First & Final Draft Included
First Draft
If there was one thing that could be said to hold the attention of many young individuals, that would be social media. These platforms give users the ability to build relationships, create content, learn, and so much more. In the United States alone, over 93% of young adults use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, which is estimated to be around 37 million users (Chaddock). Social Media has changed the way that people showcase their creativity and communicate with others. For example, TikTok allows its users to share their creativity and talents on the platform giving them an opportunity to become recognized and even popular. Instagram focuses on relationships, connections, and engagement within people. Users are able to showcase products, services, brands, or even the highlights of their lives. Moreover, social media is a place where users can learn and gain crucial information, helping them stay up to date on current events or trends. However, while all of these features and aspects of social media sound amusing, they pose a threat to those of younger generations, who not only dominate age demographics, but are also among those who spend the longest periods of time on these platforms. Long use of social media can cause physical and mental health effects on adolescents such as self-doubt, anxiety, and depression. This current situation, where social media can connect and build relationships, and yet at the same time threaten the health of adolescents, makes it challenging to discuss the role that it plays in their lives.
One of the ways social media impacts the mental health of young users is through the amount of time that they spend on these platforms. According to a 2023 adolescent health survey conducted by Gallup, over half of teenagers (51%) in the U.S, use social media platforms like Youtube, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter (now known as x) on average around four hours per day (Rothwell). This large amount of time spent on social media prevents young individuals from focusing on areas of their lives that are necessary and distracts them from activities that play a major role in their wellbeing. The more time that young individuals spend scrolling on social media, the less time that they have for experiences off of social media like face to face interactions, exercise, sleep, and so much more which is important for both good physical and mental health.
Long periods of media use also distracts valuable time that could be spent connecting and building close relationships. Research that has studied the connection between internet use and psychological well being, discovered that “excessive internet use can lead to a decline in interactions among family members” (Yavich, Davidovitch, Frenkel 2). This takes away an important aspect of family interaction, which is emotional support. The absence of this area not only strips away the opportunity for development of social skills, it leaves young individuals more vulnerable to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and stress (2).
At one point social interactions happened more in the physical realm. Now a lot of it takes place online. This is also known as “social media isolation”, which is the overall idea that individuals spend more time on social media compared to interacting with families and friends in person. The term also is used to describe individuals who may have a lot of online relationships but feel alone in the real world. Technology is becoming more advanced and accessible to the younger generations, slowly making the value of in person interaction decrease.
In addition to limiting opportunities for social interaction, excessive social media use also interferes with sleep, which is very important for the mental wellbeing of adolescents. Negative mental effects like depression, and suicidal thoughts is more common in adolescents who get 6 hours or less of sleep per night (Kluwer). Many stay up late scrolling through their for you page, ultimately losing track of time. According to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, They found that 93% of Gen Z lost sleep because they wanted to interact with social media (“Ninety-three percent of Gen Z admit to staying up due to social media”). Furthermore, the blue light from phone screens also interrupts the body’s natural production of melatonin, which is important for a good quality sleep. This interference makes them stay up longer and then find it much more difficult to fall asleep (Kluwer).
The University of Jyvaskyla, Department of Health Sciences, did a study that investigated the sleep quality in adolescents of ages 11-15. They concluded that a “Health-Promotive lifestyle” with a good sleep routine, lack of “addictive substances” (social media) and good self-perception resulted from having a good quality sleep (Tynjala) . This study highlights the significance of sleep, and how adolescents who aren’t taking advantage of this opportunity are missing out on areas that are important for both their physical and mental health.
This trend of young users wanting to stay on social media is not all their fault. Social media platforms themselves are strategic with their algorithms, specifically designing them for the purposes of keeping users on and attracted to the platform for as long as possible. They do this by building their algorithms with features like infinite scrolling, which keeps users in a loop with content that the algorithm has learned the user likes (Dubicka, Martin, Firth). The algorithm on TikTok and Instagram for example, tracks the behaviors of young users so that similar content 4 could show up, only making it harder for them to get off. This cycle of constant addiction and reliability on social media platforms, forms a void in adolescents, where as long as they are not on the platform, they feel anxiety and an urgency to go into it.
