From "thintastic" blogs to suicide stories, social media has become not only a source of conversation but a gateway to harmful suggestions that many teenagers see and believe to be allowable, when in fact the situations proposed are dangerous to those who attempt them. Statistics show that 20% of anorexic teenagers will die prematurely, and 80% of teenagers who commit suicide are depressed (South). Social media has glorified and brought to attention eating disorders, depression, and suicide among teens that might otherwise not become a statistic in these critical categories. Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among teenagers. With 80% of teen females and 15% of teen males being or attempting to be anorexic, it is surprising that it is not higher up on the list. Anorexia is the most common negative view shown on media. On the social media site Tumblr, pro-anorexic blogs have become a popular trend to follow and many show images of models with captions reading "I want to be able to sit down and have my thighs not touch," (My Pro). The truth is, however, that the average model is 23% under their ideal weight. The average US model weighs 117 pounds and is 5'11" while the average US woman weighs 140 pounds and is only 5'4". This causes perspective to see those far too skinny as beautiful and the normal weight to seem more than it is. In a recent study when asked if they were overweight, 75% of the women answered yes and only 25% of them were. (Perfect) Social media has swayed beliefs of the past by making the thin want to be thinner and those who believe themselves to be overweight feel as if reaching their correct BMI is impossible. Up to 80% of those who are anorexic also suffered from a major form of depression. Due... ... middle of paper ... ...kins, Kristal. "Megan Meier: Mistaken MySpace Suicide." Vengeance — — Crime Library. N.p., 17 Nov. 2007. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. "My ProAna Lifestyle ^.^." My ProAna Lifestyle ^.^. Im_fat.tumblr.com, 25 Aug. 2013. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. “Perfect Illusions.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web.04 Apr. 2014" "South Carolina Department of Mental Health." Eating Disorder Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. “Teens That Use Facebook Are 5 Times More Likely to Smoke, 3 Times More Likely to Drink and Twice as Likely to Use Marijuana." CHOOSE HELP. N.p., 24 Aug. 2011. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. Wade, T. D., and Kohn A. Gonzalez. "EDV - Key Research and Statistics." EDV - Key Research and Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. Waithera, Christine. "5 Social Skills Social Media Has Destroyed." 5 Social Skills Social Media Has Destroyed. N.p., 5 Sept. 2013. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
Studies also found that 6.4% had intentionally cut bruised or harmed themselves and that 8.1% had though about suicide and 1.3% had actually attempted suicide. This evidence shows that social media is bad for teens and preteens. If social media got banned then there would not be any sort of problem like this.
"Eating Disorder Statistics." 2003 Retraining Grant Program. South Carolina Department of Mental Health, 2006. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. .
Christy Greenleaf, assistant professor of kinesiology, health promotion and recreation at University of North Texas, stated, “Girls and women, in our society are socialized to value physical appearance and an ultra-thin beauty that rarely occurs naturally and to pursue that ultra-thin physique at any cost.” Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among young women. Furthermore, one in every ten people with anorexia will die from a complication brought on by the disorder. Although Anorexia is a mental illness, it is most common in teenage females because it is incited by the media through the fashion industry and pro-anorexia websites.
Eating Disorder Statistics. South Carolina Department of Mental Health, 2006. Web. 26 July 2010. .
"Health Consquences of Eating Disorders." NEDA. National Eating Disorders Association, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2013.
Since being introduced in the 1990s, social networking sites have taken over people’s lives. From Facebook to Twitter and Snapchat to Instagram, these social networking sites are included in our day to day life. People use these sites to keep in touch with each other and the world. As a prominent fixture of our lives, social networking has a great influence over our opinions, decisions, and perspectives. Out of all its users, teenagers are the most susceptible to social networking’s influence; it can lead them to living an ethically right life that fosters learning and goodwill, or an ethically wrong life that encourages addictions and bad behavior.
