Social Media Like a New Trend

Social media is conceived as an internet-based form of communication, where individuals create profiles in order to engage and stay connected with the world. Recently, the use of social media has increased and is considered an essential part of today's society. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, SnapChat or any other platform, it has captured millions of users around the world, the heaviest of them are typically teenagers and young adults. Thus, they are the most affected users by its outcomes. Recently, we are witnessing intensive misuse of social media. Therefore, it is essential that parents help their teenagers use the social media in a responsible way and regulate the time they spent online, because overusing these sites can lead to addiction and depression.

Although the use of social media seems like a new trend, but the roots stretch far deeper than what you might imagine. Sites like Facebook and twitter are the natural outcome of many centuries of social media development. According to a study done in 2018 by Pew Research Center “ Fully 95% of U.S teens have access to a smartphone and 45% say they are active online almost constantly.” Another study from the same center found that two-thirds (65 percent) of parents are concerned about the amount of time their teenage children spend in front of screens.

Teenagers who overuse social media interactions may have interactive online lives, but in reality, they are living more in the virtual than in real world, almost to a point of addiction. Teens are so emotionally invested in different social sites to a point where they are unable to avoid being online even if it is at night. Besides, most teenagers check their profiles before they sleep, and just after they wake up. This excessive use of it has been referred to as behavioural addiction. Similar to any other addiction, addicted teenagers undergo withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop using these online platforms. Professor Stefan Stieger, the author of the study that comes from the Karl Landsteiner university of Health Sciences, explains that : “As it turned out, a seven-day abstinence from social media triggered mild withdrawal symptoms among the subjects, similar to those associated with addictive substances.” He added that the symptoms are a mix of significantly increased urges; feelings of boredom; and whether a person is more often in a good or bad mood.

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