The use of social media has been rising and over 3.6 billion people have social media accounts worldwide.  People of all ages have access to social media, but teens and younger adults are more likely to be active.  Social media is meant for people to feel connected online, but some often feel more lonely and isolated.  Face-to-face interaction with others makes one feel less lonely which creates real and healthier happiness, rather than online interactions.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, many relied on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to communicate which decreased face-to-face human interaction meaning more people especially teens felt distant and lonely.  A teen from Orange County explains, “staying connected with people, especially during this time, is extremely difficult.”  As COVID-19 is getting better, teens and young adults should “rather [be] encourage[d]” to have human interactions.  

Social media is kinda like ice cream.  The comparison seems weird, but both social media and ice cream are bad for an individual and can be addictive.  An individual is aware of the negative effects of social media and ice cream but continues to use or eat it.  Depending on how one uses social media, it can create a huge impact on one’s mental and physical health.  Similar to how ice cream can be addictive and unhealthy.  An example could be if an individual exposes themselves to bullying, then they are more likely to have anxiety.  Cyberbullying causes those who are targeted to feel vulnerable which eventually leads to constant anxiety.  Anxiety can create a huge impact on one’s life because there’s this constant indescribable feeling that causes pain.  Everyone has anxiety, but some may experience or have it worse than others.  Some anxiety even causes physical pain such as chest ache, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, or none of these physical traits. 

Social media can make one feel like a “useless tool” and worsen depression.  Those with depression usually feel sad and have a loss of interest in everything.  Social media only makes this feeling worse because an individual can feel more distant from others or have a fear of missing out. Depression is something that may never go away and many suffer with it everyday. People struggling with depression have a hard time opening up or have a hard time making it through the whole day, whether it’s work, school, or both.  The people and things you surround yourself with are what influences your behavior and attitude, so being around good people can make some days less painful.  

There are a lot of negative sides to social media, but there are also ways to avoid them such as surrounding yourself with people who make you genuinely happy.  Balancing a life on social media and genuine human interaction decreases the sense of loneliness.  Being around people who care about you makes you feel better overall.