

As teachers, it is our job to ensure that our students are able to learn in an equitable and safe learning environment that fosters quality learning. Over the past decade, there has been a massive increase in the availability of mobile devices, with there now being more gadgets in the world than people (Boren 1). This has varying implications for both teachers and students as our world becomes steadily more digitalized. It is not uncommon for adolescents to be connected through not only one but multiple modes of technology, with the average house hold having at least three electronic devices (Buckle 1). These devices allow for adolescents to connect with one another from all over the world through Social Networking Sites (SNS), such as ‘Facebook, ‘Twitter,’ ‘Instagram’ and so on. But, at what cost? Studies show that those who use SNS more frequently are at higher risk of suffering from serious mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem (Wood 203). These mental health issues can greatly impact our students as adolescence is a time where students attempt to discover who they are and where they belong in society. Although there has been proven to be a relationship between poor mental health and high SNS use, it is unclear whether adolescents are having mental health issues because of the high use of these sites or, if those who already have mental health problems use SNS more often. In this essay, I will look at both the positives and negitives of SNS, how they affect different aspects of students’ mental health, the implications of SNS use on teaching and students and what we as teachers can do to help our students. I will conclude that SNS further mental health issues in adolescents and have adverse effects on schooling and that they can have extreme negative effects on students and their mental welling.  As teachers, it is important to be aware of the affect SNS can have on our students and how we can help prevent further issues so to ensure our students have the best quality of life possible. 

Social media has become an integral part of society ever since the invention of the smart phone. We are now able to connect with people from the other side of the world any time of the day simply through the push of a button. Sites such as ‘Facebook,’ ‘Twitter’ and ‘Instagram’ allow us to share our thoughts and experiences with our followers at any given time and in a variety of ways. SNS enable those without a voice to speak, people who have trouble communicating face to face with others a safe and less anxiety inducing way to express themselves, they allow us to reconnect with people you lost contact with and helps us stay connected with the people in our life we deem worthy enough to let into our electronic social space. Social media has even been found to have a positive effect on those who suffer from Serious Mental Illness (SMI) in relation to boosting their civic engagement (Brusilovskiy 327). Social media can help hinder SMI patients sense of loneliness and diminish low quality of life (Brusilovskiy 329). Students can use social media to share resources for group assignments and some teachers even make mock ‘Facebook’ accounts that their students can contact them on to ask about homework, assignments and anything they may have missed in class. Social media also allows for self-disclosure, which is an important part of identity development and students are more likely to self-disclose through ‘Facebook’ than face to face with peers (Shapiro 16). SNS’s also offer adolescents the opportunity to express who they are to the world, something that can at times be difficult and confronting (Shapiro 13). There is no doubt that social media has been revolutionary in allowing individuals to connect and share with others. 

Chowdhry, (1) in his article on the link between heavy social media use and mental illness, found that those who use social media more frequently are 2.7 times more likely to suffer from depression. A study conducted for the article also found that one quarter of its participants showed high indicators of depression (Chowdhry 1). Nuzum (1) furthers this by suggesting that the more social media platforms you use, the more likely you are to suffer from anxiety and depression. The author also refers to a survey conducted for the purpose of the article that found that those who use 7-10 social media platforms are 3 times more likely to suffer mental health issues than those who use 0-2 (Nuzum 1). Both articles findings show that there is a direct link between SNS use and mental health issues. The availability of social media is contributing to the rise of mental health issues in adolescents with ninety-three percent of teenagers between the ages of 12-17 having access to a computer in their household (Cry 90).  Rogers (80) notes that adolescents from Western societies are more likely to commit suicide than those from developing societies such as Asia, Africa and Latin America. This information furthers the link between social media use and mental health issues as adolescents from less developed countries may not have as much access to social media as those from Western societies. This in turn shows that the mere availability of social media in today’s society alone is causing problems.  

It is important to understand why those who use social media more frequently are more likely to suffer from mental health issues and the implications this has on both teaching and learning (Woods 41). SNS are often mocked for creating a disconnect amongst teenagers as they were originally designed to keep people connected with their family and peers. Despite being designed to keep us connected, studies have found that interactions made on social media lack the quality found in face to face interactions (Banjanin 10). There has also been found to be a higher rate of mental health issues in adolescents who spend more time online than those who spend less than two hours a day (Radovic 9). This varies depending on how an individual is using social media. An adolescent who uses social media two hours a day to send messages to their friends is less likely to suffer from a mental health issue than an adolescent who spends two hours scrolling down their news feed (Radovic 9). This brings into question what it is about the content seen on social media that is negatively affecting our students. Girls who spend more time looking at pictures of perceived beautiful and idealistic girls on ‘Facebook’ have lower self-esteem (Shapiro 13).  Also, those who are more active on ‘Facebook’ report having less support from their friends and family and agree that those who spend less time on social media are happier (Shapiro 13). This shows that social media can have negative effects on our students’ self-esteem as they compare themselves against pictures they see on the internet. This is undesirable as low self-esteem can lead to depression and other mental health issues.

