The Distress's and Benefits of Social Media By: Zamoya Pettigrew ​

Social Media has always been a favored phenomenon. Even starting when we were young, we all grew up with some type of screen that displayed social media. The media has both good benefits and bad benefits such as exposing us to bullying, peer pressure, mental health deprivation, but also exposes us to ideas, online friends, and communication.

People being exposed to media allowing people to communicate is crucial to a person’s ability to interact with others either online or in person. Newly Junior Zoe Arters expresses, “it brings people together and you have more access to communication”. In order for us as humans to have sort of interactional balance between the real world and the online world, it’s best to limit ourselves in the way we entertain social media. As Zoe states, “it sets unrealistic standards and not using or downloading all the well-known social media helps us not be affected so much”. The world of social media is a false reality our brains trap ourselves in. The realm of social media causes much a stress for humans as they see to compare themselves to others, “it makes life seem perfect”, says Junior Emma Sherrill. The media is evolving by being able to give people consistent entertainment at the tip of their fingers. However, sometimes those newly evolved pictures and videos cause more thought in one’s mind than can be understood, Emma Sherrill expresses “it will definitely change the world and people in a negative way, especially towards people’s mental health”.

Evidently, there are people who learn to distant themselves from social media, as sophomore Meyani Smith states, “I’ve been social media free for about 3 years now”. Although media can be a way for communication and a type of social interaction, it more so serves as a look book into the lives of others. Meyani Smith, express her opinion that social media, “numbs your senses and is used to compare other people’s lives to your own”. Social media has both good stress and bad stress that allow us to communicate with people, but unfortunately creates a path for us to compare ourselves to others.