Adolescents Are Technology Driven. They Wish To Be In Contact

Pantic, Igor. "Online Social Networking and Mental Health." Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, vol. 17, no. 10, Oct. 2014, pp. 652-657. EBSCOhost, DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2014.0070. Doctor Pantic in “Online Social Networking and Mental Health” discusses various studies on Facebook and symptoms of depression, social

The use of social media and the role it plays in the life of an adolescent: specifically an increase of depressive symptoms, anxiety, disruptive sleep patterns, and at times conflict filled family relationships are dynamics that are still actively researched. Parenting teenagers in the digital age does not come with a how-to manual and there are no easy answers. However, there are trends and longitudinal studies that support the following hypothesis’: 1) The adolescent’s brain is undeveloped and influenced by the depth of it’s social network. Isolation, particularly in females can cause an increase in the ideation of suicidal thoughts, further, mental illness and sociability share a commonality. 2) Professionals such as pediatricians or trusted professionals should be a resource to help parents navigate the use of social media and their adolescent. There are pros and cons to the use of social media and striking the correct balance is not a simple task. 3) Social media use specifically at night, interferes with sleep patterns, quality of sleep, will to exercise and an increase in anxiety and depression. This impacts a person across a spectrum, from grades to interactions with family members.

According to Twenge, the number of teens that go out with their friends has decreased by 40 percent compared to earlier generations. Twenge compares iGens to different generations such as Gen X (born between 1965 and early 1984), baby boomers (1946-1964) and Millennials (born around 1982-2002). Twenge emphasizes on the time teenagers spend on their phones. Social media plays a huge role in this. In accordance to Twenge, different forms of social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are what teenagers spend more time on. According to Twenge, the more time teens spend on smartphones the greater they are at risk for suicide, depression, and loneliness. Twenge also explains how teens are not receiving an adequate amount of sleep, many teens now sleep less than seven hours. Twenge concludes the article by sharing her own experience with her children and technology, she recommends parents to limit the time their children spend on phones. (59-65)

October 15, 2010, the movie “The Social Network” was released and later received over $220 million dollars in revenue. The reason this movie received such a high amount of revenue is because of all the teenage users of social networking sites. This makes the debatable case of whether social networking is considered unhealthy for teenagers. But through common sense and logic, anyone can see that it should be considered a negative aspect because it encourages procrastination, creates a false sense of security, and allows teenagers to explore the option of suicide.

The use of social networking sites is rising at great rates. According to a report conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in 2012, ninety-five percent of individuals aged 12-17 use the internet; and eighty-one percent of those use social network sites (Pew Interest). Although it is known that social media can have a useful impact on lives, often times people forget that with a positive comes a negative. The continual use of social network sites will impact teen lives more negatively than positively because they can cause huge distractions from valuable and critical pursuits like education; they can also cause mental health issues and a reduction in communication skills.

Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders among college students is an area of concern among researchers, because of the relationship between quality sleep and quality of academic performance. The factors that have been shown to affect sleep quality or sleep patterns include staying up late, using social networking, and partying. This research uses a simple, unique survey instrument. A total of fifty college students participated in the study. Results substantiate the hypothesis that social media use is heavy among college students, and that the use of social media will be correlated with less sleep and less effective study habits. Future research may discover ways of helping students develop more balanced approaches to their academic, online, and social lives.

Generation Z is addicted to social media because it is the first thing they worry when they wake up. They pick up their phones to see what people posted in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening. Dr. Helen Driver, a somnologist (with means the study of sleep), explains, “The explosion of social media and people staying on devices for longer – and taking them to bed with them – is a huge problem”. Social media has effected Generation Z’s by sleep because the light is from the electronics which interferes with sleep. Not only does social media affect the quality of sleep but, the quantity of sleep too. The next morning, they only got a few hours of sleep and they do not feel well both physically and mentally. If someone has issues with turning off their electronic devices in the evening, then they should dim the lights or and turn the power off.

