The correlation of social media use and mental health problems within adolescents

Social media continues to be an essential part of modern communication between adolescents as their primary source of online contact with friends and family. In this essay, I will argue that the extensive use of social media does in fact, pose negatively on the health of young people. I aim to concentrate on how it affects them psychologically, and how it adds to not only issues of self-esteem and confidence in adolescents, but long term mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression and suicide.

To enable us to to analyse the impact that social media has on the health of young people, we must look at what social media is, and who is classed as a ‘young person’. We will look at what social media applications are used most frequently, and how often they are used; to determine why social media has the ability to create such an effect on their health and well-being. Social media is defined as a online tool that allows both individuals and groups to share their personal view points and experiences to connect with others, and maintain relationships (Girald, Z 2009, pp. 62-63). It acts like an online journal, documenting your opinions, thoughts and current occurrences in your life that you choose are important to share with others. This concept of an ‘online journal’ makes sharing your life online not only more interactive, but allows you to express your individual self in a variety of formats; whether it is through writing, photographs or videos.

According a report by the Pew Research Center, social media use is most commonly used by ‘young adults’; defined as people between the ages of 18-29, making up 83% of the demographic (Duggan, M & Brenner, J 2012). Women use social media more often than men (Brenner 2013), with the most frequently used and preferred social networking site being Facebook (Duggan, M & Brenner, J 2012). Facebook not only allows you to update what you are up to, or how you are feeling; but details on your work history and relationship status, photos of yourself and your contacts, and the opportunity to operate separate social networks by sharing different information to selected groups of people. Young adults use social media frequently, deeming it a crucial aspect of modern daily communication. 70% of adolescents admit to using online social media accounts like Facebook daily, while 46% of adolescents using these accounts several times daily (Lenhart, A & Madden, M & Smith, A & Purcell, K & Zickuhr, K & Rainie, L 2011). The continual and frequent use of social media allows our psychological state to be affected; diminishing our self-esteem and affecting our confidence on and offline.

The use of social media has shown to have negative effects on the development of confidence and self esteem in adolescents. By becoming less confident in themselves, they begin to become concerned about how the public perceives them; developing into self-esteem issues. This can result in self-isolation and compromising their values; by falsifying their image to become more accepted by peers. Young adults that already have issues with self-esteem and lack sustained social relationships in reality, are harmed the most by social media; as they concentrate on building their relationships online, and letting any potential social connection in their daily life suffer (Jackson 2008). This form of self-isolation creates a ‘sense of comfort’ psychologically, although, it shelters them from growing confidence in the ‘real world’; ceasing addressing any confidence issues that may affect their overall self-esteem and well-being.

Social media allows people to be able to effectively communicate with others on a broader scale; whether it is with someone you know quite well, someone you would like to know better, or someone you haven’t met yet. Based on similar interests, social media can connect you to people that you may not have had the courage to address in real life, or the opportunity to meet, due to the location in which you live. From this concept of the ‘opportunity’ that arises from the potential of social media, introduces challenges to the people using these sites; are you replicating your true self through the use of these online profiles?

As social media enables you to illustrate your ‘friends’ or ‘followers’ on your profile, it allows room for self-doubt and confidence loss in people with a low friend count. Donath and Boyd argue that despite the ability to be able to demonstrate your social capital on social media, it won’t automatically provide you with good social capital (2004). This idea of ‘good social capital’ through an ‘online friend count’, can bring critique and ridicule, relating to the amount of friends you appear to have. Judgement from others include how your profile looks, from wall posts, photographs and status updates. This judgement when produced as negative feedback on their wall or pictures, can decrease their social self-esteem and well-being (Wanga et al. 2012).

It has been found that users that spend extensive time using social media updating their profiles, suffer from low self-esteem and narcissism (The Hindustan Times 2010). Narcissism can develop in some individuals due to an excessive need to be accepted and desire to be admired on their self-presentation. Narcissists choose to select photos and update statuses only that show them in a good light to remain popular with their peers (Ong et al. 2011). This ‘false sense of identity’ not only affects the self-esteem of narcissists, as they don’t feel comfortable to disclose their true self in risk of not be accepted and well liked, but affects the confidence of adolescents that have a low friend count; by comparing themselves to false identities and facades.

As the self-esteem of adolescents is affected in relation with social media, users can develop a range of short and long term mental health conditions. A survey by Pew Research Center, found that almost a third of social media users have experienced negative consequences from their time spent on social networking sites (Rainie, L & Lenhart, A & Smith, A 2012). As social media is an important part of modern communication, it is easy to succumb to peer pressure online; just like you would in the ‘real world’. This peer pressure may persuade you to engage or instigate ‘offline behaviours’ in an online environment, such as: sexual experimentation (‘sexting’) and bullying (‘cyberbullying’) (O’Keeffe, G.S & Clarke-Pearson K & Council on Communications and Media 2011).

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying, performed primarily online; although, it can translate into bullying in the ‘outside world’ too. It has become quite common among adolescents, with 57% of young people bullied online themselves, or know of someone that has been. Cyberbullying has been shown to lead to the development of critical mental illnesses in adolescents such as anxiety, depression and suicide (O’Keeffe, G.S & Clarke-Pearson K & Council on Communications and Media 2011).

Sexting involves sending semi-nude or nude photographs through the internet to individuals of your choice. The social media application ‘Snapchat‘ has become popular within adolescents, as it allows individuals to send photographs to each other with a time limit on the picture, self-erasing the photograph when the time is up. Despite this, ‘screenshots’ can be taken when using the application, allowing the photo to save to the receiver’s phone, where it can be stored and shared with anyone they choose (Irish Independent 2013).

A video report by Common Sense Media shows that a large 20% of teenagers have admitted to sending semi-nude or nude photographs of themselves through the internet (2009). The public display of these photographs, can leave adolescents with serious forms of emotional distress, an opportunity for bullying and blackmail, and the most distressing; suicide. A cyberbullying case involving sexting distraught a teenager to the point that she committed suicide, after being blackmailed to share photos and videos of herself that were posted publicly online (The Vancouver Sun 2012). These forms of ‘offline activities’ brought into an online environment, demonstrate the dangers that can emerge when social media is used in excess, without any regard to sensibility and consequence.

There is no doubt that social media has a large impact on young people, and throughout this essay, I have demonstrated how their psychological health can be affected by using it in excess.

Adolescents visit social media websites more than any other demographic, developing self-esteem issues from a lack of online friends, resulting in self-isolation and falsifying their image to gain acceptance, in the form of narcissism. Users with low self-esteem compare themselves with these ‘false senses of self’, risking the development of more serious mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression and suicide. ‘Offline behaviours’ such as bullying and sexual experimentation are linked to such mental illnesses, with their use in social media websites.

I acknowledge the research I have found relating to the positive effects of the use of social media, which include; increased confidence for shy adolescents and the potential to grow stronger social connections both on and offline. While this confidence boost may seem beneficial to shy adolescents, I believe that it will only benefit them in the short term, as social media doesn’t give you the confidence to make friends in real life, but only further isolates you; ceasing any urge to keep social connections in reality.

In conclusion, I believe that social media has a negative impact of the mental health of young people as it has the ability to affect them in the form of short and long term mental health conditions, conditions that can have damaging effects on their quality of life.

Until next time,

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