Social media platforms serve as an indispensable form of communication for students, but they are also places where bonds break, relationships dissolve and people are left alone in their own digital bubble.
On platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, there are countless accounts that are essentially curated reels of perfection, showing seemingly flawless relationships and lives.
“[Social media] tends to create a perception or an ideal of reality that is not consistent with people’s real-life experiences,” school psychologist Carol Ann Forrest said.
When teenagers are exposed to illusions on social media, it tends to introduce a variety of insecurities, making them feel inadequate about themselves or their relationships.
According to Pew Research Center, approximately 23% of social media users feel insecure about their romantic relationships. This number rises to 34% among 18-29 year olds.
“Social media promotes consumer culture and presents the illusion that people need to spend so much money on their partners for them to be happy,” junior Assia Lazizi said. “It’s unrealistic and promotes unhealthy relationships.”
This effect also extends to friendships, isolating people and fracturing relationships.
“When I hang out with my friends, we tend to just scroll on social media together,” junior Brooke Buursink said. “This creates a falsified friendship because we’re spending time together, but we’re not actually interacting.”
Social media also fosters exclusive groups that alienate others, creating echo chambers that fuel insecurities in friend groups.
“On social media, exclusive cliques form through things like private stories and accounts,” Lazizi said.
Social media causes relationships to dissipate, breaking bonds that would have lasted a lifetime. It is vital to take breaks from social media to stay grounded in reality.
“It’s important that when students are involved in any kind of social media, they also take an ample amount of time to check in with people in the real world and get a sense [if what they] see online [is] true, accurate and real, “ Forrest said.
Some might argue that social media platforms are crucial for allowing users to connect and that it facilitates the development of long-lasting relationships.
But when it comes to building relationships, eye contact and perception of body language is crucial. They allow people to familiarize themselves with the other’s personality and body language, forming true connections.
“On social media, you don’t have access to all the body language and all the nonverbals [such as] the vocal tone and eye gaze,” Forrest said.
Students must reconsider their social media use and regulate it to a more reasonable amount for the sake of their everyday lives and relationships.