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My name is Kate and the things that I am interested in are music, friends, fashion, and mental health. Since I have personal experience with mental health, I have found a new passion in wanting to help other adolescents in need. I plan to major in psychology and ultimately become a clinical psychologist one day. The general idea of the topic that I want to research and learn more about adolescents and how mental health affects them.

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How does social media affect teen's loneliness?

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This article is about americans and the epidemic of loneliness in the past few years. "One in two adults report loneliness." There is also a section where it talks about TEENAGERS. The teenagers that were recruited from instagram influencers answered a questionaire three times a day about their social interactions. Each time, more than 50 percent said they haven't talked to someone in the past hour, online or in person.

"The rise of smartphones and social networking apps has forever changed social norms around how we communicate." I never thought about how our social norms have changed due to smartphones to the point that there is a whole different set of norms for online interactions.

"It's hard to know who's being real online, and it's hard for people to be themselves online, and that is a recipe for loneliness,"

Even though there is little proof that tech directly made people lonely, but there is definitely a strong correlation between the two. The correlation was rooted in three main behaviors; comparing themselves, text messaging, and streaming videos.

Many studies show that one on one digital communication is actually associated with positive mental health attributes and decreased feelings of loneliness.

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This is a call with teenagers who have social media and with reporters that are talking about how regulations should be applied to social media.

VOX POP: Different generations have had such different upbringings, so we really need those different voices to find a solution that works for all, & not just like the grown-ups.
JEAN TWENGE: Overall, there just needs to be more regulation because right now there's virtually no regulation of social media.

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Explore millions of resources from scholarly journals, books, newspapers, videos and more, on the ProQuest Platform.

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The purpose of this experiment was to gather middle schoolers' perceptions on the use of social media and thier opinion towards cyber security.
This source is a little older than the others therefore the data may be not up to date and accurate.
Interestingly, this study found that teenagers who scored higher on social anxiety and loneliness measures were
more likely to communicate via instant messaging with acquaintances. Even teenagers who felt well supported
and connected to their peers at school sought out additional opportunities to interact with people they did not
know well but very few close friendships were actually developed online (Gross, Juvonen & Gable, 2002).

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JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.

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This source is another experiment like the last one hoeever it is by Korean psychologists and korean students. In the abstract it explains the aim of the study was aimed to examine the complex relationship within teenagers on SNS (social networking services) useage, lonliness, negative upward comparison.

The results of the study provided support for the first hypothesis, demonstrating a substantial and direct influence of social media usage on feelings of loneliness.

negaive upward comparison sounds like ""When I see posts on social media from other people who are better than me, I feel discouraged," "I do not feel good when I see posts of other people who are smarter than me,"

"The sequential mediation model proposed in this study suggests that SNS usage not only directly influences loneliness but also operates indirectly through negative
upward comparison and relative deprivation." This quote is very important because it shows that social media doesn't only affect us when we look at social media, but also when we aren't looking.

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Negative upward comparison and relative deprivation: sequential mediators between social networking service usage and loneliness. | EBSCOhost

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Discover this 2024 paper in Current Psychology by Park, Hyun Jee; and, Park, Young Bae

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Infograph that shows that the percentage of teens in that year that experienced feelings of persistant feelings of sadness or hopelessness has gone up significantly. From 28% to 42%. Other data such as the percentage of teens that year that seriously considered committing suicide had gone up from 16% to 22%.

"Many observers noted that young people had recently suffered much disruption and social isolation as a result of school closures and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, a deadly outbreak that began in early 2020. Others, however, pointed out that the number of young Americans reporting anxiety, depression, and suicidality (thinking about committing suicide) had been rising since well before the pandemic."  This quote shows that it is not JUST because of the pandamic.

"Social media has turned what used to be a relatively low-stakes and private process of self-realization into a public performance, some argue, leaving users vulnerable to the whims, cruelty, and exaggerated outrage of others and fueling constant anxiety among social media users about whether one is packaging oneself successfully online. This apprehension can be especially intense for young girls on visual-orientated platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which often emphasize beauty, fashion, fitness, and lifestyle."

