Social Media
Social Media and Mental Health
In this day and age it is nearly impossible not to have some type of social media presence. Social connections are an important part of our lives' and social media makes it easy to stay in touch when you are too busy or live far away. But how much does social media effect our mental health? This week I looked into articles about how we can prioritize our mental health when it comes to digital and social media.
Social media doesn't, by itself, make teens unhappy or anxious
This article reflected on a study of the effect social media has on teenagers. Research has shown that using social media and the amount 'screen time' has a negative effect on mental health. However, a new study shows that this alone does not harm mental health. Other factors (like bullying) combined with the use of social media can cause anxiety and unhappiness. The study asked questions to students in 9th grade and then separated them into groups based on gender and how often they used social media apps. They asked the same students the same questions when they were in the 10th and 11th grades. Researchers looked at: how much sleep they got, how much exercise the did, if they missed class, completed their work, or were bullied. Questions looked at both the mental and physical well-being of students.
Reading through the results I was not surprised by the results. Social media use increased as students got older and students who reported they were being bullied got less sleep, did not exercise, and were unhappy or anxious. This study shows that it is not social media in general that effects mental health but how people are using it.
Prioritizing Digital Wellness in Everyday Teaching
The second article I read discusses how teachers can talk to their students about digital wellness. One of the biggest takeaways I got was to make sure kids are included in the conversation, they are not going to want to listen if they feel like they are being lectured. It is important to remember that the conversation of digital wellness does not end after one conversation, but is a lifelong discussion. During these discussions it helps to remember that what is helpful for one person may be unhelpful for another. The article continues to share three ways teachers can integrate digital wellness discussions into their class routine: entry tickets, investigating new website together, and role modeling.
I enjoyed reading through this article because it recognizes that there is both good and bad to social media and what to do (and not do) in order to instill healthy digital habits. I appreciated how the author emphasized the need to have students involved in the discussion without judgement from the adult.
Overall
I think it is often perceived that when people spend too much time online their mental health is negatively effected. It is easy to blame social media as a whole, but it is important to remember that it is not all bad. Social media can be good when people are keeping in touch with others or an outlet for creative expression. Accessing harmful content or getting bullied is the side that will negatively effect mental health. Open discussions about digital wellness is a great way to help students learn how to take care of themselves and their mental health while still using social media.
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