In addition to keeping adolescents engaged, these addictive features also expose them to content that is edited, which they look up to and aspire to. Young adults spend most of their time on social media looking at other Influencers, especially celebrities, who only showcase the highlights, perfect moments, and the many achievements. These portrayals lack authenticity as influencers restrain from showcasing struggles and imperfections. Adolescents view this content and they end up measuring their own worth against these idealized “unattainable expectations”, leading to negative thoughts about their own self worth, abilities and appearance (Dubicka).
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which are mostly based on visuals, are the apps that are most threatening to young individuals in terms of body image. Because everyone is posting themselves looking slim and allegedly made to perfection, teenagers begin to start making comparisons and judgements about their own bodies, ultimately leading to negative self thoughts (Marshall, Michael). Many young individuals can begin to worry a lot about gaining weight and implement unhealthy eating habits based on tips and advice they receive online.
Works Cited
Works CitedChaddock, Leon. “What Percentage of Teens Use Social Media? (2024).” Sentiment, 11 Jan.2024, www.sentiment.io/how-many-teens-use-social-media/.
Rothwell, Jonathan. “Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media per Day.” Gallup, 13Oct. 2023,news.gallup.com/poll/512576/teens-spend-average-hours- social-media-per-day.aspx.
Yavich, Roman, et al. “Social Media and Loneliness – Forever Connected?” Higher EducationStudies, 20 Feb. 2019, doi.org/10.5539/hes.v9n2p10.
Committee Opinion No. 653″. Obstetrics & Gynecology, vol. 127, no. 2, February 2016, -pp. e62-e65. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001313.
Celmer, Lynn. “Ninety-Three Percent of Gen Z Admit to Staying up Due to SocialMedia.” American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and Researchers, 29 July 2024,aasm.org/are-you-tiktok-tired-93-of-gen-z-admit-to-staying-up-past-their-bedtime-due-to-social-media/.
Tynjälä, Jorma, et al. “Perceived Sleep Quality and Its Precursors in Adolescents.”Academic.Oup.Com, 1 June 1999, academic.oup.com/heapro/article/14/2/155/625114.
Dubicka, Bernadka, et al. Editorial: Screen Time, Social Media and Developing Brains:A Cause for Good or Corrupting Young Minds? , 18 Aug. 2019,acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/camh.12346.
Marshall, Michael. “Digital Damage?” Shibboleth Authentication Request, 22 June 2024,www-sciencedirect-com.ccny- proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/science/article/pii/S0262407924011461?via%3Dihub.
Final Draft
If there was one thing that could be the ultimate attention grabber for young individuals, that would be social media. These platforms have been changing the way they communicate, display their creativity, build relationships, and even learn. Platforms like TikTok allow young users to post their creativity and talents, giving them an opportunity to become recognized and even have the chance to gain popularity. Other platforms like Instagram focus heavily on relationship building, and making connections, with users being able to share/post their looks, fashion, products, brands and many more. Social media is also an area where users can gain crucial information on current events, trends, and stay updated on news occurring in the world. Yet, while these platforms have features that are beneficial, they pose a huge threat to those of younger generations, who not only dominate user demographics but are also among those who spend the longest periods of time on them. Long use of social media interferes with the mental and physical development of adolescents, leading them into experiencing issues related to self-doubt, anxiety, and depression.
Lean Chaddock, an expert specializing in media behaviors, explores the increased use of social media platforms among teenagers in his 2024 article What Percentage of Teens Use Social Media? Leon Implies that over 93% of teens in the United States alone currently use social media, with 70% spent on YouTube and 58% spent on TikTok (Chaddock). He concluded that on average teens spend around 1 hour and 40 minutes on social media daily (1). This large amount of time spent on social media prohibits young individuals from focusing on areas of their lives that are critical and distracts them from activities that play a major role in their well-being.
