Constantly connected to the internet, today’s teens use social media for many purposes, but the overuse of social media can lead to serious problems for teens.
Technology is constantly changing and creating new innovative ways for people to connect with one another. One of the most common uses of new technologies, especially byteenagers, is social media.
While initially little was known abouthow social media affects teens, theimpact of social media on teenshas begun to be understood. Research onsocial media and teenshas indicated that technology may increase peer pressure and bullying while also leading to increasedsubstance useandmental health concerns.
The Rise of Technology
Since the beginning of the public use of the internet in1991, people have found new ways to use this technology. As technology has expanded and become more accessible,teen internet usehas skyrocketed.
Withteen media consumptionon the rise, companies are more frequently cashing in on themedia influence on teens. With industry reports deeming teensthe most valuable customers, targeted marketing to teens is unlikely to go away. Today’s teens, known as Generation Z, are, as a group, overwhelmingly more connected through technology than generations past.
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To understand the increase inteen technology use,statisticscan be used to paint a clear picture of the new youth culture. Some importantGeneration Z technology statisticsto know include:
- Nearly all teens, or 95% of them, have access to smartphones
- Almost halfof teens (45%) report being connected through technologyalmost constantly
- Another 44%of teens are online several times a day
- Most teensbelieve that social media use has a neutral effect on them
- Less than one quarter(24%) of teens believe that social media is negative
Teens and Social Media
Asteen social media statisticshave indicated, nearly all teens use social media and most believe their social media use has either a neutral or a positive effect on them. Despite a minority reporting negative effects of social media, some teens indicate negative outcomes, including:
- 45%of teens feel overwhelmed by online drama
- 43%of teens feel pressured to maintain a particular outward appearance online
- 37%of teens feel pressured to receive virtual “likes”
Despite acknowledging these negative impacts,teen social mediause continues to rise. While Facebookonce dominatedthe market, teens have branched out to other platforms. Some of themostpopular teen social media sitesinclude:
- Snapchat
- Youtube
Social Media and Peer Pressure
Teen peer pressureis an issue regardless of social media use. However, when combined,social media and peer pressurecan be especially damaging. With59% of teensreporting that they have been bullied online, also known as cyberbullying, the potential for teens to feel pressure from social media is clear.
Peer pressureto use drugs and alcohol was once thought to be onlywithin high schoolsocial gatherings, but social media has created a new mechanism that encouragesteen substance abuse. Studies have found that as many as75% of teensfelt pressured todrink alcoholand use drugs after seeing their friends post these activities online.
Access to Drugs
Social media doesn’t just pressure teens to use substances, it provides aplatform for online drug dealers. In some cases, this may meansocial media drug dealing, in which a person connects with someone they know, or a stranger, to set up a drug deal. In other cases, it may mean teens buyingdrugs online, often throughsocial media.
Whetherpurchased through social media connections or bought from the “dark web,”teen drug usehas been made easier with the rise of technology. Due to the subversive nature of online drug dealing,researchers have struggledto estimate how many drugs are sold and to whom. Despite not having this data, newsreports of overdose deathscaused by substances bought online show that this is a very real problem.
Social Media and Mental Health
Social media exposes teens to more than drugs. The compound effects of peer pressure and unrealistic expectations of life facilitated through social media may cause an increase inteen mental healthconcerns.
While many culprits have been blamed for theincrease in mental health concernsamong young people,social media and mental health statisticsclearly show that technology plays a large role.
For example:
- Researchers who limited study participants’ use of social media to only 30 minutes each day found that after three weeks, participantsfelt less depressed and less lonely
- In another study, researchers found that young womenfelt worse about their appearanceand were dissatisfied with their bodies after viewing social media profiles of women they deemed as more attractive
Research onsocial media and mental healthhas found a connection between social media use andincreasedsocialanxiety, feelings of isolation and feelings of loneliness. Some have deemed that the measures of popularity created by social media such as friend counts and “likes” havecontributed to a rise in depression. Others claim that seeing other people having fun and spending time with friends through social media can lead to feelings of isolation and inadequacy related todepression.
Considering how much time teens spend online, it is particularly concerning that as little as two hours online has been linked to an increase inrisk factors for suicide. When the time spent online rises to five hours or more, the increase in suicide risk factorsrises to 71%.
Whether the death of a peeror a celebrity, how the media talks about suicide can impact the potential of others to commit suicide in the wake. The way that social media allows these potentially harmful presentations of suicide to proliferate may make therisk of contagion more severe.
Does Your Teen Need Addiction Treatment?
With the rise in use of social media and the associated spike in mental health and substance use concerns, it can be difficult to know what to do if you ora loved oneis struggling.
To understand whether your teen needs addiction treatment, you can:
- Have aconversation with them about drug use
- Talk with their pediatrician or doctor
- Take a quiz: Is my loved one addicted to alcohol?
- Take a quiz: Is my loved one addicted to prescription drugs?
- Take a quiz: Is my loved one addicted to illicit drugs?
If yourteenstruggles withsubstance abuse, it may be time to considerteen addiction treatment. Consideringteen drug rehabcan be very difficult on parents and guardians but ultimately could save a life. Recovery is possible and doesn’t have to wait. Young people can stop using drugs and enter recovery. To learn more abouttreatment optionsavailable for teens,reach outto a representative at The Recovery Village.
