Examining the Negative Impact of Social Media on Youth Mental Health

This essay discusses the negative impacts of social media on the mental health and well-being of young people. It highlights how platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, fear of missing out (FOMO), isolation, depression, and anxiety. The essay explains that manipulated images on social media can lead to insecurity about one's looks and life, while the constant exposure to others' seemingly perfect lives can trigger dissatisfaction. Furthermore, the prioritization of online relationships over face-to-face interactions can increase the risk of mental disorders. The essay references studies that link social media use to increased loneliness and decreased self-esteem, ultimately arguing that excessive engagement with these platforms can be detrimental to the mental health of young individuals. Desklib provides access to this and other academic resources for students.

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Negative impact of social media on mental health and well being of youth...................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................2

Negative impact of social media on mental health and well being of youth
Social media can be described as Internet based platform that provide user with quick electronic
communication of content like documents, photos, personal information and videos. There are
different type of social media platform which are increasingly used by young people including
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and others (Berryman, Ferguson and Negy, 2018).
Increasing use of social media platform create various negative impact over mental health and
well being of people. It increase risk of loneliness, depression, self-harm, anxiety. These negative
impact of social media on mental health and well being of young people is mentioned below:
Inadequacy of life: There are various manipulated mages are share on social media platform
which make a person insecure about their looks and also about their life. People are aware about
fact that other people is sharing images to highlight their lives but they does not share low points
experience by them. It create dissatisfaction among other use of social media as scoll different
posts uploaded by their friends.
Fear of missing out: It is a fear which cause exacerbate feeling in as person as other are having
fun in life and living better lives in compare to individual. In this, idea of mission out about
specific things create impact of self esteem over a person and also trigger their anxiety.
Isolation: Increasing high use of social media platform like snapchat, Instagram, Facebook
increase loneliness in a person (Twenge, J.M. and Martin, G.N., 2020). In a study it is identified
that use of social media cause people lonely as they are only engaged with people who are using
social media and does not interact with people who are around them. It make them more isolated
that is not good for mental health of a person.
Depression and anxiety: Human being require interaction with another person through face to
face that is important for their mental health. It is reducing stress and also boost mood of a
person. But with use of social media platform, people are prioritising social media relationship
that create risk for their mental disorders, anxiety as well as depression.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
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.
Twenge, J.M. and Martin, G.N., 2020. Gender differences in associations between digital media use and
psychological well-being: Evidence from three large datasets. Journal of Adolescence, 79, pp.91-102.
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