How Does Social Media Affect Self-Esteem?

What was once displayed as a world of ambition and creativity, now enlies a world engulfed in social media. A world where the significance of one’s value is determined by the number of “likes” or “retweets” received on social media. A world where one is characterized as popular through the amount of friends accumulated on Facebook or Instagram. A world where people are ranked superior from others through the parties they attend, places they travel, and the additional ravishing information portrayed about themselves through social media; rather than the essence of their individual personality. Recent studies in the United States found that 90-95% of American teens use social media on a regular basis (Yust). As humans choose to become immersed in social media, rather than interact with others, opportunities for growth are lost and hours of precious time becomes wasted. How might one’s life be positively impacted without ever experiencing social media? Although social media is addicting, appealing, and

Seventeen year-old Nina Langton proclaims viewing the pages of “perfect” models on social media immensely impacted her self-esteem; leading to a suicide attempt (Heid). Teenagers tend to excessively compare themselves with peers they view on social media sites and feelings of stress and worthlessness are easily developed if perfect expectations are not met precisely on display for the eyes of friends and family members. According to Maryellen Pachler, a Yale-trained nurse practitioner, “The glamor and gleam of social media is also fueling a rise in teen anxiety” (Heid). Observing the seemingly perfect lives of friends and family members on social media leads to feelings of jealousy, and a desire to be accepted among peers. The fact of the matter is, people only exhibit the highlights of their lives; the heartache and distress every individual experiences is not