The more time that young individuals spend scrolling on social media, the less time they have for important activities like physical exercise, sleep, and face-to-face interactions with family members. Research conducted at Ariel University’s Department of Mathematics by Roman Yavich et al. (2019) shows that “excessive internet use can lead to a decline in interactions among family members” (Yavich et al., 2019). This removes an important aspect of family connections, which is emotional support. Without this support, young individuals miss out on the opportunity to build social skills and become more vulnerable to experience feelings of isolation, loneliness, and stress.
A major contributor to the addiction to social media and lack of face-to-face interactions was the rise of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced adolescents to switch from in person to online learning. Due to the lockdown, activities that were crucial for good health like sports, hobbies, and the ability to hang out with friends were canceled, which only further isolated young individuals. The impact of the pandemic on adolescents was studied by Susan Branje and Amanda Morris, both known as experts in adolescent development (Branje & Morris). They conducted 21 studies using data from four different continents (Asia: 2 studies, Europe: 9 studies, North America: 9 studies, and South America: 1 study) focusing on people that ranged from age 9 all the way to 22. Their research examined the changes in “four key domains of functioning” like emotional adjustment and psychopathology, family processes, peer processes, and academic functioning (2). The findings suggest that many adolescents experienced more depressive symptoms of loneliness and isolation during the pandemic due to being disconnected from in person interactions. Similarly, another study by Youngrong Lee, a Ph.D. in sociology, suggested that the isolation during the pandemic led to an increase in social media usage, with young adults spending more time on social media than in person interactions (Lee). This is also known as “social media isolation”, which describes those who have a lot of online relationships yet feel alone in the real world (RegisCollege).
The isolation and the increase of social media use that was experienced during the pandemic not only affected adolescents emotionally and socially but had an impact on their physical well-being in terms of sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine conducted a study and found that 93% of Gen z loss sleep due to preferring to interact with social media (Celmer). This consistency of phone usage due to social media, especially at nighttime interferes with the sleep quality of young individuals, which leads to both physical and mental consequences. At the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist researchers discovered the negative effects of losing sleep claiming that “higher rates of depression” and suicidal thoughts is shown in sleep deprived adolescents who average 6 hours or less of sleep (Loveless). Furthermore, the blue light that is emitted from phone screens also interrupts the body’s natural production of melatonin, a process necessary for good quality sleep. This interference makes it harder for adolescents to feel tired, so they end up staying awake for longer periods of time, finding it much more difficult to fall asleep later (5).
Adolescents who prioritize social media compared to getting good quality sleep miss out on many health benefits. Jorma Tynjälä and associates from The University of Jyvaskyla, Department of Health Sciences studied the sleep quality in adolescents of ages 11-15 and found that a good self-perception result from having a “health-promotive lifestyle” that consisted of a “good sleep hygiene and infrequent use of addictive substances” aka social media (Tynjälä et al. 1999).
In addition to sleep, physical exercise is also an important aspect not just for physical fitness, but for healthy mental health, an area that many adolescents end up missing out on. Kathleen Mikkelsen, a Research Ambassador at the institute for Health and Sport, along with other experts, studied the positive effects of physical exercise in their 2017 article Exercise and mental health. They found that physical exercise comes with a lot of benefits which comes through physiological and psychological changes including an “improvement in mood state, self-esteem and lower stress and anxiety levels,” as well as serving as “a distraction from feelings of depression and anxiety (Mikkelsen). However, because social media has been distracting many young individuals, opportunities for self-development are missed.
This trend of adolescents wanting to stay on social media for long periods of time is not all their fault. Social media platforms themselves are strategic with their algorithms, specifically designing them with the intention of keeping their users attracted to the platform. Bader A. Ali, from the Department of Information Science at Kwait University, investigated the addictive algorithms of four social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok) and their relation to usage levels. The study showed that to increase user engagement, social media applications “employ algorithms based human behavioral models that encourage addiction” (Bader et al., 2017). To further support these findings, Ali and his peers conducted a survey designed to identify Kuwait’s most popular social media applications that implement these addictive models. Data that was collected from Kuwat residents and those from different age groups showed Instagram ranked the highest in using the addiction algorithms, with the biggest effect shown on younger users from ages 14-19 and 20-25 (15). This cycle of constant addiction to social media platforms forms a void in adolescents, where unless they are on these platforms, they experience feelings of anxiety and a need to go back.
