Can social media have a negative impact on young people’s mental health?
Today is World Mental Health Day and the focus is on young people and mental health in the changing world.
Adolescence and the early years of adulthood are a time of life when many changes occur, for example changing schools, leaving home, and starting university or a new job. For many, these are exciting times. However, they can also be times of stress and apprehension. In some cases, if not recognised and managed, these feelings can lead to mental illness. The expanding use of online technologies, while undoubtedly bringing many benefits, can also bring additional pressures, as connectivity to virtual networks at any time of the day and night grows.
Does spending too much time on Instagram and other social media platforms have the potential to negatively affect the mental health of young people? Whether it’s the influencer who owns an endless array of designer handbags, the personal trainer who’s fitted in a gym session before you’ve even woken up or the travel blogger that’s constantly hopping from continent to continent, regularly checking in with the platform’s millions of ‘inspirational’ posts, this could quickly make you feel pretty unblessed about your own life.
What are your views? Do you have experience of any young people in your life experiencing mental health issues? How does your experience of growing up before the internet compare with the youth of today? Was mental health a topic of discussion in your day?
