Is Social Media Helping us or Harming us?
Social media has affected relationships (both romantic and platonic), in both positive and negative ways. However, are there enough positive effects that we can overlook the negative ones? On one hand, social media has provided us with new ways to create relationships and have helped us stay in contact with people. On the other hand, social media has created a stigma around relationships that can be harmful to mental health. It is up to society to determine whether the benefits of social media are worth the possible mental health problems.
This topic is extremely relevant to teens and young adults because they experience the effects of social media first hand. In fact, approximately 72% of Americans use social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc., which means the majority of people are constantly experiencing these direct effects (Burch). One of the most prevalent benefits of these digital platforms is that many current friendships or relationships would not be possible without social media because it allows people to meet new people, as well as stay in touch with people that they do not see often. Personally, social media has helped me stay in contact with my friends living around the world. Growing up, I lived in both Colorado and Texas and now I go to boarding school in Connecticut, so I have formed relationships with many different people in many different places. Without the help of social media (more specifically Snapchat and Instagram), the connections most likely would’ve weakened over time. However, I still wonder if this is a positive thing or merely a distraction.
On another note, social media has provided many people with an ability to be more bold when talking to their peers, which is often a bad thing. Individuals tend to say things behind a screen that they would not say in person. On one hand, this can be helpful for people that are too scared to address someone in person or are not given the opportunity to do so. For example, if someone is too scared to tell their crush that they like them in person, they are often more willing to snapchat them because the disappearing effect provides a sense of security. However, a study done by the NCBI shows that the idea of “hiding behind the screen” can provoke negative aspects such as cyber bullying and other hostile environments because people fail to realize the real effects of their actions when said through a screen. These different sides of the false security that social media can provide people with, demonstrates how easily social media can manipulate relationships between individuals.
One of the most destructive characteristics of social media is the increased presence of the Fear of Missing Out, more well known as FOMO. An article from Help Guide describes the connection between FOMO and the obsession of social media by saying, “The idea that you’re missing out on certain things can impact your self-esteem, trigger anxiety, and fuel even greater social media use. FOMO can compel you to pick up your phone every few minutes to check for updates, or compulsively respond to each and every alert — even if that means taking risks while you’re driving, missing out on sleep at night, or prioritizing social media interaction over real world relationships” (Robinson & Smith). This article focuses on the downsides of social media and the effects it has on mental health and highlights FOMO as one of its most destructive qualities. Furthermore, a study published by “The American Journal of Preventive Medicine” shows that people with increased social media use are more likely to experience feelings of loneliness and social isolation. This study provides statistics related to the effects of FOMO and other similar feelings. This feeling of FOMO can be detrimental to relationships because it forces anxiety and often an uncomfortable dynamic between people. Although it has always existed, the use of social media increases its effect on society.
Overall, the damaging qualities of social media on relationships are more prominent than the favorable effects. It is clear that there are beneficial aspects of social media, however it is impossible to have an experience with a social media platform without experiencing the unavoidable damaging outcomes. Obviously, there is no way to reverse the creation of online social platforms, however it is the responsibility of individuals to manage their social media use wisely. Our society could benefit from the decrease of social media use in many ways including improvement of overall mental health and the decrease of toxic or unhealthy relationships.
Works Cited:
Robinson, Lawrence. “Social Media and Mental Health.” HelpGuide.org, www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/social-media-and-mental-health.htm.
Primack, Brian. “Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S.” AJPM 17 March 2016 https://www.ajpmonline.org/article
Burch, Kelly. “How Social Media Affects Relationships, from Partners to Friends.” Insider, Insider, 16 Mar. 2020, www.insider.com/how-social-media-affects-relationships.
Peebles, Erin. “Cyberbullying: Hiding behind the Screen.” Paediatrics & Child Health, Pulsus Group Inc, Dec. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4276384/.