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Reason:

Social media increases the risk of anxiety and depression due to constant social comparison.

Evidence:

A 2022 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that adolescents who spent more than 3 hours per day on social media were significantly more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to peers who used it less frequently.

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Reason:

Social media empowers social change by mobilizing communities. It allows individuals to share information, personal experiences, and resources widely and instantly, fostering solidarity and collective action.

Evidence:

For example, campaigns like #YouAreNotAlone, #MentalHealthAwareness and #MentalHealthAdvocate provide emotional support and also push for better mental health policies and access to care. According to Naslund et al. (2016), social media platforms provide a space for peer-to-peer interaction, which can reduce feelings of isolation and promote recovery among individuals facing mental health challenges. These online communities empower users to advocate for better mental health policies and services, while also offering emotional support and awareness on a global scale.

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🧱 Basic Structure of an Argumentative Essay

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🧱 Basic Structure of an Argumentative Essay

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Introduction

Body Paragraphs

Refutation

Conclusion

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Claim

Reason

Evidence

Rebuttal Claim

Rebuttal Reason

Rebuttal Evidence

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Introduction

Hook

Background information

Thesis statement (Claim)

Body Paragraphs

Topic sentence (Reason)

Introduce evidence

Explain evidence

Link to the thesis

Wrap up

Refutation

Counterargument

Brief concession

Rebuttal claim

Rebuttal reason & evidence

Analysis

Conclusion

Restate claim or summarize main points

Close with a forward-looking hook

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be relevant

be clear and specific

be logical

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be specific

be current

be credible

be relevant

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Reason: Social media’s design encourages addictive behaviors and distracts from real‑world tasks.

Evidence: According to leading medical journals, the platform’s instant feedback loops (likes, comments) trigger dopamine release, leading to compulsive checking that impairs productivity and disrupts sleep.

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Reason:

Using social media excessively makes us like more FOMO and it makes us more anxiety.

Evidence:

Luca Braghieri, Ro’ee Levy, and Alexey Makarin (2022) find that the rollout of Facebook at a college had a negative impact on student mental health. It also increased the likelihood with which students reported experiencing impairments to academic performance due to poor mental health. Additional evidence on mechanisms suggests the results are due to Facebook fostering unfavorable social comparisons

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Reason:

Social media can negatively impact mental health, especially due to the rise of anonymous interactions that encourage cruel behavior. Many users feel emboldened to post hurtful or judgmental comments when their identity is hidden, leading to increased cyberbullying, harassment, and toxic discourse.

Evidence:

A study by the Pew Research Center (2021) found that 41% of U.S. adults have personally experienced some form of online harassment, with 75% of these incidents occurring on social media platforms. Constant exposure to such hostile environments can lead to anxiety and depression, making social media a potentially harmful space for mental health.

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Reason:
It helps people connect with others who share similar experiences, reducing feelings of isolation.

Evidence:
For example, online support groups on platforms like Reddit or Facebook have helped many people with anxiety feel heard and understood.

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Reason:

Active engagement on social media platforms, such as receiving positive feedback and interacting with peers, can enhance users' sense of social connectedness and self-esteem, thereby improving mental well-being.

Evidence:

A 2023 experimental study published on arXiv found that participants who received positive online feedback experienced increased feelings of social connectedness and reduced overall loneliness, highlighting the beneficial effects of active social media use on mental health.

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Strengthening Claims

Formula: 'Although [opposing view], I believe [your claim] because [reason 1] and [reason 2].'

Evaluating Evidence Quality

STAR Method

S - Specificity

T - Timeliness

A - Authority

R - Relevance

Advanced Rebuttal Strategies

Present the opposing view fairly

Acknowledge its limited validity

Use strong evidence to show that your view is better

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Reason:
Constant exposure to a “highlight reel” of Instagrammable moments and filtered photos leads many people to compare themselves unfairly, resulting in feelings of inadequacy.

Evidence:
A 2022 study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that teenagers who used Instagram for more than 3 hours a day reported 30% higher rates of body dissatisfaction.

Refutation:

Some argue that constantly comparing oneself to others’ posts fosters unfairness and dissatisfaction. While this may be true for passive users, it overlooks those who engage more actively. In fact, positive engagement, entertainment, and self-expression can boost well-being. Marciano et al. (2024) report no strong link between time on social media and suggest that active users may even experience positive effects. Therefore, blaming highlight reels ignores how user mindset and engagement style shape emotional outcomes.

Marciano, L., Lin, J., Sato, T., Saboor, S., & Viswanath, K. (2024). Does social media use make us happy? A meta-analysis on social media and positive well-being outcomes. SSM-Mental Health, 100331.

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One significant negative impact of social media on mental health is the rise of anonymous interactions that encourage cruel behavior. When individuals can hide their identities, they are more likely to engage in harmful behavior such as cyberbullying, harsh criticism, or harassment, since they face little to no consequences. According to a study by the Pew Research Center (2021), 41% of U.S. adults have personally experienced some form of anonymous online harassment, with 75% of these incidents occurring on social media platforms. Constant exposure to such hostile environments can lead to anxiety and depression, making social media a potentially harmful space when misused. Therefore, the anonymity on social media, which often fosters a toxic environment, can pose serious risks to mental health.

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One main reason why social media is beneficial to mental health is that it empowers social change by mobilizing communities. For instance, research from Spring Source Psychological Center shows that campaigns such as #MentalHealthAwareness and #MentalHealthAdvocate offer emotional support to individuals struggling with mental health issues and also push for better mental health policies. This shows that social media platforms can serve as powerful tools for raising awareness, reducing stigma, and fostering solidarity. Therefore, by connecting individuals to larger movements and encouraging advocacy, social media plays a crucial role in improving mental health outcomes. In this way, social media not only supports individuals emotionally but also drives systemic change that benefits broader society.

