The Impact of Social Media on Teenage Mental Health

Abstract

These days, social media dominates the lives of teenagers, which affects many aspects of their mental health. With a focus on anxiety, despair, self-esteem, and overall wellbeing, this study examines the effects of youths' social media use on their mental health. The study highlights the benefits and drawbacks of social media by looking at the roles of cyberbullying, social comparison, and social media's addictive properties. As part of a mixed-method approach, teens ages 13 to 19 were polled and interviewed. The study found a clear correlation between higher levels of anxiety and despair and excessive use of social media.
Furthermore, the results demonstrate that while social media can help with self-expression and social support, the risks outweigh the benefits when used carelessly. The findings suggest that policies that promote digital literacy, parental supervision, and screen time management are required to mitigate the detrimental effects on teenage mental health. Furthermore, because of the quick changes in the technological landscape in recent years, social media is becoming more and more important in the lives of young people. Social networking has created important new challenges as well as thrilling new opportunities. The effects of particular social media experiences on young people's mental health are starting to be demonstrated by research.