Katie Mitchell
Editor-in-Chief
Katie Discusses the Effects of Social Media on Young Adults
Theodore Roosevelt once said “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Though he expressed this sentiment nearly 100 years ago, the sentiment could not ring more true today. In a culture of selfies, instagram and facetune, we are constantly barraged by images of perfection. Often, the standards are completely unattainable. How often have we viewed the “perfect” party on Snapchat only to later realize that it was actually a disaster? Or seen photos of a model who later admits to have used an excessive amount of professional photoshop? When we compare ourselves to these images, we are beholden to an imagined yardstick by which we measure ourselves. According to the Center of Disease Control, “More than 1 in 3 high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2020, a 40% increase since 2010.” This increase parallels the rise of social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok. So what can we do to create new measures of worth?
It is imperative for us to understand that the content we see on social media is not always the full story. Social media is often used to express the best aspects of our lives, creating a false narrative as to how our lives should look. While it is somewhat of an impossible task to delete the apps all together, we can learn to have a healthier relationship with them. Maybe every once in a while, we take a social media break. Or make a conscious effort to do something other than reach for our phones. And when we are on social media, focus only on the pages that actually bring us joy. With some perspective, we will be taking a step in the right direction of reducing the negative impact that social media can have on our mental health.
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