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Social Mediosis: Will we ever get over the need to have an opinion about everything?
Why does the color of a dress or who is at fault in an accident matter so much? Why do we need to debate such things?
Last year, the United States Surgeon General issued an advisory about social media and its effects on the mental health of young people. In his advisory, Dr. Vivek Murthy acknowledges some benefits to the use of social media by kids, but also warns:
“However, social media use can be excessive and problematic for some children. Recent research shows that adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media face double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety; yet one 2021 survey of teenagers found that, on average, they spend 3.5 hours a day on social media. Social media may also perpetuate body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, social comparison, and low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls. One-third or more of girls aged 11–15 say they feel “addicted” to certain social media platforms and over half of teenagers report that it would be hard to give up social media. When asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% of adolescents aged 13–17 said social media makes them feel…