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Social media has a negative impact on mental health because it encourages constant self-comparison. People are often exposed to carefully curated images of success, beauty, and happiness that don’t reflect reality. As a result, users begin to measure their own lives against these unrealistic standards, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy or exclusion. A 2018 study by the University of Pennsylvania found that students who limited their use of social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat to 30 minutes per day experienced significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and loneliness. This shows that cutting down on social media use can help improve mental health. While social media can help people stay connected, its negative impact on mental well-being, especially through constant comparison, is something that should not be ignored.

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Reason:

Social media negatively impacts mental health because it fosters constant self-comparison. Users are frequently exposed to curated images of success, beauty, or happiness, which do not reflect reality and can lead to feelings of inadequacy or exclusion.

Evidence:

A 2018 study by the University of Pennsylvania found that students who limited their use of social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat to 30 minutes per day experienced significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

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Does social media have a positive or negative impact on mental health?

Many experts have debated this. Some say that social media has a positive impact on mental health, some say that social media has a negative impact on mental health, and some say that social media has both positive and negative impacts on mental health. Although some say that social media has a positive impact on mental health and some say that social media has both positive and negative impacts, I think that social media is more likely to have a negative impact on mental health.

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Some of the reasons why social media is more likely to have a negative impact on mental health are because social media is basically designed so that its users remain involved to continue using it, become a habit, and become dependent on social media. This is supported by the statement of Eyal and Hoover (2014) that the Hook Model is a four-phase process used by companies to form user habits, consisting of triggers, both external and internal, action, variable reward, and investment. The four-phase process in the Hook model is carried out sequentially into a repeating cycle so that it forms user habits and finally has an attachment and dependence on these habits without having to be triggered by external triggers again. This can be linked to social media which is designed to attract user engagement through the 4 phases which ultimately form habits in using social media. As a result of uncontrolled social media usage habits, the next risk arises, namely dependence and addiction as a negative impact of social media on mental health.

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Some other negative impacts of social media use are anxiety, stress, depression, cyberbullying, sleep disorders, negative self-perception, identity formation problems and delays or disruptions of important activities. This is supported by the results of research by Hjetland et al (2021) that social media has an impact on stress due to expectations to always be online and respond. Pressure on appearance, especially due to social comparison. Sleep disturbances due to social media involvement until late at night. Delays or disruptions of important activities, such as doing schoolwork. And social comparison related to appearance is the main mechanism that makes social media dangerous for mental health. Maltby et al (2024) also use an interdisciplinary perspective on the impact of social media on the mental health of young people who explain the concerns about social media exacerbating anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, sleep disorders, negative self-perception, and identity formation problems. From both findings, it can be seen that from various perspectives combined, there is a strong tendency to see social media as a factor that worsens the mental health of adolescents if not used wisely. In other words, the use of social media can have a negative impact on mental health.

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Some do state that social media has a positive impact on mental health. As shown by the results of Vaingankar's (2022) study which found that young people engaged in diverse social media activities—from staying connected with family and friends to joining global movements—which provided opportunities to support and enhance their mental well-being. Studies of Hjetland et al (2021) show that besides the negative effects, the article highlights several positive impacts of social media on Norwegian adolescents’ mental health and well-being, is that Social connectedness, Emotional support, Self-expression, and Community and shared interests. Although the article presents a balanced view of both positive and negative aspects of social media, the findings highlight a significant range of negative influences on adolescents’ mental health and well-being. These include stress, social pressure to be constantly available, body image concerns due to social comparison, and disruptions in sleep and daily routines. While social media is also acknowledged as a source of connection and support, the participants' narratives often centered on how it negatively affects their emotional and psychological state. Maltby et al (2024) study also explains the positive benefits of social media, namely expanding social connections, supporting the formation of adolescent identity, and becoming a space for self-expression. In addition, social media also allows access to emotional support from online communities and information related to mental health, which if used properly can contribute positively to well-being, with conditions depending on how it is used, the level of digital literacy, and the social and psychological context of its users. But they consider the positive impacts to be disproportionate to the great risks and challenges faced by students in their daily use of social media. These suggest that the dominant emphasis in the findings lies on the potential harms, even as the overall discussion remains nuanced. It means that the benefits are considered to be outweighed by the identified impact. Thus, social media will have a more negative impact on mental health than its positive impacts.

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Ultimately, social media is more likely to have a negative impact on mental health considering various perspectives such as how it is used, the level of digital literacy, and the social and psychological context of its users. Going forward, there needs to be a cross-disciplinary solution like what Maltby et al (2024) suggest that includes: first, Increasing digital literacy and mental health, so that adolescents are better able to recognize and manage the negative impacts of social media. Second, Collaboration between researchers, educators, policy makers, and digital platforms to create a safer online environment. Third, Monitoring and guidance from parents and teachers, not only regarding the duration of use, but also the content and context of online interactions. This cross-disciplinary solution is needed so that negative impacts can be minimized and open up opportunities to direct users so that social media has a positive impact on mental health.

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To introduce reasons:

One key reason, Another factor

To show sequence:
First, Second, Another reason, Furthermore

To give examples:
For example, For instance, According to...

To explain or analyze:
This shows that, This suggests that, This indicates that, Clearly

To introduce rebuttals:
While some people argue that..., this overlooks...

Although that may be true, it ignores...

This idea fails to consider…

To conclude:
In conclusion, Ultimately, Consequently