One of the most prevalent issues related to students and social media use is that of cyber bulling. Cyber bullying has become an increasing issue with the growth of social media outlets such as ‘Facebook,’ ‘Instagram’ and ‘Twitter’ as these sites allow for bullies to reach their victims from behind closed doors.  Cyber bullying is a serious issue in relation to schooling as victims of bullying can become withdrawn, anxious, tense, worrisome and in extreme cases, suicidal (Lodge 330). Bullying directly effects teaching as students who are being bullied are less likely to participate in class for fear of drawing further attention to themselves. Bullying not only involves the bully and the victim but also those who witness it (Lodge 331). Cyber bullying can leave the victim feeling isolated, helpless and withdrawn. Rogers (Pg. 90), notes that there is a direct link between social media usage and a decline in individual’s overall wellbeing with social media creating a new form of isolation and loneliness, despite being a platform designed to encourage communication.

SNS can have varying adverse effects on adolescents, one of which being that they can affect a student’s identity development. Duchesne (108), defines identity as an internal structure in which we organize out beliefs, abilities, needs and self-perception. Sites, such as ‘Facebook’ and ‘Instagram,’ enable one to create an online identity that represents either who they are or who they would like to be. ‘Facebook’ allows for a variety of different forms of interactions, both positive and negative. One issue of SNS that can have a negative effect on students is that they often evaluate their worth from the number of friends and ‘likes’ they have. This encourages them to develop their identity for specific audience or purpose (Jordan-Conde 356). Jordan-Conde (356), suggests that ‘Facebook’ has become a venue for identity experimentation and is important for adolescents as it allows them to facilitate their relationships and communicate with their peers.  However, Jordan-Conde (360) also note that it provides a danger to adolescents if they are not mature enough to understand the potential harm that disclosing so much online can have on their wellbeing. Cyr (83) notes that the popularity of SNS with adolescents has grown exponentially with little research conducted to understand the influence they can have on adolescent’s development. As teachers, it is important that we understand the implications social media has on learning, and that we could be able to recognize when a student may be becoming distressed. Students grades are effected by social media use in a variety of ways. Shapiro (14) also found that SNS can hinder academic performance as a large number of students surveyed for the article admitted to using their phone in class to check their social media. Social media can be a huge distraction in the classroom as students are anxious to keep up to date with their friends and what is going on in the world. Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety also hinder students’ academic performance. Students who suffer from mental health problems are more likely to become withdrawn and disengaged in schooling (Radovic 10). This in turn effects with overall academic performance and general wellbeing. In his article on the positives and negative effects of social media, Radovic (12) found that depressed adolescents are more prone to negative social interactions and are more likely to engage in risky behavior and post negative content. 

Social media has a variety of adverse effects on adolescents such as mental health issues, low self-esteem, cyber bullying and poor academic performance with adolescents who use social media more often, more likely to be affected. Although it is clear that the more time spent on social media greatly increases one’s risk of suffering from a mental health problem it is unclear whether social media is making individuals depressed or if depressed individuals use social media more often. Radovic (5), in her article ‘Depressed adolescents' positive and negative use of social media,’ suggests that depressed adolescents use social media more frequently than non-depressed adolescents as a form of escape. This furthers adolescents depression as, as discussed earlier, social media can create a sense of isolation, loneliness and further depression and anxiety. Also, high social media use has been directly linked to poor sleep quality with poor sleep quality contributing to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem (Woods 48). This shows that social media use furthers depression and other mental health issues in adolescents as it effects aspects of their lives such as sleep quality which in turn affect their mental wellbeing. 

As teachers, it is important to be aware of how social media is affecting our students. Teachers should be educated on the effects of social media and how to properly handle situations involving cyber bullying and inappropriate content sharing. It is our job to ensure our students feel safe and engaged at school. Social media creates disengagement amongst students as those who are being bullied are less likely to participate and those who suffer from mental health issues become withdrawn and lose their drive. Teachers can educate students through implementing programs on safe social media use and what to do if you are feeling depressed. Introducing programs into schools allows students to explore and develop an understanding of their own and alternative coping strategies in a safe and supportive environment (Lodge 335). As high school is a time where students develop a sense of identity, it is important for teachers to be aware of psychology behind indemnity development. Although social media is not a desirable way for students to form a sense of identity, with technology becoming increasingly the norm, we must be aware the students’ identity development is going to be influenced by SNS. Again, this calls for a need to educate students about what is and is not appropriate to share online and the issues regarding online safety. Teachers need to be educated in recognizing the signs of a decline in a student’s mental health so they are able to get them assistance and intercept before it becomes more of an issue. 

In conclusion, social media has grown exponentially over the past three decades with adolescents being connected not only multiple devices but also multiple social media platforms. Social enables us to stay connected with others, no matter how far away they are, at any given time and place. Despite the positives social media has on keeping us connected, it has also been proven to have a negative effect on one’s mental health and overall wellbeing. This has a variety of implications for teachers as the students who use social media more often are more likely to suffer from such issues which greatly impacts on their schooling. Issues such as cyber bullying disrupt the classroom dynamic and hinder participation and engagement. Also, students who are depressed tend to become withdrawn and disengaged which impacts on their grades. It is important that teachers are educated in a way so that we are able to recognize when a student is distressed. Students who already suffer from mental health problems use social media more often which creates a negative cycle. It is important to educate our students on how to use social media smartly and what to do if they need help. As teachers, it is our job to ensure our students are able to learn in an equitable and safe learning environment. As social media becomes increasingly popular, it is important to be aware of the implications it has on both teaching and learning so we are able to better cater to our students needs and ensure they have the best quality of life possible.

 