IndexIntroductionNegative effect of social media on a teenagerSelf-esteemBody image issuesPositive effect of social media on a teenagerPeer to peer supportRaising awarenessConclusionReferencesIntroductionThe topic I have chosen to focus on in This essay discusses the effect of social media on a teenager and his mental health. Social media is ever present in today's society and as a teenager growing into an adult, I have experienced this first hand. Thanks to its presence in the form of different platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, it has even become an important part of adolescents' development, shaping the way they think and interact with each other. Throughout this review I will explore both the positive and negative impacts of social media. As for the negative elements of social media, I will explain how harmful social media can be to your self-esteem and self-esteem. However, I will also shed light on the positive aspects of social media and how it can make a difference in the perception of life as it prevents people from living in isolation and depression. It allows them to create and become part of an online community if they are physically or mentally unable to socialize with others in person. It also raises awareness and generates acceptance of the various mental and physical conditions people have that prevent them from socializing with others in person. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayNegative Effect of Social Media on a TeenagerSelf-EsteemOne of the negative effects of social media on teenagers and young adults was how their sense of worth was derived based on the number of likes they received. It has been found that while there are adolescents who often use social media to allow themselves to feel more connected to their friends while maintaining a high level of self-esteem, there are those who use them obsessively (Beresin & Olson, 2019). This is due to the fact that they experience fear of missing out (FOMO), which leads them to have significantly lower self-esteem. FOMO might even be worse for those who currently suffer from mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. Their self-esteem was even linked to the feedback they received on the various platforms. When they receive positive reactions such as more likes and comments, their self-esteem increases, however when they receive fewer likes, their self-esteem decreases. Those who have a higher level of self-esteem allow them to feel confident and comfortable in their own skin, however, those who have a lower sense of self-worth will have a more pessimistic outlook on life and will constantly tend to doubt their own abilities (Heatherton & Wyland , 2003). This is according to a study conducted by the University of Copenhagen. (2016), there is a condition known as “Facebook Envy” in which Facebook users perform social comparisons by feeling their self-esteem plummet when they look at their friends' posts of themselves having fun, resulting in them suddenly feeling that their life it's much better than your own. One study conducted found that a greater amount of time spent on Facebook meant that users had a lower sense of self-worth and felt more isolated (Kalpidou, Costin, & Morris, 2011). Therefore, this results in a lower sense of self-esteem and feeling bad about oneself and one's life (Bono, 2018). Body image issues Another negative impact of social media is the idea of ​​a perfect body, and many experience body image issues and eating disorders. In the digital age,on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook social comparisons occur with the average person comparing their body to that of models and celebrities (Beresin & Olson, 2019). It was found that there was a connection between people who used social media obsessively and eating disorders. This was because being thin and portrayed as attractive would influence people, especially young adolescent males and females, to believe that being thin is the only way to be beautiful. (Wykes and Gunter, 2010). Longer periods of time spent on Instagram were found to lead users to experience body images and levels of depression (Tiggemann & Slater, 2013). It was also discovered that on the social media platform Instagram, observing people's fitness journeys and transformations, there was a decrease in self-esteem levels and a worsening of body image vision (Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015). As a result, this can lead to dietary restrictions which, if taken too far, can become eating disorders such as binge eating disorder and anorexia, resulting in worsening body image issues (Derenne and Beresin). Positive Effect of Social Media on a Teenager Peer to Peer Support A positive The impact of social media on teenagers and young adults is how they can find support from each other. This is known as peer to peer support where they can support and empathize with each other (quote). This is especially beneficial for young people who have trouble socializing with others in person due to anxiety disorders as they could now do so on social media. Those who struggle with mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder use social media to connect with each other by sharing their struggles and experiences. Consequently, it forms communities among these people on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter (Gowen et al. 2012; Naslund et al. 2014; Miller et al. 2015). Humans naturally gravitate towards groups in society and identifying with a certain group increases one's self-esteem knowing that they belong somewhere. These communities then help them rebuild their self-esteem by promoting recovery and self-esteem. By joining these communities, they will then be able to make friends with others in similar situations (Ferguson et al. 2011). Discovering these online communities and interacting with others through social media is what makes a critical difference in their recovery as such connections can make the difference between living in isolation and finding support. Raising Awareness Another positive impact of social media on youth and young adult mental health is that it allows them to raise awareness of people with mental illnesses. It normalizes their illnesses in society and allows them to fight stigma and negative perceptions of mental illnesses. One such example is the use of the hashtag #whywetweetMH as a search tool on Twitter in connection with mental health organizations to highlight the difficulties faced by those suffering from mental illness (Beresin & Olson, 2019). Not only has it provided those suffering with their mental health a platform to share their stories, but it has also allowed them to fight negative social stigmas and raise awareness for their cause. It allowed them to be their most authentic selves by exposing their struggles and normalizing them among other Twitter users as they were now able to see how many people struggled with their mental health. However, closer to home, according to a study conducted by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), it emerged,, 35(3), 245-250.