About

Social Media is a relatively new platform in our society that continues to influence people and their behavior. Being that social media is so new to our society, there is a lot we still do not know about it. Due to this lack of knowledge, there is an ongoing discussion about whether or not there are negative health effects associated with the use of social media that we are currently unaware of. The discussion is largely centered around mental health specifically. As a user of social media, myself, I understand that social media has the possibility to affect mental health because it can be addictive and can promote self-conscious thoughts that can spawn into greater issues. Research and personal experience have led me to the central question of could social media be increasing the risk of mental health diseases? I think the answer to this question depends on two main factors: how frequently you use social media, and how mindful you are of what you are viewing on social media. Another important point to discuss is the need for educating people on the healthy use of social media. Education is the key to preventing unhealthy behavior. Education will also make sure everyone takes the health effects seriously. Since social media is so prevalent in most parts of the world, it is important that we research all the possible health effects in order to make informed decisions on how we should move forward with our use of it. Another reason this is so important to our society is that so many young people are using social media, and it is reasonable to assume that many of these young people are even more vulnerable to the potentially damaging health effects. There are hardly any government regulations when it comes to social media and its uses, which makes it even more important that there be research done to make sure it is not damaging. Depending on the research, it may become necessary for the government to step in and regulate things if it is for the betterment of public health.