The Reality Behind Social Media

By Mascha Cenia, Staff Reporter, The Pawprint

Are you part of the 3.6 billion people who use Social Media? You probably are. Whether you are on Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat, Twitter etc. we all use it. We all spend a certain amount of time in our day on social media. According to BBC, the average teen spends an average of 2 hours a day scrolling through these apps, sharing, liking and tweeting. We spend so much time of our day focusing on our likes, followers and shares without realizing it. For most of us, it has become a hobby to post on social media and then receive those special amounts of likes and comments that make us feel worthy, but is that really so important? 

It takes a toll on one’s mental health. Social media is so bad for a person’s mental health as it is not what the real world looks like. All these social platforms only work because of the people who use the app also known as “influencers”. They are the main entertainment of social media. These people post about their lives, their success and promote brands a lot for living. This is their job, where they get their money from but no one ever talks about the side effects of all of it. No matter if you are one of the influencers or part of the audience, social media will always have a negative effect. 

As an influencer you are expected to post only the best sides of yourself and your life showcasing only the finest moments. In other words, with a full face of makeup on and filters you can post. But this leads to false impressions and creates a certain standard which then makes many believe that they should be living a life such as theirs with only the admirable parts. 

Of course, when sharing a picture to the internet you want to look your best and in a way prove to anyone watching that your life is the best and that you are doing amazing physically and mentally, however it comes to a certain extent where one should draw the line and step back into reality. It is important not to forget who you actually are and that social media does not revolve around your whole life. 

Over the years social media has developed and some creators have become more real towards their audience and opened up about a lot of things. Especially their mental health. 20 year-old content creator, Emma Chamberlain, has become one of youtube’s most relatable content creator to watch. With a subscription count of 10.9 million followers, Chamberlain opens up about  her own mental health and struggles. She talks about social media being a fraud and shows what her reality looks like compared to other influencers and the reality behind it. Her audience response is filled with positivity as her fan base and viewers on all social media platforms are mostly teenagers. Social media and influencers are a big part of teenagers’ lives and for them being able to relate to others and understand the ups and downs of life is very important for them. Teenage years are where teens develop new relationships and in this generation that includes social media. Chamberlain’s viewers can relate to her content of not being okay sometimes and understand that mental health is very important.