Social media consists of global platforms where just about anyone can share content and interact with others. However, certain content can affect people’s minds, making younger generations the easiest victims of influence. Teens typically spend more than 5 hours each day scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, or any other media platforms, so is what they’re watching impacting their mental state of mind?
Effect the media has on generations
Social media began blowing up in the early 2000s, and it has only become more popular. Intouch corresponding secretary Samantha Pepper thinks that the media has affected our generation the most since every trend seen is on apps, and the phrase “you live under a rock” exists as an insult towards those who aren’t keeping up with these trends. It’s seen as those who aren’t on top of what is going on in the world of social media are seen as untrendy and boring.
Senior Samantha Sosa said, “I think the most impacted by the media are the generations after us, like Gen Alpha, since they are the most exposed to technology at an even younger age than Gen Z, causing them to have a lost childhood.”
Why Join Social Media?
Multiple people join social media for a variety of reasons. Some join to share their life through pictures and videos or to stay in touch with those close to them. “I joined at a pretty young age since all my friends had them too,” said senior Sheyla Garcia. Senior Joshua Viera added that he wasn’t drawn to having social media in the first place, but since everyone had it too, he wanted to be included.
Does it have a personal effect?
Typically, adolescents between the ages of 13-19 are the most affected by social media. A senior male who wishes to remain anonymous at Miami High believes that it has personally affected him since, from the moment he wakes up until he falls asleep, he’s on his phone checking what everybody has posted instead of doing his homework.
Samantha Sosa expressed that, going on apps and seeing people your age living such fulfilling lives can be detrimental to one’s self-reflection by constantly comparing themselves.
On the other hand, senior Francesco Laccetto challenged that social media has a negative impact by stating, “Social media has affected me positively because I’ve met a lot of people through social media, and I’ve built a support system where I genuinely enjoy posting.”
InTouch Corresponding Secretary Sofia Barrera explained, “Social media definitely has a big influence on everyday life since it can be harmful but you can also benefit from it; I can get advice on good information from what I see on social media and that advice could stick with me forever and change the way I think for the better.”
Which apps are worst?
Social media is a vague concept; it doesn’t mean just one application. Depending on the app, some might be more supervised than others. “I think apps like Instagram or TikTok,” said Senior Brandon Lanzarin, “are the unhealthiest because you just scroll for hours without doing anything productive.”
Junior Deborah Giron said, “I think, for example, Twitter would be more harmful than Tiktok since it has less censorship and less monetization than Tiktok.”
Actions to address mental health
Media can be harsh and create an unsafe environment, causing people’s mental health to decline and the need for precautions. Senior Helmut Rivera said, “Social media apps should set limitations on the screen time use to benefit our health.” Joshua Viera said, “I think apps should start addressing mental health issues since most people suffer from depression and mental issues nowadays which stem from watching others on media platforms.”
How to improve your own wellbeing
Since social media platforms can take a toll on one’s mental state, you can also take action to improve your health and spend less time scrolling. “It affects people’s brains in the way that if they see someone that’s pretty, then they’ll compare themselves to them, and this affects how they see themselves,” Samantha Pepper said.
Intouch President Federico Rizo states, “I do believe that the less time spent on social media, the better your mental health will be because social media is a façade and people only post what they want everyone to see rather than raw footage of what they could be going through leading to high standards from society.”
We can take matters into our own hands and manage the time spent on our phones to benefit us. Senior Alexander Abad said, “I manage my health by watching certain influencers that preach positivity and have educational content.” Senior Ashlyn Gomez said, “I don’t follow models and look at pictures that set unrealistic standards to not feel a certain way about myself.”
keimi labra • Jan 22, 2025 at 11:30 pm
beautiful story very well written.