Social media awareness

In each hand of today’s youth is a cell phone, in their backpacks you can find computers, and in their homes you may find iPads. Unfortunately, aside from the positive aspects social media brings us, such as awareness and worldwide connectivity, there are mental health issues that are developing as a result of overuse.

A study done by the Psychology Department at the University of Michigan found that Facebook use was linked to less moment-to-moment happiness and less life satisfaction. The more people used Facebook in a day, the more these two variables dropped off (Plos Journal). Issues as simple as a negative attitude and as deep as depression and suicide are exponentially growing. In addition, applications such as Facebook and Instagram make it far too easy for users to compare their lives and their items to everyone around them.

If we do not raise awareness of these issues or develop a solution, we will see more and more negative changes in the next generations. Work ethic will drop and insecurities will rise until we are able to find a balance for use of social media in our world.

Aleisha Gable

Cheney