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Why #socialmedia is bad on your #mentalhealth ☹️ #suffering #foryou #foryoupage #xyzbca #likes

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TikTok video from Lonley mf 🙂 (@sad_world_we_live_in): “Why #socialmedia is bad on your #mentalhealth ☹️ #suffering #foryou #foryoupage #xyzbca #likes”. Why social media is extreamly bad for your mental health ): | (Of 719 individuals aged 14 to 24 years, 79% reported being exposed to suicide-relat…

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While the negative attributes of social media definitely seem to outweigh the positive, at least for me, I don’t see social media going away or lessening its popularity among teen girls. I guess all that we can hope is that the light that has been shined on the negative impact apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok and Twitter, can have on the mental health of teenage girls will make a difference. Clearly these platforms need regulation beyond just self-regulation to make sure social media is what it was intended to be, interactive technologies that provide for the free and open creation, sharing and exchange of ideas, information and interests.

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“For real?” was my first reaction to what I read on Twitter. I don’t recall what I felt after logging on to Tik Tok, but I do recall feeling uneasy about the some of the things people were saying, some of the posts seemed sexist, or anti-sematic, and at times, even a little racist.  I remember feeling naïve and unsophisticated for not understanding, or knowing about many of the topics people brought up, but also, anxious and upset, for the way people were treating one another. Some of the comments were angry, belligerent, antagonistic, and just mean. When I really stop to ponder it, I think what really bothers me is that the interactions I see on both of these apps are really removed from what I have been taught. I learned from my parents, teachers and coaches to always respect what others have to say, and though you may not agree, you should always listen, and in most instances, you will surprise yourself and learn something you might not have known or thought of before. Also, to treat others as you would want them to treat you. As a result, seeing people regularly engage in angry, accusatory confrontations, or gang up on someone if they don’t agree with their Tweet, or post, made me feel unsafe. Particularly upon realizing it was adults, not just teens that were talking to each other in such a nasty way.

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Though I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I usually grab my phone to check my social media accounts within 20-30 minutes of waking up each morning, if I took a poll of my friends, I would guess that I am on the later side, with most them reaching for the phones almost immediately upon waking. I have often wonder why, what’s my hurry? It’s not that I am excitedly looking forward to scrolling through the posts of my 2000 “friends” some of whom I barely know, in fact, one part of me dreads it. I know with almost certainty that I’m going to come across an IG or Snapchat story or post that is going to upset me. Whether it’s a group of friends at a party, or out to a dinner that I wasn’t included in or invited to, or a seemingly fabulous and flawless photo of a friend or a friend, I know I’m likely not going to close out IG or Snapchat feeling good about myself and it seems I’m not alone. According to a recent social media blog I looked at, almost 25% of teens see social media as having a negative effect

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A recent study by the Wall Street Journal indicated that Instagram makes body issues worse for 1 in 3 girls. If I’m honest, I have scrolled through Instagram countless times, and felt jealous, for example, about how a friend looked in a bathing suit. While I did think my friend looked amazing, I couldn’t stop my brain from thinking, “I’m so fat, I would never be able to wear that bikini” and “how is she so pretty when I’m so ugly.” I remember this sad feeling washing over me. I felt ugly, envious and jealous, but also ashamed, that those were my feelings upon seeing a great picture of my friend who I should be happy for. After I became a more skilled IG user, I  realized there were filters you could use to change all sorts of features on your photo, including your size, complexion,  and lighting, to name a few, making it hard to tell which of someone’s features were real and which were altered. While I knew many of the pictures I was seeing had used filters, it really didn’t make me feel any better.

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“A picture is worth a thousand words” is a popular adage to convey the idea that a single still image can evoke multiple emotions and meanings. Instagram, was created by photographer Kevin Systrom and launched in 2010. Systrom’s idea for the app was said to have been born out of his love of photography. I can’t help but wonder what he thinks of all the headlines, studies and statistics that have come out which show what a toxic place Instagram can be for teen girls, creating or worsening body-image issues, insecurities, and social comparisons.

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“When do you ever log off of Instagram or Twitter feeling good about yourself?” It was 2015, I was 12 and had just gotten an iphone, and after a lot of begging and pleading, my parents had finally agreed to let me have an Instagram account. We were in the car on a three hour drive to a volleyball tournament and my mom was listening to a celebrity being interviewed about why he was taking a hiatus from social media. I remember my mom, nodding her head at the comment and remarking, “that’s a really good point.” I think I rolled my eyes and went back to scrolling through my IG feed. Interestingly, my first Instagram post was captioned “Enjoy your Stalk”-maybe my 12 year old self knew then what I know now, that Instagram and social media in general can be addicting and devastating to one’s self-esteem, and overall well-being  and lead to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, loneliness, and even suicidal thoughts, particularly among teenage girls.