Social Media's Growing Impact On Our Lives - Summer Allen ✓ Solved

In Social Medias Growing Impact On Our Lives Summer Allen 2019 W

In "Social Media's Growing Impact on Our Lives," Summer Allen (2019) writes, "The question as to how social media affects psychological well-being—both for teens and adults—is a common one. While some studies have found associations between social media use and loneliness, depression, and poor life satisfaction, these associations don't necessarily mean that social media is to blame." Take a position. Does social media positively or negatively impact psychological well-being? First, title your post either "Social Media Positively Impacts Psychological Well-Being" or "Social Media Negatively Impacts Psychological Well-Being." For your initial post, address the following: Make your case by persuasively arguing your position.

Include at least one scholarly article to support your position. Link social media's effect on psychological well-being to at least one programmatic course theme: Self-care Social justice Emotional intelligence Career connections Ethics In your responses to your peers, consider how well they justified their positions, making use of available resources. Consider the following questions in your response posts: Did they support their position convincingly using credible resources? Which of their points makes the most sense to you, even if you made a case for the opposing viewpoint? Post an article, video, or visual to reinforce a peer's idea or challenge them to see their point from a different perspective.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Social media has become an integral part of daily life for billions globally. Its influence extends beyond communication, affecting psychological well-being in complex ways. While some research highlights negative impacts such as increased loneliness, depression, and anxiety, others emphasize potential positive aspects like community building and self-expression. This essay argues that, overall, social media negatively impacts psychological well-being, primarily due to its propensity to foster dependence, social comparison, and cyberbullying, which can detract from mental health.

The Negative Effects of Social Media on Psychological Well-Being

Numerous studies have demonstrated that extensive social media use correlates with adverse mental health outcomes. According to Keles, McCrae, and Grealish (2020), excessive engagement with social media is associated with increased levels of depression and anxiety, particularly among adolescents. These platforms often foster social comparisons, where users compare their lives to idealized portrayals of others, leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. For example, a survey by Lin et al. (2016) found that individuals who spend more time on social media report higher levels of loneliness and dissatisfaction.

Support from Scholarly Literature

A key study by Orben and Przybylski (2019) emphasizes that the relationship between social media and mental health is complex but tends toward negative outcomes when usage becomes compulsive or problematic. They highlight that problematic social media use correlates with increased depressive symptoms, especially when usage replaces face-to-face interactions and disrupts sleep patterns, which are crucial for psychological health.

Link to Programmatic Course Theme: Self-Care

The impact of social media on mental health underscores the importance of self-care strategies. Recognizing and managing one's social media consumption is critical to maintaining psychological well-being. Limiting screen time, curating positive content, and engaging in offline activities can serve as effective self-care practices to mitigate negative impacts. Incorporating mindfulness into daily routines is also beneficial for fostering mental resilience against the adverse effects of social media.

Conclusion

While social media offers valuable avenues for connection and self-expression, its potential for harm to psychological well-being is significant. By understanding these risks, individuals can adopt self-care practices to protect their mental health. Community awareness and educational interventions are also essential to foster healthier social media habits, ultimately safeguarding users' psychological well-being.

References

• Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93.
• Lin, L., Sidani, J. E., Shensa, A., Radovic, A., Miller, E., Colditz, J. B., ... & Primack, B. A. (2016). Association between social media use and depression among U.S. young adults. Depression and Anxiety, 33(4), 323–331.
• Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173–182.
• Twenge, J. M., Joiner, T. E., Rogers, M. L., & Martin, G. N. (2018). Increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among U.S. adolescents after 2010 and links to increased new media screen time. Clinical Psychological Science, 6(1), 3–17.
• Seabrook, E. M., Kern, M. L., & Rickard, N. S. (2016). Social networking sites, depression, and anxiety: A systematic review. JMIR Mental Health, 3(4), e50.
• Valkenburg, P. M., Peter, J., & Schouten, A. P. (2016). Friend networking sites and their relationship to adolescents’ well-being and social self-esteem: An overview. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(11), 631–636.
• Huang, C. (2017). Time spent on social network sites and psychological well-being: A meta-analysis. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 20(6), 346–354.
• Riehm, K. E., Feder, K. A., Tormohlen, K. N., Crum, R. M., & Reed, M. B. (2019). Associations between time spent using social media and internalizing and externalizing problems among U.S. youth. JAMA Network Open, 2(8), e196085.
• Barry, C. T., & Gasser, M. (2014). Framing the future: Social media and adolescent mental health. Adolescence, 49(193), 14–27.
• Littlefield, A. K., & Dykstra, N. (2020). The social media–depression link: A comprehensive review. Current Psychiatry Reports, 22(8), 43.