The Devastating Impact Social Media Can Have on Troubled Kids
The Devastating Impact Social Media Can Have on Troubled Kids
Today, social media pervades our lives. Almost everyone you know is on one social media platform or another. While social media has enabled us to build many connections and has even facilitated online movements, it’s brought its fair share of drawbacks. The negative impact of social media is seen even more in children, especially troubled kids.
Who is a troubled kid?
Troubled children are those who suffer from emotional or mental issues and may exhibit any of the following signs:
• Drastic behaviour changes, including extreme emotional reactions to situations
• A drop in academic performance from the stress of coping with daily life
• Participating in illegal activities like vandalism of property, stealing, or the use of illegal substances
• Violence directed at others, oneself, or animals
As is evident by this description, troubled kids are already at risk, and the use of social media creates a vicious circle that can exacerbate the emotional and mental problems faced by such kids.
Impact of social media on troubled kids
Hiding behind the mask of anonymity while interacting with people online can only result in greater feelings of isolation and distance kids from real connections. They’re less likely to pay attention to the people in their lives and use social media as an escape for the anonymity it can provide. This also hampers their interpersonal skills.
Social media can be addictive, and comparing oneself to others online is common. For troubled kids, such comparisons can take a toll on their feelings of self-worth and increase the anxiety they experience. This puts them at greater risk of developing mental disorders and can even lead to depression. In extreme cases, mental health outcomes can even cause some troubled kids to take extreme measure like committing suicide.
There’s plenty of hate speech on social media, and it’s common to hear of cases of cyberbullying or cyberstalking. Many pedophiles may also create fake accounts and get access to personal information of children from their social media profiles, putting them at greater risk in their daily interactions. Details about where kids live, their school timings, and the areas they frequent can be used by such pedophiles to make contact with children. Identity theft is also possible, and troubled kids may end up sharing too much information on social media in an attempt to form connections that they may be lacking in real life.
Several social media threads also contain violent or explicit imagery and glorify the use of drugs, which can increase the likelihood for troubled kids to use them or engage in violent behaviors. In some cases, troubled kids who were once victims of cyberbullying may use the anonymity offered on social media to bully others.
It’s necessary to protect children from the negative effects of social media, and our apps can help you keep an eye on your child’s online activities so that you can protect them better