In the digital era in which we live, there is no way to escape from Social Networks. There are many technological tools that you can find today that allow you to get closer to people.
However, if misguided, they can cause terrible damage in society, especially among adolescents, who are still at a stage of psychological, emotional, and social development that is very difficult to control.
High-risk situations, such as bullying, can be exacerbated through social networks. It has been proven that people's mental health can be affected by a “simple publication”. That is why, in this article, we wanted to analyze the connection between these powerful digital tools and a man from his emotional aspect at this stage of life. Can Social Networks have an impact on human beings?
Information technology has changed in recent years and what began as a small step towards the globalization of information has become an avalanche of opinions and personal life experiences that, in many ways, influence human beings, especially during a stage as vulnerable as adolescence. It is at this time that we are most easily impressed.
The World Health Organization has made several statements on adolescent mental health, making it very clear that “worldwide, one in seven young people aged 10 to 19 years suffers from a mental disorder”. Not taking care of it has consequences in the future.
Now, what happens if a depressed or anxious teenager is exposed to constant teasing through Social Networks? In these cases, their mood will be affected and they will not have the necessary tools to cope with the consequences that can trigger their emotions. These consequences can even lead to suicide.
However, this is not a problem of the technology, but of the misuse that is applied to it. In this sense, it is essential to have constant supervision in the case of adolescents to channel their attention towards the positive and, from there, create awareness of the importance and magnitude of the scope of their publications, as has happened in the town of Lloseta (Mallorca) where a case of bullying has gone viral thanks to the publications of an older brother who demands justice.
Precisely, through social networks, many adolescents can be exposed to mockery, harassment, and transgressions of great impact, especially motivated by the security of distance and possible anonymity that drives the aggressor to infamous violence.
For this reason, as a result of multiple cases with fatal consequences worldwide, cyberbullying has now been considered a form of bullying and, in some countries, it can even be criminalized.
However, there is still a long way to go, especially from an educational point of view. Learning to use Social Networks and the rest of the technological tools is a necessity and, with it, will come awareness of the impact of a publication on the rest of the world.
We cannot forget that we are still in a world marked by a society in which unattainable beauty standards are imposed, motivated by media personalities, and where a funny image is much more valued than a positive thought.
As they say, everything starts at home and it is up to parents to start controlling the impact that social networks have on the mental health of their children, grandchildren, siblings, friends, and relatives.
