Instead of being content with their current relationships with others, people instead expect more. Social media creates an expectation of instant gratification, and when that doesn’t happen, it is as if something in the mind gets disconnected.
Instant gratification doesn’t just stop there, but it also goes on to everything else in life. Once satisfied with one thing, people move on to wanting even more, and the things that used to bring them joy are no longer enough for their “endlessly hungry” minds. The only ways to bring a stop to the toxic effects of social media is to limit the use of it and spend time focusing on real life relationships. Instead of watching life pass by through the eyes of others, we need to open our own eyes and teach others to do the same; the growing minds of teenagers need to learn to enjoy the wonderful things in life and lead people to open their eyes to reality. I am exhausted from watching others and catching myself miss out on the beauty of life due to the desire to feel socially connected. If everyone was looking forward to life as Scotty Bellinger did prom, things would be much more enjoyable.
