Social media is widely used around the world. It’s a place to share, create, and communicate, but is it really good for you? The impact social media holds can heavily determine and affect the user’s mental health. It is important to have other activities rather than doomscrolling through socials.
Having hobbies is a great distraction from social media. There are many different hobbies to engage in, and each person can try any hobby to find their favorite. These hobbies may include reading, sewing, crafting, nail designing, traveling, doing sports, and so many more.
While yes, social media has many downsides, there are also upsides. Communicating with friends is a large one, as well as sharing ideas and providing quick access to information. However, the downsides can be very harsh. Studies have shown that nearly 50 percent of teens struggle with mental health from the use of social media. Social media is not worth ruining mental health for.
Cutting at least thirty minutes of screentime a day has been seen to improve mental health as well as focus. With cutting screentime, better connections can be made through the real world. Making real-world connections can boost your self-esteem and is one of the many other ways of cutting screentime.
Aleah Dickerson, a sophomore from Pahrump Valley High School, shared her experience with social media. Dickerson had a substantial amount of screentime, which had affected her mood. “Social media has given me an unrealistic expectation on life,” she stated. Now, she has many hobbies other than using social media. For instance, she travels often, reads, enjoys taking care of her many animals, and loves babysitting her younger cousins. “Once I figured out that not everything on social media is real, life got a whole lot better,” Dickerson explained.
Brooke Ivy, a sophomore at PVHS, has mixed feelings about social media. While she loves communicating with friends and being on social media, she has found that being off social media makes her happier. “Being off of my phone has given me more experiences in life,” Ivy expresses. Being off social media allows her to have more family time, which she heavily cherishes. “Family is one of the most important things to me, and it is important I spend more time with them,” Ivy explains. Like Dickerson, she has many hobbies that do not include a phone. She loves driving, managing football and wrestling, working hard in school, doing nails, and discovering other fun hobbies.
Social media has gained in popularity over the past few years, with the newest generation also engaging in it. It is important to engage in the real world rather than in social networks. There are so many different interests besides social media, and it is important to find something that suits you.
Overall, social media has its benefits and its disadvantages. There are so many other opportunities and experiences in life other than social media; it is important to experience new hobbies and activities for better mental health as well as increased productivity.