This constant urgency for adolescents to log back into social media platforms comes with serious consequences as they are not only distracted but exposed to idealized content and images. Platforms like Instagram, which are mostly based on visuals, are the most threatening to young individuals. In January of 2022, Federica Pedalino, and Anne Camerini both master’s in communication at the Università della Svizzera italiana, investigated link between Instagram use such as browsing profiles, commenting on others looks, and posting personal photos, to body dissatisfaction. Their research which involved 291 female adolescents suggested that more engagement with Instagram was connected to a negative self-perception like the rejection of their own bodies (Pedalino & Camerini). They highlight the fact that appearance plays a significant role on Instagram, which leads young individuals to “experience distress” and dissatisfaction with their bodies, as well as feeling the pressure to “look perfect on social media” (5). Adolescents, especially young females, consistently engage in photos on social media platforms and follow accounts where users post their most appealing versions of themselves through the use of filters and editing tools (10). This ultimately ends up promoting a false ideology about the standard of beauty, only further worsening symptoms of negative self-perception, anxiety, and depression.
Exposure to idealized images can lead to negative physical health effects related to eating disorders. Kim Rounsefell, an expert in nutrition, dietetics, body image, and eating disorders, conducted an evaluation on young adults, finding that frequent social media use can have an impact on body dissatisfaction, increasing the likelihood of “engaging in disordered eating behaviors” such as “dieting, binge eating, fasting, and calorie counting” (Kim et al., 2019).
Diving deeper into this issue, the article “Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls” from The Wall Street Journal, by Georgia Wells, Jeff Horwitz, and Deepa Seetharaman, found in our course reader, further investigates the negative effects in young female adolescents who spend three hours a day on Instagram. Their research showed that 32% of teen girls that already felt bad about their bodies, would feel even worse when going on Instagram (Wells, Horwitz, Seetharaman 1). Consistent exposure to idealized content leads adolescents towards taking physical action to appeal to these unrealistic standards. Linday Dubin, a 19-year-old girl, who wanted to exercise more to lose weight, argued that every time she logged onto the platform to look for exercises to do, she would always be faced with “photos of how to lose weight” and what she should and should not be eating (12). This constant pressure faced only puts them in a cycle of negative self-perception and body dissatisfaction, with many changing the way they eat to be able to meet the “ideal” body that is presented on many platforms.
While all the negative aspects of social media were highlighted, it is important to acknowledge that it does have many beneficial qualities. For one, social media is a space where young individuals can stay in touch with many families and friends, especially during catastrophic events like Covid-19 which distanced many. Social media is a space where not only can adolescents communicate with one another but also make new connections and build new relationships. Additionally, it gives many young individuals the opportunity to express themselves and showcase their creativity to many different people that enjoy their craft.
Beside social Interactions, social media is a place where many young people can learn and gain an abundance of new skills. Platforms like YouTube give young users the ability to learn skills like coding, cooking, writing, and even mental health techniques like mediation. Social media also helps build a community, where many young users can join different groups where they find support whether it is for hobbies, academic wise, or as deep as personal challenges.
Finally, social media has opened doors for many entrepreneurship opportunities. Adolescents can build personal businesses in which they can publish on many platforms, they can even make profit from their talents. Adolescents also have access to many mentorship opportunities where they can receive guidance, support, and a have a safe space. The potential for the positive impact of social media cannot be disregarded when it is used in a concise and controlled manner.
Social media does provide many opportunities and serves as a space for creativity, However, its negative consequences on the mental and physical health development of adolescence cannot be ignored. Overuse of social media within adolescents comes with major challenges, such as feelings of isolation, lack of sleep, and negative self-perception, which all negatively impact their well-being and development.
