INITIAL RESEARCH

 INITIAL RESEARCH

Hello, my last blog post was about ideas for a major project. To start my research I chose one of them. I will be writing an online article called 'What impact social media has on young people's mental health.'

The statistic 

Firstly, I checked the statistics on how often young people use social media. According to Gordon (2020), over fifty percent of teenagers use social media daily and many of them visit social networking sites a couple of times a day. Also, GlobalWebIndex (2018), reported that people aged 16-24 are on average spend over 3 hours using social media per day. 

Social media v mental health issues

A study by Primak et al (2017) reported that there is a connection between using social media and increased mental health issues such as depression or anxiety in a group of young people.  Spending most of the time on social media causes a lack of time for the loved ones, family. As result, it could lead to depression and loneliness (Kraut et al 1998). According to the Royal Society for Public Health (2017), there are many reasons why social media has been connected to mental health issues, for instance, cyberbullying, negative self-image, anxiety, problems with sleeping, and depression. The internet is as addicting as cigarettes or alcohol.

Anderson ( 2018) has shown statistics of cyberbullying in a teenage environment. 

Self-esteem

According to the Child Mind Institute website, many young females have low self-esteem. They compare themselves to photos on social media.  Emma Simmons in her book called ''Enough As She Is'' wrote about 18 years old woman who is using social media '' I don’t hate myself when I’m alone. I just hate myself in comparison to other people'', the girl said. 

 Anderson, M., 2018. A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying. [online] Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Available at: </ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/27//a-majority-of-teens-have-expierienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/> (Accessed: 27 September 2018).

 Ehmke, R., n.d. What Selfies Are Doing to Girls' Self-Esteem. [online] Child Mind Institute. Available at: <https://childmind.org/article/what-selfies-are-doing-to-girls-self-esteem/> [Accessed 13 July 2021].

Gordon, S. (2020) Very well family. Available at: </https://www.verywellfamily.com/ways-social-media-affects-teen-mental-health-4144769/> (Accessed: 13 July 2020).

 GlobalWebIndex, 2018. Social. [online] GlobalWebIndex. Available at: </https://www.globalwebindex.com/hubfs/Downloads/Social-H2-2018-report.pdf/> [no accessed date].

Kraut R, Patterson M, Lundmark V, et al. . Internet paradox. A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? The American Psychologist 1998; 53:1017–1031

Royal Society for Public Health (2017) Status of Mind: Social Media and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Simmons, E. (2018) Enough As She Is. Harper Paperback