The Damaging Effects of Social Media

Technology changes every single year, bringing new ways to connect with people, especially through social media platforms.

Connecting with people is great, especially when it is with people all over the world whom you normally would not be able to connect with if it weren't for social media platforms. However, social media is not always a positive thing.

The Danger of Social Media

Social media can be daunting, with the help of how photos can be edited and distorted.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Instagram versus reality”? That could not be more true.

Social media platforms like Instagram are starting to cause false realities, and people are really starting to compare themselves to fake realities that people post on their Instagram.

Instagram’s Effect on Young Girls

Researchers found “32% of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse” in a study recently published in 2020.

Women have always been held to such high standards when it comes to body image and beauty. Now with the help of editing apps, they are being held to unrealistic standards, which is related to an overall decline in women’s mental health.

Social media can be detrimental to people’s mental health, and it is concerning how much it is affecting teen girls. Studies report 6% of American teen girls admitted to have suicidal ideations. These teens partly attribute Instagram as a player in contributing to those negative thoughts and lower self-image.

Take Care of Your Mental Health

The negative effect social media has on society (especially teens) is causing an uproar…so let’s be loud about this!

Let’s start taking care of you.

Carving time out to check into counseling is a great idea. PLC is here to help you through the pressure of looking or acting “perfect”. We know there is no such thing. We know and want you to accept yourself and others as they are. Let us help you rebuild that self-esteem and positive image of yourself. You’re amazing. You’re worth it. We know that. Sometimes we have “phone face” and fall into the rythym of swiping and living online…it happens. When we get stuck in that grove we can find ourselves having some pretty intrusive and negative self-talk. Our thoughts get a little messy and inaccurate. It’s hard to decipher the what images are real these days. You don’t have to live in that mess by yourself. Your therapist can you navigate through those messy throughts.

What you see on social media is not always real.

You are real.