Social media has negative effects on teens, children

Keira Mostaffa, web managing editor|October 19, 2022

 

   Social media is a big part of everyone’s life. There are many negative effects that go along with having social media. 

   According to mayoclinic.org, “Social media use can negatively affect teens, distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people’s lives and peer pressure.”

   In many cases social media has been the main source of drama at school or work places.

    “Most days I wish I didn’t even have a phone or any kind of social media. It can create all sorts of problems and conflicts,” junior Rachel Henderson said.

“

Kids are being exposed to too much social media at such a young age, and there are things put out on the internet none of them should ever see.

— Rachel Henderson

   I feel that children are exposed to social media at a very young age causing them to see hateful behavior and think it’s acceptable.

    According to clevelandclinic.org, “While experts are just beginning to understand social media’s impact on children, one study shows that children younger than 11 years old who use Instagram and Snapchat are more likely to have problematic digital behaviors.”

  Students believe that the hateful behavior is thought to be normal because they have seen it their whole lives. 

   “People normalize being rude online because it’s easier to say things like that over the phone,” junior Ciara Kleihauer said.

   Social media plays a big role in mental health. It plays an even bigger role on kids’ mental health because they are still developing into who they will be one day. 

   According to childmind.org, “social media use is also linked to an increase in mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and suicidality. Social media’s popularity among adolescents isn’t surprising, since it has been shown to affect the reward centers that are so active in teen brains.”  

   Studies show that taking a break from social media can be very helpful for mental health. According to  phillyvoice.com, “the latest study found a one-week break reduces anxiety and depression while improving overall well-being.”