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This site is great for perspective of the other side. It is true, many homebound teens suffer from loneliness and the internet serves as their socialization.

"the Internet has helped many homebound, chroni-
cally ill people overcome social isolation."

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JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.

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" These devices may reduce "real-life" contact with other people. The Pew Research Center reported in 2018 that more than 50% of teenaged girls and about 30% of teenaged boys said that they sometimes used their smartphones to avoid face-to-face interaction with people they were with." People KNOW that it can cause loneliness and is used as a way to almost escape and BE lonely.

"They might use the phone hundreds of times per day to browse online and to check messages and social media sites. Some of these users might be clinically addicted to smartphones. These users have such a psychological dependency on the phones that if they cannot use them multiple times per hour, they could experience depression, loneliness, anxiety, nervousness, disorientation, and confusion." important information on how many people are probably more addicted to their phones than they think they are which causes anxiety and loneliness when taken away or not used.

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Source is about  popular teen subculture that is prominantly on the internet. It explains how many children who commit suicide are the same or similar subculture. As this subculture mostly comes from the internet, it can have an affect on teens loneliness.

"For emo teenagers, social networks may fulfil the need of feeling
part of a group, being able to communicate with similar people and express a similar
identity. For many teenagers the online emo community may seem far more inviting
than the judgmental world that they are used to."

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The Representation of Self Injury and Suicide on Emo Social Networking Groups on JSTOR

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Carla Zdanow, Bianca Wright, The Representation of Self Injury and Suicide on Emo Social Networking Groups, African Sociological Review / Revue Africaine de Sociologie, Vol. 16, No. 2 (2012), pp. 81-101

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"One study of
detailed daily reports of home Internet use
found that adolescents used instant messaging
and e-mail for much of their online interac
tions; they communicated mostly with friends
from offline lives about everyday issues such
as friends and gossip."

It shows that when teens go home now, they aren't separated from the drama. The drama is surrounded by them and leaves them with almost no escape.

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Kaveri Subrahmanyam and Patricia Greenfield

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Online Communication and Adolescent Relationships on JSTOR

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Kaveri Subrahmanyam, Patricia Greenfield, Online Communication and Adolescent Relationships, The Future of Children, Vol. 18, No. 1, Children and Electronic Media (Spring, 2008), pp. 119-146

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Diagram that shows the three vital components of social connection.

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Used statistics from here. Found that older individuals who used facebook in a positive headspace made them happier. Only using social media while being in a positive headspace may be apart of my call to action.

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The relationship between social media usage and loneliness among younger and older adults: the moderating effect of shyness

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Does social media alleviate or exacerbate loneliness? Past research has shown mixed results regarding the relationship between social media usage and loneliness among younger and older adults. Unlike younger individuals, older adults may decrease…

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more statistics

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Isolation Among Generation Z in the United States - Ballard Brief

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Generation Z is the loneliest generation that the world has seen, with isolation rates higher than both Millennials and members of Generation X.

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"Through social media, adolescents have the opportunity to see what others are doing and this may create a sense of missing out, which leads to a rise in anxiety (Beyens et al., 2016). This may result in compulsive social media use, which ironically, can heighten feelings of loneliness (Przybylski et al., 2013)."

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Everyone is aware that in today's adolescents' lives, social media platforms such as BeReal, TikTok and Instagram are an integral part of their daily routines, making us believe that everyone is more connected than ever. However, a growing concern regarding the rising levels of loneliness in adolescents is alarming (HBSC, 2023). This article explores the complex relationship between loneliness and social media, together with some tips to maintain a healthy relationship with these platforms whilst safeguarding our mental health.

Social Media: A Constant Companion

One can easily say that the majority of adolescents have access to smartphones. Anderson and Jiang (2018) highlight that 95% of teens own smartphones and 45% report to be online on a near to constant basis. The benefits of these platforms are numerous, offering a space for adolescents to share their stories, create an identity that they desire and to connect with one another. However, there seems to be a darker side to this constant "connectivity". Twenge et al. (2021) explain how the psychological wellbeing of adolescents began to decline after 2012, simultaneously smart phone access and internet usage increased. Despite being constantly online, research suggests that many adolescents feel lonely and isolated (HBSC, 2023). Indeed worldwide we have witnessed an epidemic of loneliness. Loneliness is often explained as a lack of emotional support and decline in social connections. This feeling of loneliness is particularly troubling given the data indicating a deterioration in psychological wellbeing over time, particularly among 15-year-olds (HBSC, 2023). The research conducted by Primack et al. (2017) revealed that heavy social media users were three times more likely to experience isolation compared to peers that used social media less.

