The Darker Side of Social Media Affecting Young People

There's no doubt social media consumes many of our lives these days, but there is a dark side to social media that affects our young people. All you need to do is look at the outraged expression on the face of someone who finds out their friend doesn't have a Facebook profile. It's everywhere, and young people are especially caught up in their so called Internet lives. They almost stop living in the real world and it's hard to go five minutes without checking their phones. Young people often compare what they see others doing on social media to what they're doing with their lives, and it makes me question -- can social media affect young people's self-esteem, confidence and feeling of self worth? Is there a dark side to social media that affects young people?

Social Media Affects Young People If It Defines Their Self-Worth

It's so easy to create a facade these days on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.. All you need to do is post your best moments and all your followers will think you have the most fantastic life. When, in fact, nobody's life is perfect and young people need to realize this. When young people compare themselves to their peers on social media, it can be detrimental for self-esteem, especially for young people suffering from a mental illness. For the person feeling sad at home, happy-go-lucky photos of their friends can make them feel even more blue. For young people wanting a partner, if they see everybody on Facebook getting engaged, it can make them feel lonely. For those wanting to get ahead in their career, seeing others succeed can make them feel inadequate.

What Is the Dark Side of Social Media That Affects Young People?

I explain in this video the dark side of social media for young people and how we should use social media sparingly to receive the positive benefits.

https://youtu.be/LNFni4mpxts

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