I remember back in 7th grade I had an argumentative essay assignment for English class about social media and its effects. I’ve recently been drawn back to the topic as I’ve noticed many teenagers who have increasing screen times and it made me wonder what those times have been doing to their health. Studies have shown that rising screen time levels have led to negative impacts like sleep deprivation, low self-esteem, and lessened productivity. Cyber bullying is also an important issue as kids seem to feel more comfortable making fun of someone from behind a screen.
Sleep deprivation is a serious issue that with the influence of technology, has increased within the last 50 years. Looking at a screen before bed can mess with your body’s internal clock. Your brain has a circadian rhythm that is affected by the environment surrounding you that tells you when to sleep and when to wake up. Screens can mimic the sun in a way that your body will be tricked into thinking that it’s daytime and you should be awake. When thinking about your sleep schedule, it’s a good idea to limit your screen time so that you aren’t on a device for at least one hour before you sleep.
Social media has also been linked to increasing rates of anxiety and depression. Due to both the editing of photos and the many “highlight reels” posted across so many platforms, teenagers often find themselves comparing themselves or their lives to the people they see on social media. The amount of unrealistic pictures that are posted on the internet can make it difficult to know what’s real and what’s not. A survey conducted in 2017 by the Royal Society for Public Health, helped to determine which apps were the most detrimental to people’s mental health. This survey proved that both Instagram and Snapchat were the most likely to lead to body image problems or comparison. These results are very disheartening as both of these apps are some of the most popular among young people.
There is also a term called “FOMO” or fear of missing out that many people have. You might be scared of missing out on a trend or not seeing a text,and soon you find yourself in a loophole of constantly checking your phone. People can quickly become anxious about checking their phone with or without noticing it. There is even a term for thinking you heard or felt your phone go off, when in reality it didn’t. These are called “phantom vibrations,” which can occur through overuse of a mobile device.
Lessened productivity is another effect that can go right over our heads. I think most people can relate to the hours of doom scrolling that happens when you’re not paying attention. Five minutes of scrolling can quickly turn into five hours and we don’t even notice all the time slipping away. As social media is one of the main sources of communication nowadays, it’s easy to become distracted from being productive when we see an app on our phones or an ad that pops up. Of course you could always put your phone on “do not disturb,” but unfortunately that won’t eliminate all disturbances.
The reason behind phone addiction is a combination of dopamine and habit, which both have to do with your brain. The brain is a very adaptable organ, and therefore when it gets used to something, it forms a habit which can also be linked to your brain’s “happy chemical” dopamine. When we receive a notification, our brain recognizes it makes a positive connection with the device it came from. The dopamine levels can increase, especially if you are getting a text from a friend you enjoy talking with or an update from your favorite game.
With the advancement of technology, people are able to communicate faster and more efficiently than ever before, which is wonderful. However, it has become harder to regulate what’s being said, especially in private conversations or chat groups. This has led to an increase in cyberbullying across the United States. The most common types of cyberbullying shown in a recent study were name-calling and rumor-spreading. People can also misinterpret what others are saying as there is a lack of expression and body language from behind a screen. This can make it extremely difficult for those who are online a lot to really connect with others in real time and away from electronics.
With all this information being constantly shoved in our faces, it’s not healthy for our lives to be so fast-paced and stressful. Personally I believe that while social media can be entertaining and good for connecting people, it can also be harmful if overused or used incorrectly.
Works Cited
Anderson, Monica. “A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 27 September 2018, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/. Accessed 6 March 2025.
Baltimore Sun, adapted by Newsela. “Studies offer mixed messages on social media’s effects on young people.” Newsela, Newsela, 15 June 2017, https://parisehistory.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/9/6/18969267/studies_offer_mixed_messages_on_social_medias_effects_on_young_people.pdf. Accessed 4 March 2025.
Davis, Asha, and Erin Burnett. “Parents may fret, but teens and even experts say social media use has its benefits.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC, 23 March 2018, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/23/parents-may-fret-but-teens-and-even-experts-say-social-media-use-has-its-benefits/451461002/. Accessed 4 March 2025.
“Instagram Ranked Worst for Young People’s Mental Health.” Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), RSPH, 19 May 2017, https://www.rsph.org.uk/about-us/news/instagram-ranked-worst-for-young-people-s-mental-health.html. Accessed 6 March 2025.