In the Metro newspaper, there was an article discussing teen anxiety and the correlation between social media and anxiety in adolescents.
The study
The study highlighted the growing concerns of excessive social media use and reliance, linking it to teen anxiety and depression.
According to the article, social media causes teenagers to worry about ‘staying in the loop’, and puts pressure on them to be available 24/7.
This leads to teens checking their phones constantly, even at night. This impacts their quality of sleep and can eventually cause sleep deprivation – something which has been linked to an increased vulnerability to anxiety.
Teen anxiety and ‘double screen’ culture
We live in an ‘always on’ world. Social media allows us to stay connected with each other around the clock. And for many of us, it’s big part of everyday life. So much so, that we find ourselves checking your social media at every opportunity.
Just think of how many times you’ve picked up your phone to check your socials when watching TV (double screening). Or how many times you’ve procrastinated at work by having a quick scroll through your feed.
Many teens are unaware of the pressure that social media puts on them to always be available. Not to mention the addictive nature of notifications. That hit of dopamine we get when checking our social media pages, emails or smartphones.
This is a growing concern in regards to the physical and mental health of teenagers.
Some people are even starting to gain more pleasure from their virtual interactions than their physical ones. This can lead to them neglecting their physical health (lack of sleep and general agitation from being disconnected from the internet). We are spending more time than ever propping up or virtual identities and neglecting our real-world commitments.
