A Detailed Analysis: Social Media's Influence on Teen Mental Health

This essay examines the significant impact of social media on the mental health of teenagers, highlighting both positive and negative effects. It references the magic bullet theory, gratification theory, and audience theory to explain how social media shapes perceptions and behaviors. The essay analyzes articles discussing the effects of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat on depression, anxiety, and real-world interactions. It emphasizes the importance of family interaction and positive mindset to mitigate the adverse impacts, concluding that excessive social media use can lead to mental health issues, affecting overall well-being and academic performance. The essay underscores the need for parents to monitor and guide teenagers in their social media consumption to foster a healthier balance between virtual and real-world experiences.

Impact of social media on
mental health of teenagers

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................3
DISCUSSION..................................................................................................................................6
Development of social media......................................................................................................6
Analysing the ways in which social media is shaping the mental health of teenagers................6
Impact of social media over the mental health of teenagers........................................................7
Actions.........................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Social media is that platform of mass media which has been used by the large number of
people. Especially, by the teenagers. The usage of social media is increasing day by day. It has
been used for the various purpose which includes gaining of information, entertainment, career
opportunities, interaction with friends and so on. Currently, the usage of social media has been
highly increased by the teenagers. It has been increased to that level where the mental health of
the teenagers starts getting impacting (Anderson and Jiang, 2018). Mental health is one of the
vital aspect that contributes in the over-all health of an individual. However, social media is
impacting the most important aspect of the health in teenagers and that is mental health.
The depression, anxiety, lack of interaction with the real world and so on there are
numerous issues that are arising due to the excessive usage of social media in the teenagers. This
essay will shed a light over the major impacts of social media on the mental health of the
teenagers. Also, the appropriate theories will be used while making the major discussion
throughout the essay. Apart from this, the source analysation will be performed in order to
express the accuracy.
MAIN BODY
DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS
Articles- Kaur, R. and Bashir, H., 2015. Impact of Social Media on Mental Health of
Adolescents. International Journal of Education, 5, pp.22-29.
Bibliographic information for the article- The ability to interact with each other and it could
be unique features of social media which provides the powerful views and various ways of
adolescent for creating and navigate their social environments. While any websites that allows
the social media for having interaction and considered the effective thing such as Face book,
MySpace, Skype and so on. The current body literature is about for social media that presents the
conflicts views about various social media platforms that affects on mental health and well-
being. This also defined about the health positive state and not just about the absence. Also,
evaluate that mental health as the combination of emotional well-being and social well-being etc.
The news publication- A magazine has been used for such kind of given articles.
Publication aimed at- It has the main aim about the impact of social media on mental health of
adolescents.

Group/thing represented in the article- it represents about the positive effects is
communication, assessing health information, enhanced the learning opportunities.
The article and in what ways does this present itself- This represent about the impact of social
media on teenagers and how this can cause the negative and positive effects on their mental
health and well-being.
Suitable for academic study- Yes, this is being more highly positive suitable for the academic
study.
Articles- Deepa, M. and Priya, K., 2020. Impact of Social Media on Mental Health of
Students. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research. 9(03).
Bibliographic information for the article- Social media taking part with having various types
of online networking and keeping various people connected. It is also routine movement that
inquires about the teenagers and children by upgrading communication, specialized skills and
social association. According to research, few specialists that have been related with having
social networking with having few mental disorder that include the depression and anxiety.
Along with this social networking sites are more moderately new numerous injuries concerning
and also have the potential affect on mental health that remain the unanswered, in using the
social media this could create the depression sign and ensure them with having symptoms of the
anxiety through which students are enable to work. In having such thing social media that have
the huge impacted over the generation and keep them for working with large time and make sure
for having some positive and negative points.
The news publication- It has been published with magazines.
Publication aimed at- This article has main aimed for bringing out the better outcomes with
having research on impact of social media on mental health of students.
Group/thing represented in the article- The group is about the students that have impacted
through social media on their health.
The article and in what ways does this present itself- This address about the effect of web-
based media on teens and how this can cause the negative and constructive outcomes on their
psychological well-being and prosperity.
Suitable for academic study- Yes, it could create the positive impacts over the students and
various other people in society.