To ensure a much healthier environment, it is more important than ever to educate young individuals about responsible social media use and the importance of prioritizing offline experiences. Platforms should implement features that limit long usage, such as screen time reminders, and reduce or block the content that can be harmful. By promoting and encouraging more responsible social media use, adolescents can have opportunities for self-development and offline experiences, creating an overall much healthier balanced environment.
Work Cited
Chaddock, Leon. “What Percentage of Teens Use Social Media? Teen Social Media Usage Statistics 2024.” Sentiment Digital Customer Service Platform, 29 Jan. 2024, www.sentiment.io/how-many-teens-use-social-media/#:~:text=Surveys%20suggest%20that%20over%2093,widely%20used%20in%20our%20survey.
Yavich, Roman, et al. “Social Media and Loneliness – Forever Connected?” Higher Education Studies, vol. Vol. 9, no. 1925–4741, 1925-475X, Feb. 2019. CCNY,cuny-cc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=cdi_eric_primary_EJ1206454&context=PC&vid=01CUNY_CC:CUNY_CC&lang=en&search_scope=IZ_CI_AW&adaptor=Primo%20Central&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,Social%20Media%20and%20Loneliness%20-%20Forever%20connected%3F&mode=basic.
Branje, Susan, and Amanda Morris. “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescent Emotional, Social, and Academic Adjustment.” Journal of Research on Adolescence, vol. Vol. 31, no. 3, 486–499, Aug. 2021. WILEY Online Library, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jora.12668.
Regis College. “Does Social Media Create Isolation?” Regis College Online, 3 May 2023, online.regiscollege.edu/blog/does-social-media-create-isolation.
Celmer, Lynn. “Are You TikTok Tired? 93% of Gen Z Admit to Staying up Past Their Bedtime Due to Social Media.” American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and Researchers, 29 July 2024, aasm.org/are-you-tiktok-tired-93-of-gen-z-admit-to-staying-up-past-their-bedtime-due-to-social-media.
Loveless, Meredith. “Concerns Regarding Social Media and Health Issues in Adolescents and Young Adults.” Committee Opinion, vol. No. 653, Feb. 2016, https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000001313.
TynjäLä, Jorma, et al. “Perceived Sleep Quality and It Precursors in Adolescents.” Health Promotion International, vol. Vol. 14, forthcoming, pp. 155–66. CCNY, cuny-cc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=cdi_unpaywall_primary_10_1093_heapro_14_2_155&context=PC&vid=01CUNY_CC:CUNY_CC&lang=en&adaptor=Primo%20Central.
Mikkelsen, Kathleen, et al. “Exercise and Mental Health.” Maturitas, vol. 106, Sept. 2017, pp. 48–56. CCNY, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378512217308563?casa_token=hc_x9_fyllAAAAAA:zpiICE58lwVTag0oUgTsCHYgQT8228PeXkRk4csuwbZX_riGlBMdlyZXcqyv1o8xHlm9k5sjChE.
Ali, Bader A., et al. “A Study of a Hybrid Fogg-Hook Based Social Media Addictive Algorithm From the Perspective of Kuwait Society.” Journal of Engineering Research, Sept. 2023. CCNY, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2307187723002134?via%3Dihub.
Pedalino, Federica, and Anne-Linda Camerini. “Instagram Use and Body Dissatisfaction: The Mediating Role of Upward Social Comparison With Peers and Influencers Among Young Females.” Environment Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 3, Jan. 2022. MDPI, www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/3/1543.
Rounsefell, Kim, et al. “Social Media, Body Image and Food Choices in Healthy Young Adults: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review.” Nutrition & Dietetics, vol. 77, no. 1, Oct. 2019, pp. 19–40. WILEY, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1747-0080.12581.
Wells, G. Horowitz, J., Seetharaman, D. Facebook Knows Instagram is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show, The Wall Street Journal, Sept. 14, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739
