Paper 3 Final Draft - 2
Paper 3 Final Draft - 2
Paper 3 Final Draft - 2
Alexa Peraza
Emily Litle
ENG1021
2 April 2023
Social Media is gaining subscribers every day, and youth are actively using one or more
social media platforms. For a technology that is supposed to bring people closer together, it can
have the opposite effect and affect the way we carry ourselves and our social media platforms.
We should be aware that what we post and say on social media can impact others and ourselves
in positive and negative ways. Social media has a greater impact on teenagers and young adults
because they are the most involved. Excessive use of social media can lead to anxiety,
depression, and loneliness. Social media is something that is involved in our daily life, and it is
something we need to fix if it is affecting our mental health. While there are many positive
impacts of social media on young people, there are also negative repercussions of the use of
Mental health is crucial and integrates a component of health. Mental health includes an
individual's psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Proper mental health results in
proper mental functioning- in being productive in activities, having healthy and fulfilling
relationships with other people, and having the ability to cope and adapt to adversity.
Adolescence is a stage for young people to have a healthy start in life, but having a healthy
lifestyle starts with the right state of mind. Mental health is more important now than ever
before. When we focus on it, every aspect of life can be better off. The importance of good
mental health ripples into everything we do, think, or say. Addressing mental health at an early
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age can lead to good, successful treatment and a healthy lifestyle. Making yourself feel better
The sources I used in this paper will include several facts and explanations that describe
how teens' mental health is being destroyed due to the excessive time spent on social media.
Explaining the importance of mental health and the leading effects it has on children is crucial.
Overall I will use the sources to prove that teens should not use social media at a time of mental
development growth.
“Is Social Media Threatening Teens' Mental Health and Well-being?” Health Matters,
https://healthmatters.nyp.org/is-social-media-threatening-teens-mental-health-and-well-
Throughout the article, there are several examples of how teens experience several
mental health issues connected to social media. These mental effects can be long-term and take a
toll on a teenager's mental state. Research has found that the more time spent on social media,
the more likely a teen will experience mental health symptoms. These issues include anxiety,
isolation, and hopelessness. High levels of social media over 4 years have been linked and have
been associated with increased depression in middle and high school youth. Many teens tend to
rely heavily on and sit back with social media to relieve the feeling of anxiety, problems, and
depression. While doing so they are reducing their connections with people and missing the
opportunity to have face-to-face conversations. Teens prone to concerns about their self-image
will tend to compare themselves to what's on social media. Worrying too much about likes,
followers, and comments is the major problem teens face in today's generation. Having this type
of mindset can lead to an increase in depression and isolation. And like many cases, if bullying is
According to a Pew research study, teens who spend more than 3 to 6 hours a day are at
risk. In doing so teens lack spending time on extracurricular activities, school, and
developmental growth. Being on social media takes away from being part of the community,
personal growth, and building connections. Teens who suffer from ADHD are more likely to fall
into a hole of more social media and fewer real-world interactions. Gaming plays a big role,
living a fake fantasy can create a fake image of the real world making teens feel like they are
I believe this article is useful for my paper because it provides evidence of how mental
health and social media are connected. The article provides clear examples of how social media
Gordon, Sherri. “What Are the Effects of Cyberbullying on Children?” Verywell Family,
“What Are the Effects of Cyberbullying on Children” provides knowledge to argue why
social media has a negative link to mental health. Social media is a source provided for everyone
around the world. Cyberbullying is a very common, unnoticed thing that happens on the internet.
Cyberbullying can be particularly damaging and can occur any time, day or night, and can
sometimes be anonymous. Studies found that online pictures and posts were more damaging than
harassment received through text messaging or phone calls. This is a significant stressor in a
young life; 32% of teens that are targeted experience symptoms of stress. This makes them feel
embarrassed, hurt, and fear for their safety. Cyberbullying creates a bubble of emotions
surrounding the mind. Making it hard to consider the world around the same as others as well as
losing interest in many of the activities teens would find fun and interesting.
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Verywell Family is an outstanding resource because it is very easy to read. This website
gives clear headings on what the paragraph will be about. This website gives me a clear
understanding of cyberbullying and mental health. I will use the intelligence gained from this
article to argue that social media can be toxic platforms that can not only ruin a teen's mental
Gordon, Sherri. “How FOMO Impacts Teens and Young Adults.” Verywell Family, 6
When it comes to social media and teens' mental health these things should not be taken
lightly. In today’s society missing out on something bothers some teens so much there is even a
special word for that sick feeling they get in the pits of their stomachs: FOMO. This causes teens
to believe that because they are missing out they have a low social rank. This is not only
common in teens, but studies have shown that groups ages 18 to 33 have admitted to
experiencing FOMO regularly. Many teens are more concerned with the life they live inside the
phone rather than living the life outside of it. This causes many teens to lose- a self identity
which leads to struggling with low self-esteem. Social media platforms have so much fame
because of FOMO. Advent to social media has boosted it. It is very easy for a teen to get caught
up in comparing their lives to everyone else on social media. This leads to fear, depression, and
wanting to live a fake life. 60% of teens feel worried because their friend is having fun without
them. 51% feel anxious because they don't know where their friend is without looking at social
media.
This article not only explains the downfalls FOMO can have on mental health but also
explains and gives tips on how teens can prevent the feeling of missing out. A well-balanced life
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comes from knowing your true self rather than trying to be what social media portrays. This
article will be helpful in my argument because it can give other examples of how social media
disrupts mental health barriers. Further, it shows how everything on social media is linked to