Articles- Lloyd, A., 2014. Social media, help or hindrance: What role does social media play in
young people’s mental health. Psychiatr Danub. 26(Suppl 1). pp.340-346.
Bibliographic information for the article- Web-based media partaking with having different
sorts of web based systems administration and keeping different individuals associated. It is
additionally normal development that asks about the young people and youngsters by
overhauling correspondence, specific abilities and social affiliation. As per research, not many
experts have been connected with having informal communication with having not many mental
problems that incorporate the downturn and tension. Alongside this informal communication
locales are all the more reasonably new various wounds concerning and furthermore have the
possible effect on emotional wellness that stay the unanswered, in utilizing the online media this
could make the downturn sign and guarantee them with having indications of the uneasiness
through which understudies are empower to work. In having such thing web-based media that
have the tremendous affected over the age and save them for working with enormous time and
ensure for having a few positive and negative focuses.
The news publication- This take place within the magazines.
Publication aimed at- This has the main aim for social media that helps hindrance and what
roles social media play in young people mental health.
Group/thing represented in the article- this represent about the young people in the article.
The article and in what ways does this present itself- This location about the impact of
electronic media on teenagers and how this can cause the negative and useful results on their
mental prosperity and thriving.
Suitable for academic study- Yes, it could create the positive impact for the academic study.

DISCUSSION
Development of social media
The mass media opened up its roots for making effective interaction with the large
number of audience. Social media is one of the major element of mass media that has been
developed throughout the time. The magic bullet theory of mass media says that, social media is
just like a bullet. Any information over the social platform runs in fast manner (Kumar, 2021).
Finding shows that, teenagers are using the social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram,
Snapchat, Twitter and so on for gaining the information and passing the information as well. The
another theory of mass media that is gratification theory suggest that, whatever has been
described over the media it affects the perceptions of the people. In same manner, the
information that has been provided on the social media for the teenagers is affecting their
perceptions (Igbinoba and et.al., 2020).
The development of the social media has ben changed into the ownership. The social
media is controlling the thoughts and perceptions of the teenagers. As a result, the teenagers
started believing in virtual world in comparison of real world. The development of the social
media leads to increasing the development of the virtual world for the teenagers.
Analysing the ways in which social media is shaping the mental health of teenagers
The audience theory says that, the way in which the audience encounters the media and
use the media results in shaping the mentality of audience. This clearly depicts, the ways in
which teenagers have adopted the usage of social media is affecting their thoughts (Oliver,
Raney and Bryant, 2019). Furthermore, affecting the mental health as well. It has been found
from various studies that, the teenagers uses the social apps more in night. This leads to disturb
their sleep. As a result, this creates the anxiety in the teenagers. Also, many teenagers have a
desire in relation of becoming famous over the Instagram by uploading the content. Many-times,
the desire of the teens does not get full-fill and they start hating themselves.
The excessive use of Facebook, Snapchat consumes the time of teenagers and impacts
their relations with the real world. It has been evaluated from the various sources that, whatever
has been seen by the teenagers over the social media that is tried by them at home (Orben, 2020).
It includes the dangerous activities as well. The teenagers provide their most of the time on using
social media and therefore, it is affecting the thoughts of teenagers. As a result, the higher impact
is provided on their mental health.

