Social media, like it or not, influences and changes the way people think, act, and even sleep today. People use their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for a number of reasons; the main reason being it distracts us, entertains us, and somewhat lessens boredom making time seem to go by faster.
Social media is becoming more and more addictive. According to degreed.com, 65% of teenagers log onto their Facebook or some other social media account every day, and 40% log on multiple times a day. Making this a habit of our everyday lives can begin to affect the way we think of ourselves. When you go onto social media, you are constantly comparing yourself to others. This most often will affect your mood in a negative way, and can even dwindle your confidence. Because of this you will most often feel restless which obviously will affect the way you sleep which has a negative effect on just about everything: the way think, eat, talk to people, and basically function on a regular basis.
Another thing that may diminish your confidence is cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is a growing problem for obvious reasons. Everyone uses social media. An organization that aims for internet safety, Enough is Enough, conducted a survey that found 95% of teenagers who use social media have witnessed cyber-bullying, and 33% have been victims themselves.
Another issue caused by social media is that it glamorizes drug and alcohol use. A study found that 70% of teenagers, ages 12 to 17, are five times more likely to use tobacco, three times more likely to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use marijuana. Part of this relationship between social media and drug use is probably due to the fear of missing out. This phenomenon occurs when teenagers feel pressure to do what “everyone else” is doing.
Enough of the negativity. There actually are some positives things that come out of social media being that it helps us connect with others and socialize. Teenaers can actually gain social skills by using social media. This may be because that shy individuals may feel safer behind a computer screen. Teens can also become better at expressing empathy towards each other which is another social skill you may need.
In all it seems that social media’s cons overshadow its pros greatly, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still use it. Social media is a great way to get away from your life and think about something else that may entertain us. Just like anything else in this world it is only good in moderation