In the article “Constant Social Media and Teens’ Mental Health” Alan Mozes theorizes that ninety percent of teens all around the world use social media. Meaning that this could be affecting their mental health. Adolescents are now vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation due to social media use, says psychology administrator, Heather Cleland Woods. The article asserts that 467 people were asked about their social media use, what times of the day they use it, and the pressure they feel when they can not respond to a message. The tests show that those who were more involved and somewhat addicted to social media have the greater chance of depression, anxiety, and poor sleep. This test refutes that cutting the use of social media

Social media has negative effects on adolescents who overuse it. It is important as parents or guardians to remember to monitor how much kids use social media and when they use it. As a parent or guardian, you must remember that the disorders kids can get from overusing social media is real. Also remember that the internet isn’t always the safest place for our children. The use of social media can be damaging and it has no benefit. Keep control of your children’s use on social media to avoid these negative effects. The internet does interfere with daily

Social media seems to be one of the many hot topics of discussion recently, and consequently many people have the false sense of security that they have a profound knowledge on how it affects the health of the teenage population. A sedentary lifestyle, decreased sleep, as well as other physical health conditions seem to come to mind when one links health and social media. However, there is a much bigger problem that can go unnoticed because it can be impossible to see: the impact it has on mental and emotional health. These branches of health are just as important, and even arguably more important than physical health is. Social media can be utilized to connect with distant friends and express oneself; however, teenagers should refrain from the overuse of social media due to its detrimental effects on their mental and emotional health.

In this case, the study proved that teens and young adults have become obsessed with social networking and has led to many questions if networking is good or bad (Conger, 2010). In 2009, the media expressed that social networking could cause harm to our bodies and brains by “shortening our attention spans” and “weakening our immune systems” (Conger, 2010). Whereas other studies that have been conducted prove the opposite and suggests that teens who spend more time on social networking sites are more likely to be “well-adjusted” and “psychologically” healthy (Healy, 2010). At this point, it’s time to investigate the pros and cons of children being on social networking sites and understand why parents are against social networking and why certain individuals feel that networking is beneficial.

The most genuine complication of social media is addiction. A reporter on Salem health characterized that text messaging is no longer the biggest teenage obsession, and enormous phone bills from lengthy phone calls are no longer the biggest doubts for parents. These teenage addictions still remain, but in our generation and in analogy to the Facebook mania, it’s quite insignificant. Facebook addiction is advised to be a disorder driven by a craving. Not being able to access Facebook creates anxiety among fanatics. It is one of the most prominent social networking sites and has over one billion users without exception. People detach themselves from family and friends. Further symptoms of Facebook addiction have been related with needy sleep patterns. Researchers have also attempted to evaluate certain personality traits to the obsession. Being in touch with friends and family might clarify the logic why people are unreasonably obsessed.

Studies have shown that the average person now spends more time each day on their phone and computer than they do sleeping according to Nick McGillivray (“What are the Effects of Social Media on Youth?). Social has become part of our social society, especially for the many youths. There are positives to being on social media and also equal amounts of danger that come with using social networking sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. These social networking sites also have effects on today’s youth by altering the way they behave, the way they learn, in not only a classroom setting but also in the real world setting, and the way that they socialize with their peers and others.

With the development of advances in technology, communication through social networking has risen immensely. Communicating is not only less complicated, it is also relatively inexpensive. “Many teens in relationships view social media as a place where they can feel more connected with the daily events in there significant other’s life, share emotional connections, and let their significant other know they care” (Lenhart, Anderson, and Smith). However, the ease of access to social networking has allowed many adolescents to become overly involved. Networking has the potential to influence adolescents both emotionally and physically which in turn may lead to negative behaviors. An article from procon.org stated, “The use of social networking sites is correlated with personality and brain disorders, such as the inability to have in-person conversations, a need for instant gratification, ADHD, and self-centered personalities, as well as addictive behaviors” (ProCon.org). Essentially, social networking has rising negative influences on teens because of increased cyber bullying, lack of respect for personal privacy, and its addictive qualities.

As people use social networking sites more and more, psychological symptoms, such as social anxiety and depression, can begin to develop overtime. Feinstein’s research found that “depressed individuals also tend to engage in specific interpersonal behaviors, such as excessive reassurance seeking, that account for their greater likelihood of being rejected.”  Other social anxiety symptoms that can be triggered from excessive amounts of social networking include becoming less assertive, avoiding conflict, and expressing less emotion.  Results from Feinstein’s research also found that users directly felt a “depressed effect following interactions with romantic partners” and an “anxious effect following interactions with romantic partners” depending on how much time they spent on social media outside of their relationship.  Not only can the amount of time we spend on social networking affect us now, but it can also cause and make an individual more vulnerable to possible psychological problems in the future (Nauert).