By Zoe Blackburn
In 2022, Keegan Lee took a seven-day hiatus from social media.
“It was all-consuming,” she said, in Media Hub. “I developed these very obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and it was interfering with my relationships, with perceptions of myself, and with my goals and aspirations.”
Meanwhile, Dr Nicole LePera created a mental health support group on Instagram to help improve the mental health of others.
Social media has become a critical aspect of life, and while it offers excellent benefits, it harbors risks, specifically for mental health. There are thousands of stories of the effects that social media is having, from positive impacts such as community building to tragic cases of cyberbullying and self-harm.
A balanced examination of both reveals that while mental health can be a source of empowerment and connection, it can also affect mental health, and addressing these issues will create a better digital community for all users.
When looking on the positive side, social media has been able to establish itself as a source of connectivity and support, especially when physical interactions may be limited. During the COVID-19 outbreak, nearly 72% of teens said that social media platforms helped them stay connected to people they care about and helped with their mental health, according to Pew Research Center.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram often become lifelines for connection. Social media also serves as a source for mental health awareness, such as Dr. Nicole LePera. Social media has created a remarkable environment where people can get support.
However, the negative impacts of social media, specifically on mental health, are often where the greatest impact of social media lies.
A report by the Royal Society of Public Health (2022) states that while social media has a profound impact on everyone, it is partially harmful to teens and creates a detrimental environment that is speeding up the development of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and severe mental health diagnosis.
Furthermore, Statista reported in 2024 that 23% of girls aged 13-17 reported feeling worse after using social media platforms such as Instagram, specifically citing self-imaging concerns after exposure to content that was highly edited.
Unfortunately, we have real-life cases of the consequences of such feelings. In 2017, Molly Russell, a 14-year-old teen, took her own life after encountering harmful content on the social media platform Instagram.
Stories such as Molly’s and the numerous statistics show that while social media can be a source of empowerment and community, it can also be a toxic environment with devastating effects.
The two-sidedness of social media presents a very complex challenge. While social media can offer valuable resources, the most significant impact lies in its effects on mental health. Addressing this issue is important because it protects users from harm.
These users are not just random people on the internet—they are our siblings, friends, parents, children, and future generations. To say that addressing these challenges and the risks of social media is hard is simply an understatement because of the complexities of social media, and the ultimate question of who holds the responsibility.
Users have the responsibility to be digitally literate and help those who may be too young to fully understand.
Schools and families taking on digital literacy education and tech-free zones can also encourage healthy relationships without using technology. However, social media companies hold a lot of the responsibility as well.
Social media companies hold the responsibility of censoring what is going onto their platform. Platforms such as Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) have implemented new technology, from hiding posts, comments, to verifying content before it is uploaded onto the internet.
As social media evolves, users should take it upon themselves to advocate for tech companies to create safer digital environments and prioritize well-being over profit. While there are many complexities and challenges to addressing the issue, there are roles that we can all play.
The contrast of support groups to stories like Molly Russel demonstrates that there is a need to address the impact of social media on mental health: the good and the bad.
While social media has presented itself as a way of connection and support, some of the most significant impact lies in the harmful effects that are leading to cycles of negative self-perception, comparison, and addiction.
With the efforts of digital literacy, social media security, education boundaries, and accountability from social media companies, we can take a step forward in making a future of social media serving as a positive force for mental health.
Zoe Blackburn is a senior at Townview-School of Health Professions. Her school leadership includes Townview choir, National Honor Society, Executive Student Board and the Dallas ISD Teen Board. Zoe also serves the community alongside organizations such as Behind Every Door, American Care Foundation, Oak Cliff Veggie Project and Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church. In the fall of 2025, Zoe will be attending Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas majoring in Public Health as she pursues her dream of being a Nurse Practitioner and owning a Woman’s Wellness Center.
