Topic: Effects of Social Media on Mental Health

Speaker 1 – Introduction

But first of all, what is social media ? Social media refers to online platforms and
websites that facilitate the creation, sharing, and exchange of user-generated
content, as well as the building of social networks and communities. Social media
has transformed how people communicate, share information, and build
relationships, shaping various aspects of social, cultural, and economic life in the
digital age.

welcome to the internal monologue of a typical social media scroll, a monologue

that so many of us have every day, but we don't think about it, we don't talk about
it in fact many of us can't even recognize it happening

While social media offers various benefits, its impact on mental health is a topic
of increasing concern and study.

we often pick up our phones to complete one quick task and then find ourselves
scrolling through our feeds for 20 to 30 minutes or even more

While social media is designed to help us connect, sometimes it can actually

damage our relationships and increase loneliness. Finding the right balance of
social media use is all about how we use it.

Like everything else in life, social media has both positive and negative effects.
And now we gonna start with the Positive Impact of social media. (Elgendy)

Speaker 2 - Positive Impact

Well, social media platforms have been credited with several positive effects on mental
health. They provide some kind of social support, allowing individuals to connect with
others who share similar experiences, identities, abilities, and interests, creating a
space for self-expression. According to research by the University of Pittsburgh,
teenagers who use social media for positive interactions experienced reduced feelings
of loneliness and depression. These interactions could be: a kind and supportive
comment, a post that the reader could relate to in one way or another, or an honest
friendship. I myself have some friends on social media that I've never met and
probably never will, but it doesn't really matter. As long as one feels a genuine
connection, an online friendship is not bad at all. And it doesn't stop there. Social
media, if used correctly, can provide people with useful knowledge and information
about what's going on in the world. One might even come across a business idea or
opportunity there. In fact, A lot of people start their businesses marketing and selling
things on social media, and don't even get me started on how far they go. (Farida)
Speaker 3 - Negative Impact

Just as there are positive impacts, the negative impacts are also present, and
they're much more. Social media has been associated with negative effects on
mental health. Studies, such as the one conducted by the Royal Society for Public
Health in the UK, have shown a link between heavy social media use and
increased rates of anxiety, depression, and poor sleep. Constant exposure to
unrealistic ideals can contribute to feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem. For
example, in the fitness industry, influencers keep lying about how much time it
took them to reach this level of athleticism; they also say that they built their
physiques without the use of steroids, when anyone with decent experience would
know that it's not the truth. By doing that, they give people unrealistic
expectations that lead to depression and insecurity when they are not fulfilled.
And apart from negative mental effects, social media can also heavily affect one's
practical life due to its addictive nature. It's one hell of a drug. People
unconsciously spend so much time on social media to the point where it keeps
them from having a productive life. Studies show that the average daily
consumption of social media is 2 and a half hours a day, which is not healthy at
all, and that's just average. Now, Mariam is going to talk you about a very dark
aspect of social media. Which is: (Kenzy)

Speaker 4 – Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying, Cybeybullying is a significant concern in the realm of social

media, and its impact on mental health cannot be understated. It refers to the use
of electronic communication to harass, intimidate, or threaten individuals. Unlike
traditional bullying, the reach and permanence of online platforms can amplify
the harmful impact of cyberbullying, leading to severe psychological distress.
One of the key aspects of cyberbullying is anonymity. Individuals who engage in
cyberbullying often hide behind a screen, feeling empowered by the perceived
lack of consequences for their actions. Research has consistently shown the
detrimental effects of cyberbullying on mental health. Victims of cyberbullying
are at a higher risk of developing depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.
The impact of cyberbullying extends beyond the immediate emotional distress
caused by hurtful messages or public humiliation. It can lead to long-term
psychological consequences, affecting self-esteem, self-worth, and overall well-
being. In my opinion, social media platforms should implement measures to
identify and remove offensive content immediately. But the negative impact
doesn't stop here, Oraby will now discuss a very relatable topic. (Mariam)
Speaker 5 – Social media generates feelings of not being enough

When a 20-year-old scrolls through social media, they see many people of the
same age but who have completely different lives. For example, they see
teenagers and people in their early twenties who seem to have already won in life;
they seem to have everything—friends, money, multiple cars, a partner—and are
so attractive themselves. And seeing all that, they are just left flabbergasted. Then
they start overthinking, but how can they have all this when we're the same age?
Is it their families being rich? Is it them being so lucky? Is it just fate? Or I'm just
not good enough? Yes, of course I'm not good enough; I don't do anything useful
with my life; I'm just a failure. I'm already 20 and haven't done anything
significant in my life. And so on; the loop never ends. And why do they think of
all that? Simply because of something called the fear of missing out, also called
"FOMO." FOMO is another psychological consequence associated with social
media use. It means high levels of anxiety and stress due to constant exposure to
others' seemingly exciting lives, which creates a sense of dissatisfaction with
one's own life, leading to feelings of insufficiency and failure. And now, Walid is
going to lighten the mood a bit (Oraby)

After that storm of negativity towards social media, I bet some of you may have
already forgotten that we mentioned some positives at the beginning. So let me
give you a positive hint that's also relative to our college. As a language student,
social media has greatly helped me indirectly in developing certain aspects of the
language. By converting all platforms to Spanish, it definitely led to acquiring a
large set of vocabulary. Regardless of the vast amount of content available in
Spanish, whether auditory or written, it certainly aids significantly in improving
skills like reading and listening, even if that's not your primary goal. Additionally,
you can target language improvement by following news bulletins or various
types of posts in the language you're learning, not to forget the memes in that
language. There are also other forms of learning, such as following educational,
informative, ethical, or psychological content available on those platforms, all of
which contribute to the development of your knowledge and culture. (Walid)

Speaker 6 – Conclusion ( Ehab)

In conclusion, social media has both positive and negative impacts on mental
health. On one hand, it can provide social support, useful knowledge, business
opportunities, and help with language learning. On the other hand, it can
contribute to anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and feelings of insecurity and low
self-esteem. Additionally, cyberbullying on social media platforms can have
severe psychological consequences if not controlled. And not just that, social
media can also generate feelings of not being enough due to constant exposure to
.others' exciting lives, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction and failure