Impact of social media over the mental health of teenagers
The impacts of social media is positive as well as negative. It provides the career
opportunities for the people. Currently, the major focus in on the negative impacts of the social
media over the mental health of the teenagers. The multiple studies has analysed that, there is the
direct link among the excessive use of social media and the increasing risk of depression, self-
harm, loneliness and so on (Miller, 2020). For example: Many teenagers who excessively use
social media feels lonely. As they do not interact with their family members at home. Most of the
time they use social media. After a certain point, those teenagers feels lonely and develop a
thinking that no-on likes them. It provides the direct impact on their mind. As a result, they often
harm themselves.
The behavioural theory says that, whatever has been consistently seen by an individual
shapes their habit and becomes the part of the behaviour. In same manner, the teenagers see the
unrealistic things on social media and thinks that, such things exist in real (Weinstein, 2018). It
provides the unnecessary pressure over the teenagers in terms of adopting the particular lifestyle
and when this does not happen it leads to the dissatisfaction in the teenagers. As a result, rate of
anxiety and depression generates in the teenagers. They crave for the life that has been shown on
the social media ( Craig and et.al., 2020). Also, the sleep schedule of the teenagers gets affected.
This creates the numerous issues such as, creates the stress while studying, less concentration
and so on. Thus, the excessive use of social media highly impacts the mental health of the
teenagers and the mental health affects the physical health as well.
Actions
It is important to shape the mentality of teenagers in positive manner so, their life can
become better. The upper sections of the essay has described that, how social media is impacting
the mental health of the teens. The teenagers has adopted the thinking of living in the virtual
world rather than real world. Therefore, it is important to make a keen focus over the teenagers at
the house. The parents must see whether their children are interacting with the family or not as
everything starts from here. The emotions in the teenager phase is high and that can easily gets
impacted (Berryman, Ferguson and Negy, 2018). Therefore, the union with the family is the best
way to deal with the excessive use of the social media by the teenagers.

CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that, mass media communication plays major role
in shaping the mentality of the people. The excessive use of social media by the teenagers
impacts their mental health. The teenage has been considered to that age in which an individual
learns many things and then apply it in their upcoming life. Therefore, it is important to focus on
this age. The report has described the ways in which the thoughts and perceptions of the
teenagers gets affected with the excessive use of social media. Furthermore, excessive use of
social media puts the pressure over the mind of teenagers in relation to adopt a particular
lifestyle. Also, the lack of sleep due to excessively using of social apps such as, Facebook,
Instagram leads to create the higher level of stress in the teenagers.
Apart from this, the report has highlighted the validity of the sources that has been used.
Finally, report has come over the conclusion that, social media has the positive and negative
impacts. However, the excessive use only leads to the negative impacts over the mentality of the
teenagers (Sarmiento and et.al., 2020). As a result, the mental health affects the physical health
of teenagers as well. Therefore, the parents should provide the focus on the usage of social media
by the children.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Anderson, M. and Jiang, J., 2018. Teens, social media & technology 2018. Pew Research
Center. 31(2018). pp.1673-1689.
Berryman, C., Ferguson, C.J. and Negy, C., 2018. Social media use and mental health among
young adults. Psychiatric quarterly. 89(2). pp.307-314.
Craig and et.al., 2020. Social media use and cyber-bullying: a cross-national analysis of young
people in 42 countries. Journal of Adolescent Health. 66(6). pp.S100-S108.
Igbinoba and et.al., 2020. Women’s mass media exposure and maternal health awareness in Ota,
Nigeria. Cogent Social Sciences. 6(1). p.1766260.
Kumar, D., 2021. Mass Media and Communications: Theory and Practice. KK Publications.
Miller, C., 2020. Does social media cause depression?. Child Mind Institute, 11.
Oliver, M.B., Raney, A.A. and Bryant, J. eds., 2019. Media effects: Advances in theory and
research. Routledge.
Orben, A., 2020. Teenagers, screens and social media: a narrative review of reviews and key
studies. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 55(4). pp.407-414.
Sarmiento and et.al., 2020. How does social media use relate to adolescents’ internalizing
symptoms? Conclusions from a systematic narrative review. Adolescent Research
Review. 5(4). pp.381-404.
Weinstein, E., 2018. The social media see-saw: Positive and negative influences on adolescents’
affective well-being. New Media & Society. 20(10). pp.3597-3623.
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