The amount of time teens spend on their phones on a daily basis is shocking. Recent studies show teens are on their phones six to nine hours a day! That’s half your day wasted with a screen in your face.

There are many pros when it comes to social media and the internet. You can easily take learning classes online to gain knowledge and earn degrees. These courses can be completed comfortably at home or wherever you want. There are absolutely no limits! Both social media and the internet are good ways to communicate and stay connected with friends and family with apps like Facetime, Messenger, Snapchat, etc. It’s an even better way to meet and connect with new people and make friends. On top of this, the media is such a good way to easily access research and information on limitless topics. The possibilities are endless with the internet!

The internet is a fast and effective way to offer support and spread the news. It’s good for sharing topics worldwide, showing empathy and kindness to others going through tough times, and being supportive all around the world. But with the pros, there are cons. The internet can be and is very addicting. It is easy for young teens to be influenced by others and partake in harmful trends. Online bullying and harassment have become extremely popular in this day in age. Bullies find more comfort in making fun of others while hiding behind a screen.

Humans have become heavily reliant on the media. This includes everyone; children, teens, young adults, adults, and even seniors. Spending less quality time with friends and family and constantly having a screen in your face is not living. Many have gotten used to looking answers up every time they come across a problem. For example, students can use apps such as Photomath and Mathway to look up answers in their math classes. Not only does it just give the answer, but it also shows how to do it. Students can easily copy it down and pretend that they did it all by themselves. This allows kids to take the easy route to get a good grade without much work put into it.

Social media v.s. reality is huge. People can pretend to be someone they’re not just to look cool or better than others. This includes photoshop, face tune, and editing pictures which may lead to self-image issues for that person and many others. Viewers may think things such as ¨Why don’t I look like that?¨ and ¨Why can’t I look more like them?¨ or ¨Wow, they are flawless.¨. Self-image issues can easily lead to eating disorders, low self-esteem, and other unhealthy habits for teens.

Depression and suicidal thoughts are common issues among teens, and social media doesn’t make it any better. If anything, social media can make issues worse. Sure social media doesn’t affect everyone and has many benefits, but many teens have been exposed to so much harmful content at a young age that it’s affecting their mental health and performance in life. Is the internet truly the best for young teens’ mental health?