Mental Health in the Age of Social Media

Young people are fortunate to grow up with the most advanced technology ever known…or are we? While technological advancements offer undeniable advantages, they also expose young people to complex platforms like social media. Personally, I have mixed feelings about social media. While I acknowledge its benefits, I believe much more needs to be done in order to make these platforms safer environments for young people.

For many people, social media can be a wonderful place to network professionally, keep up with both new and old friends, and stay informed on current events. Personally, I have made some of my best connections in the policy world using social media. It has been invaluable in helping me advocate and connect with influential people who can support my cause. Social media also provides helpful information to students in need, such as details about mental health and suicide prevention resources. With all of this in mind, at what point do the negatives of social media outweigh the positives?

For me, I realized that social media was negatively affecting my mental health when I found myself worrying too often about what other people were doing. This manifested in comparing myself to others–whether it was what I was doing, how I looked, how many likes I was getting, or the other typical insecurities associated with social media. Usually, I am not someone who cares much about what others think. As I’ve written before, certain people have always thought of me to be out of place and I have faced unkindness from my peers. However, for the most part, I don’t take it seriously (at least I try not to) because I know there are a lot more people who appreciate me for who I am. So, if social media was impacting me in this way, it’s probably a very serious matter.

Social media can perpetuate a false sense of perfection among young people, leading them to believe that everything they see online is better than what they have themselves. But as we know, the grass is always greener on the other side. You truly never know what’s real and what’s exaggerated on social media. 

In addition to the mental health concerns associated with social media, there is also the issue of cyberbullying. Individuals can now hide behind the anonymity of a screen when cyberbullying their peers, often unaware of who is on the other side or the impact of their actions. According to the Annapolis Police Department, approximately 42% of kids have been bullied online, and nearly one in four have experienced it more than once. This undoubtedly has contributed to the negative impact that social media has had on mental health, as well as all of the negative content that social media algorithms force onto us. 

So, how do we make this better? There are things that various stakeholders can do to solve this problem from all ends. Social media companies need to ban the use of targeted advertising for kids, uphold privacy standards for children, ensure that platforms aren’t collecting any personal data from children, and remove unnecessary notifications that can interfere with a child’s mental health. As individuals, we should limit the amount of time that we spend on social media and really think about the content that we are seeing. What is behind that picture? What are we not seeing? We can try to control the privacy settings that are in our control to ensure companies aren’t tracking our interests and online history and that they aren’t collecting unnecessary data. 

Overall, I believe that social media, while a powerful tool, needs to be used intentionally. Currently, the existing regulations are far too lenient, which results in negative consequences for young people. To address this, lawmakers should work towards adopting more common-sense social media regulations. While we have been seeing this recently, there is more we can do to help establish safer online communities. We need to help build platforms that help young people connect with one another, build social skills, find their identities, stay educated, explore necessary resources, and network with influential figures. By working together, being mindful of our online posts and their potential impact, carefully considering our assumptions about what we see, and striving to improve the overall online environment, we can also support and protect youth mental health.

Works cited:

“Facts about Cyberbullying.” Facts About Cyberbullying | Annapolis, MD, Annapolis, MD, annapolis.gov/908/Facts-About-Cyberbullying. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.