"ANAD." Eating Disorders Statistics « « National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Social networking sites like Facebook allow you to find and connect with just about anyone. Browsing these sites can make you feel connected to a larger community, but such easy, casual connection in an electronic environment can also have its downside. Studies indicate that 69% of social media-using teens think that teens are generally kind to each other on social networking sites, however, 88% of teenagers have seen someone be mean or cruel to another person on a social networking website. (Pew Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011). 12% of teenagers say they witnessed cruel behavior "frequently" on social networking websites. (Pew Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011). 15% of social media-using teens say they have been the objective of online meanness. (Pew Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011). 65% of social media-using teens have received an experience on a social networking site that made them feel secure about themselves. (Pew Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011). 58% of social media-using teens have felt closer to another individual because of an experience on a social networking website. (Pew Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011). 2,332 arrests for Internet sex offenses against minors involved social networking sites (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2010). Cases involving social networking sites (SNS) were more probable to result in a face-to-face meeting. This was true of 81% of SNS-involved cases and true of 55% of non-SNS cases (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2010). 41% of social media-using teens have had at least one negative consequence as a upshot of using a social networking website. (Pew Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011)....
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are only a few of the most common words used in today’s language among children, teens and adults. Such words can be described as popular terms related to what many of us know as social media. In today’s culture, many teenagers rely so heavily on the usage of social media that issues once thought to be revolutionary are now taking place offline and online. In fact, several cases of mental addictions, depression and even suicide have all stemmed from the initial usage of sites such as Facebook, which are otherwise socially accepted as a simple means of communicating with “friends.” While social media does have its advantages, it can also be held responsible for several negative events in the lives of today’s teenagers.
Social media can have detrimental effects on the formation of an adolescent’s identity such as social isolation meaning that the individual will spend excessive amounts of time attached to any electronics that will provide him with social media access. Social networking has been debated to have beneficial or detrimental effects, as overuse and abuse of the Internet can be harmful to someone, such as an adolescent. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, over one million teenage girls are victimized psychologically as well as physically, through social media.
Besides cyberbullying, there are many other negative outcomes for American youth in the use of social media websites like Facebook. For example, many teens are using shorthand and abbreviations when writing or communicating online. Additionally, teens lose themselves in social media, ignore their surroundings and even become addicted to social media. Consequences of this include a rise in obesity, devaluation in family, lack of exercise and decrease in focus on school and homework. Adolescents that use social media more often than others are more prone to “narcissistic tendencies,” “anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders” (Protalinski, 2011). American youth that share more online also display manic, aggressive and antisocial behaviors.
Crow, S.J. et al. "Eating Disorders Statistics." ANAD. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 2009. Web. 20 Apr 2011. .
Social media is so popular that according to a recent article published by forbes.com, “72% of American adults are currently using social media sites; that figure has gone up 800% in just 8 years”(Olenski). Social networking was originally created to simply reconnect people with old high school pals, but in recent years it has evolved into a completely different operation. When social media first originated it was also intended for adult usage, which has in recent years expanded into the usage of all ages. Social media can create a negative affect on lives because it has been proven to be a dangerous addiction, for it takes away interpersonal relationships that are essential in life, and it has been proven to prevent people from being productive in life.
Wynne-Jones, J. (2009) Facebook and MySpace Can Lead Children to Commit Suicide, Warns Archbishop Nichols. Telegraph.co.uk, 1 August 2009. Available at：
Recent advancements in technology have created a new form of communication. We call this new type of communication social media. Some of the big names in social media are Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. Most people today use some form of social media on a daily basis. Social media is most popular amongst adolescents. According to a poll conducted by Infographic, nine out of ten teenagers have used social media. Whenever a new technological advancement occurs there is concern over how it will affect society. In the case of social media, the concern is greatest for adolescents. So, how does social media effect adolescents? Social media can have both negative and positive effects. Some of the effects of using social media can be depression, addiction, cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content.