Social Media: Blessing and Curse

The benefit of social media is that it has the opportunity to keep us connected and can provide a sense of belonging through virtual communities. It allows adolescents to remain connected especially when physical connection is not possible, for instance migrant adolescents or sickness. Moreover, for adolescents who struggle with anxiety or with social situations, social media can be a platform that helps them feel more comfortable to interact with peers. In cases of marginalised youth, online support can be a lifeline, such in the case of LGBTQ+ adolescents who are unable to discuss their identity with their caregivers.

On the other hand, social media can pull us down a rabbit hole leading our youth to pay a price for using such platforms. As we all know technology is expertly designed to pull us in and keep us hooked on our devices. Features such as notifications, videos that start playing automatically and 'like' buttons make it harder to use social media mindfully ( Weir, 2023).

In extreme cases, the addiction to social media can interfere with sleep, in-person social interactions, schoolwork and physical activity, all of which influence a decline in mental health.

Social Media & Loneliness

The time spent on social media may be replacing the time spent in face-to-face interactions which create more meaningful bonds. As humans we need physical interactions to feel connected and loved, leading to better mental and physical health. Therefore, less in-person interactions brings about loneliness. Another factor is the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Through social media, adolescents have the opportunity to see what others are doing and this may create a sense of missing out, which leads to a rise in anxiety (Beyens et al., 2016). This may result in compulsive social media use, which ironically, can heighten feelings of loneliness (Przybylski et al., 2013).

Tips To Have A Healthier Relationship With Social Media

Educating oneself

It is essential to educate our young people on the realities of social media by having open conversations on the benefits and risks of these platforms. We need to help adolescents become critical thinkers to be able to evaluate the content they consume and learn how to foster healthier habits online. Moreover, we need to educate them on how to remain safe online, how to protect their personal information and how to detect misinformation and disinformation.

Boundaries

As adults we need to help adolescents create healthy boundaries with social media platforms. Research shows that early adolescents are more sensitive to comparing with others, thus it would be wise to prolong their exposure on social media until they are older. This will safeguard adolescents' mental health as it prevents extra comparison. Once they start using these platforms it is crucial to have boundaries on screen time and allow more time for face-to-face interactions. Create phone free zones such as during meals, in the car and no more devices usage after 9pm to promote healthier sleep hygiene.

Be mindful

Teach adolescents to be thoughtful when logging in on these platforms by instigating them to ask a simple question like ' how come I want to use this app?'. This may help users become more mindful, resulting in taking control of what they are doing, rather than scrolling mindlessly. Before posting, help them to think about what they are sending to the world, by encouraging to ask themselves ' would I send this photo/reel to a broadcasting news to publish it?', ' will I be happy if my teachers/future employers/family members see this? '. Furthermore, educate them to be in the moment rather than immediately posting about it. Give it a day or two after the special event has passed before sharing it online; this may help users become more present and less anxious.

Be good role models

Ultimately, it all boils down to what adolescents are observing the adults around them doing. If, as adults, we would like our teens to have a healthier relationship with such platforms, we need to show them how it is done. Therefore, we need to practice all of these tips ourselves to be able to guide them.

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Is Social Media Making Adolescents Feel Lonely? Understanding The Digital Paradox - 3CL Foundation

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The Commonwealth Centre for Connected Learning (3CL) is a knowledge hub for a global network of agencies, institutions and educators interested in connected learning, blockchain in education and digital citizenship.

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"Gen Z is the loneliest generation because they've inherited a world that's fundamentally broken," HR consultant and generation expert Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek.

"Decades of prioritizing profits over people have left them with unaffordable housing, job insecurity and a constant barrage of social media-driven comparisons. Add to that the lack of real community and it's no wonder they're lonely."