Understanding the Negative Impact of Social Media on Students’ Mental and Emotional Well-being

Introduction

Social media has made the world a smaller place to live in. In the fast-paced world, when people do not get time to meet each other in person, social media can come to the rescue and bridge the distances. However, the widespread use of social media has led to the rise of many harmful practices in society. Children specifically are exposed to violent and age-inappropriate content present on social media.

Constant comparisons and fear of keeping up with what's trending can take a toll on a child's mental health. Additionally, the child may become stressed trying to look a certain way and portray a specific lifestyle on social media that makes them look attractive. All of this accumulated pressure can develop depression and anxiety among young kids. Hence, parental involvement and responsibility are of high value during this time. Parents' advice and guidance can help a child navigate the threats of social media perfectly.

Negative Impacts of Social Media on Kids

Here is a look at how social media can have negative implications on your child's overall well-being.

• Increased Anxiety

Social media is a common place for different influencers and celebrities to post their pictures and what's happening in their lives. A lot of kids follow these social media influencers and make them their ideals. Indirectly, kids are influenced to wear the same dresses and look like the people they are following on the internet. Not being able to imitate their dress, sense, or lifestyle may irritate them and create a feeling of defeat among kids. Continuous comparisons can take a toll on the mental health of the child and may lead to body dysmorphia as well.

• Cyber Bullying

Social media is also a common place for hackers and scammers to operate. Kids are under the radar of such people who target them for extortion and harassment. Also, a child's personal information might be leaked on the internet by these hackers. This may lead to severe humiliation and cause mental distress. Another threat that kids face on the internet is receiving anonymous hate comments and harassment threats from faceless trolls. Constantly receiving such hateful comments may be a highly disturbing experience for the child.

• Exposure to Sensitive Content

Several social media platforms allow unrestricted posting of violent content. Continuous consumption of such violent content may have a negative impact on the way a child views violence. It can either cause severe distress or may make a child very used to consuming such content. Either way, it's very harmful to the child and can have negative effects on their thoughts.

• Social Isolation

The very purpose of social media is to bring people closer. However, sometimes the virtual connection might become so addictive that kids stop interacting in real life. In no way social media should be an alternative for real-life connections. If a child continues this practice for a long time, then they may feel anxious in social situations. It might also create an impediment while making friends or networking in real life.

• Erratic Sleep Schedules

Sleep is critical for students as it lets the body rejuvenate and get ready for the next day. However, continuous engagement on social media platforms can disturb sleep schedules. Not getting enough sleep regularly can impact the academic performance of a child. Additionally, screens emit blue light that can pose a significant threat to the eyesight of the child.

• Body Image Issues

Being constantly exposed to so many pictures of people online, the child may create hypothetical body standards in their mind. This may create a sense of inferiority complex where a child feels lesser as compared to other people online. In this scenario, the child experiences severe mental distress and may indulge in unhealthy practices such as dieting for a very long amount of time. Social media can also be a reason kids are influenced to buy certain types of products to look like the influencers they see online.

How to Manage Kids’ Social Media Exposure

Here are some effective tips for parents to manage their kids’ social media exposure.

• Limiting Usage

Suddenly banning the usage of social media might not work out and may spoil your dynamics with your child. One has to take small steps at a time. This may begin with slowly limiting the usage of social media. You may keep a tap on the number of hours your child is spending on social media, and what exactly they are consuming. While studying or during family time, encourage the idea of not using phones. Leading by example is a good way of going forward as your child is going to learn how to manage using social media through you.

• Educate Them About Potential Threats

The kid is more likely to understand their parents' perception if given a more logical explanation. As a parent, you can try having open conversations with your child and explaining to them the potential risks of social media or how children can be made victims of virtual fraud. You may also take the support of some movies or podcasts to explain them better. If you feel that there are still some differences in opinions, then you may also take the help of an education counselor who can guide your child very professionally.

• Encourage Offline Activities

Kids need to go out there and explore nature and make real-life friends. Parents should adopt an encouraging attitude and motivate the kids to go out and play with their friends. Making real-life connections might make the child understand how important it is to get away from social media and see what life has to offer. It will also leave a very limited time for the child to operate their social media accounts.

Conclusion

Social media has a lot of benefits to consider. However, letting kids use social media without any monitoring or guidance from parents can lead to negative consequences. While it's important for children to stay updated with the latest technology, parents must analyze their social media presence and make sure that the kid doesn't end up in any kind of trouble or face mental health issues because of social media.