mental health | Plaid Line + PRIZM + Scottie News

By: Teagan Mack

Social media has a huge place in student’s lives today. Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat provide the opportunity to talk with friends, update people on their life, and stay up-to-date on the latest news. Whether reading posts or watching videos, social media is now an important part of the daily routine. Is it helping or hurting students, though?

On one hand, social media can be a really useful tool for learning and personal growth. Many students use YouTube to watch tutorials, watch educational videos, and even learn about new tips and tricks. Instagram and TikTok even have educational accounts that love teaching students new topics or skills. You can learn anything from historical data to math tricks. Students can also get involved in online study groups, connect with classmates, and be engaged in discussions that help with schoolwork.

Social media also allows people to stay in touch with friends even when they are occupied or cannot meet physically. These connections can provide emotional support, especially during periods of stress such as during exams or when there are deadlines for projects.

Social media, however, has its dark sides. One of the most common problems with social media is that it can negatively impact one’s mental health. Spending too much time viewing social media can lead to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Watching others who share their “perfect” lives can leave you feeling inadequate or not good enough.

Social media also exposes students to cyberbullying, where nasty comments and negative interactions can affect a person’s emotional well-being.

Of course, there is the issue of misinformation and fake news being shared, which can confuse students and affect their understanding of important topics.

So, is social media ultimately helping or hurting students? The answer is that it depends on how we use it. If we use social media to support our learning, stay connected with our friends in a positive manner, and engage in helpful discussions, it can be an excellent tool. But if we allow it to distract us from our studies, drain our energy, or damage our mental health, then it may do more harm than good. We have to find the balance and also notice how we are spending our time online. If we recognize that social media is causing more stress than it is good, then taking a break can be the best thing that we can do for our minds as well as our studies.

By: Gabriella Bell

In the past, and across our education systems, resources and strategies surrounding mental health weren’t as recognized. Not only were they uncommon, but there were also several different conflicting stigmas surrounding even the general discussion of mental health. While it’s not as taboo of a topic as previous years, these negative connotations are still prevalent today and can ultimately disregard the importance of the subject. Due to these connotations, many people were, and still are, unable to receive the proper support surrounding their struggle(s) regarding their mental health. This could exist in the form of a diverse range of mood disorders such as Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder, as well as anxiety disorders, or eating disorders, along with many other examples of mental illnesses. Not only do hundreds of thousands of people live with these kinds of mental illnesses each day, but it also affects a drastic number of our youth.

The beginning of adolescence can be one of the most conflicting periods across an entire lifespan. There may be internal conflicts experienced within one’s school life, which can often come alongside major relationship dynamic adjustments and bodily changes. These can appear to be recognized as physical, emotional and mental changes. These alterations throughout young adulthood can dramatically impact the emotional and mental health of the youth, which is why it’s so incredibly essential that there is more awareness and resources openly provided and available to all young people in the school systems.

Overall, mental health should also be a more public and honest conversation topic, especially due to the various negative opinions and inaccurate information surrounding the general knowledge of mental health as an entirety. Not only should it be shamelessly discussed, but there should also be more taught regarding mental illnesses, so as to make the subject more of a normalcy in our society rather than a taboo conversational topic. It is also important to note, that people of all ages, racial identities, gender identities and social class can, and are, affected by mental illnesses all across the world, and regardless of who they are should have the ability to receive the necessary support.