The double edge of social media

I know we can find it within ourselves to put the phone down for a fraction of the day if it means reclaiming the connections worth keeping.

As the buzz of lively cicadas and humidity of heat waves come to an end, the obnoxious ring of the school bell interrupts the daydream that was summer.

This is a tale as old as time, but summers for students aren’t what they used to be. Here’s the secret: the season brings high screen time and low self-esteem—at least for me it did.

When I reflect on July and most of August, I picture the occasional days where I would take a break from the stresses of summer work. I was scrolling through my phone for hours—was it a conscious choice or ingrained routine?

Social media platforms are designed to influence our behavior and keep users engaged. Individuals can even find a universal means of communication by sharing posts, liking reels and creating content. It even provides an outlet for self-expression, which was especially evident during COVID-19. During quarantine, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and other platforms became a means of support for many people—a way of introducing our newfound hobbies to the world. However, during this same time, it also became clear how social media affected—and still affects—our attention span. The content is tailored towards the individual. Bottomless scrolling alongside the rush of finding posts that align with us contribute to hours spent online—and even our generation’s declining mental health.

Social media often contributes to low self-esteem and a distorted self-image. In a systematic review conducted by Betul Keles, et al., researchers found that the use of social media is significantly correlated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. Within the span of a couple of minutes, you're exposed to quixotic portrayals of life—the successes, triumphs and wins. From body image to relationships, teens subconsciously compare themselves.

If it's not comparison, it’s social isolation. In a report by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, young adults with high social media usage feel more socially isolated than their peers with lower social media usage. While social media provides fast communication and possible connection to friends, it can also replace crucial face-to-face conversation. When we connect to the digital world, we disconnect from our reality—escapism at its finest.

I am not a social media abstainer nor am I anti-phone usage; it’s a respectable means of community building and provides vast opportunities in networking. However, when we use social media for three to six hours a day, it’s no longer a simple way to socialize—it has become a serious drawback for our mental health. Social media, alongside the stresses of adolescence, allows anxiety and depression to flare like a common teen zit.

So, what is to protect adolescent mental health and prevent the problems that stem from social media? Legislation, of course.

As part of Governor Hochul’s $1 billion investment in mental health statewide, Hochul’s new policy “More Learning, Less Scrolling: Creating Distraction-Free Schools,” promises to restrict phone usage in schools K-12 throughout the entire school day; she emphasizes how phone-free schools will support the mental health of students and teachers. When Somers schools open in September, students like me will secure our phones in school-issued pouches, which we can keep throughout the day.

The relationship between mental health in teens and social media is long and complicated; it’s become blatantly obvious social media can be advantageous yet detrimental to mental health. Like most new things, there are bound to be quite a few holes in the phone restriction policy. It will present minor inconsistencies and definite inconveniences. The policy won’t change a student's screentime at home. Students could also find ways to circumvent the rules. However, the long-term impact is clear: it will facilitate personal social interactions and psychological well-being. I know we can find it within ourselves to put the phone down for a fraction of the day if it means reclaiming the connections worth keeping.

Anna Huber is a junior at Somers High School and is the vice president of the Tusker Times.