Writers Blog 6

Social media is something that has always interested me. I think this could be a good umbrella topic for my short-story feature to write about. Social media comes with so many social issues that can be discussed. The main issue within social media is mental health.

Mental health through social media can mean many different things. This can include increased mental health diagnoses, fomo (fear of missing out), body image issues, self-esteem issues, unrealistic standards, and so much more.

I can relate to this issue on a personal level so I feel this is a topic I can properly research and write about. Researching this topic can also help me personally. So many people, especially around my age, can relate to this idea of mental health issues related to social media. Doing proper research on this topic and learning more about it can help me to become more educated on it, and in return help those around me who have suffered from this issue.

I find that the unrealistic expectation of social media is what causes the most mental health issues. People post the best parts of their lives. Social media is a highlight reel that is fake and edited. Even though we know this, it does not stop us from thinking negatively about our own lives. We don’t see the struggles of these influencers since they post the highlights. We don;t get to see their ups and downs, their flaws, their mental struggles, or their hard days. This causes us to think we are doing something wrong in our lives. It makes us feel that since our lives do not look like that, that we must be living a bad life.

This also applies to self-image issues. We only see these influencers’ bodies at their best, or their faces with a perfect filter. Seeing these unrealistic goals causes us to look down on ourselves. We feel ugly or begin to hate our own bodies. We create goals and lifestyles that are unachievable. This can lead to other issues such as eating disorders in order to try to look like these models or influencers.

This unfortunately is the reality that we live in. I want to write about these issues in order to spread awareness of them. I hope to properly inform people through my research about what social media has done to us mentally. In my writing, I want to address the issues developed by social media and propose solutions to them. These solutions can include a more transparent use and view of social media. If we use social media in a more open and transparent way, then hopefully it will be viewed in a more transparent way. This will hopefully cause less issues within social media and cause more of a positive use and impact. In writing about the issues of social media I hope to raise awareness and bring light to the situation. With social media continuing to grow and be a major part of our lives, I hope to address the situations that also arise with it.