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The Negative Affects of the Media on Teens |
Technological innovation has blessed people with advanced devices and facilities that have become an integral part of their daily lives. The Internet is taking the world by storm, creating greater ways to collaborate with people around the world. Unfortunately, teenagers' obsession with the Internet is starting to affect their overall well-being.
It is important to acknowledge that adolescence is a very vulnerable time when they are exposed to many different aspects of life. The impact that social media can have on teenagers should be an important consideration for informed adults. Social media can accelerate and support learning, but it can have some negative effects on teenagers.
Some of the negative effects of mass media on teenagers are:
1. Depression
Depression is the most common mood disorder associated with social media use. Women feel inferior to their counterparts in social media and are more likely to suffer from depression. The need to socialize, get attention, and be accepted by popular media friends can lead teenagers to develop these emotional disorders.
The Negative Affects of the Media on Teens
2. Cyberbullying
Cyber bullies use social media sites to spread false, negative and offensive information about certain users. Cyberbullying is a major social media crime that causes cognitive problems in users, such as anxiety, low self-esteem, loneliness, and suicide. Privacy settings on social media accounts only allow selected contacts to view specific content posted by users. But privacy is almost non-existent in the media. Social media erodes privacy, exposing youth to image-based bullying and body shaming.
3. I am addicted to the Internet
Unsupervised media use leads to Internet addiction among teenagers. As children spend more time online, they are exposed to new ideas and stories, which makes them want to learn more. If not managed early, this research becomes addictive and can affect children's personal development, mental health, and academic performance. Media can affect brain development by influencing how we process information, how we respond to situations, and how we retain information. Internet addiction can cause structural changes in the brain and a decrease in gray matter. Too much media exposure can cause teenagers to spend more time on assignments, which hinders the quality of their studies and homework.
4. Insomnia
Social media is one of the main causes of insomnia in teenagers. Teenagers are active on the Internet, especially during sleep. This disrupts sleep patterns and increases the risk of sleep loss. Social media use can disrupt sleep patterns, forcing teens to stay up all night to check notifications. It is true that teenagers need 7-8 hours of sleep and not sleeping properly can be harmful to health. They have learning and concentration problems and are constantly stressed or anxious. They may be irritable and suffer from health problems such as viral infections, acne and weight gain.
5. Low self-esteem
Women come across some images of perfection. The Internet flashes the ideal body type that may have been cosmetically altered. Unrealistic beauty standards affect the self-esteem of teenagers whose bodies are undergoing unexpected changes. Images of models showing perfect skin and color can create insecurities among teenagers. Constant exposure to misunderstood standards can affect how teenagers control their bodies. These controls can have a negative impact on the mental and physical health of adolescents.
6. Social skills
Social skills help teenagers build and maintain friendships with peers. Because athletes spend a lot of time on social networking sites, they develop communication skills that cannot be used in the real world. Although social networking sites have been found to strengthen existing relationships, it is important for teenagers to learn how to connect with people in a meaningful and personal way. In the real world, social isolation can lead to depression and suicidal tendencies. Because athletes spend more time on social networking sites than interacting with real people in the offline world, it is difficult to develop effective social skills and prone to psychological problems.
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