Thurmbuchler 1

Brittany Thurmbuchler
Mrs. Thomas
UWRT 1102
12 Feb. 2016
Reflection
Before meeting to discuss my inquiry, I believe I could have constructed a better, more thorough
proposal. My proposal highlighted all the main points but it did not go beyond the bare
minimum. It was definitely a work-in-progress and some areas needed more attention than
others. After meeting to discuss my inquiry, I found my peers and professors feedback
constructive and helpful. I was able to dive deeper into my topic and to expand on my research.
After making proper edits and adjustments, I feel as though I have constructed and thorough
proposal that will interest all readers.
Social Media and Mental Health
After researching various topics, example questions, and current world problems, I have
chosen an inquiry question that I am excited to research more and learn all about. That question
is: How is social media affecting mental health among teenagers? With social media so prevalent
in todays society, not many people question the negative effects of it. Honestly, not many people
question it at all. It has just become something you do. Wake up, check social media. Bored in
class, check social media. Cant go to sleep, check social media. Growing up with social media

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has affected many different factors in a teenagers life: the way we behave, socialize, prioritize,
and perceive not only others, but the way we perceive ourselves. I want to know why we, as
teenagers, let social media impact our lives, but more specifically our mental health.
In order to understand how social media is affecting mental health among teenagers we
must first have a working definition of two major things: social media and mental health. Social
media is systems of electronic communication where users create online communities to share
information, ideas, personal messages, and other content. Today, we have a plethora of social
media sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the list could go on. Mental health is
described as including our emotional, psychological, and social well-being and affects the way
we think, feel, and act. Mental health is usually associated with the term mental illness which is
defined as dysregulation of mood, thought, and/or behavior. Examples of mental illnesses
include depression, anxiety and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.
You may be asking yourselves, what is the significance of this inquiry? Most people
believe social media is a social norm and that mental illnesses are only caused by some sort of
trauma or abnormality in the brain. A lot of us use social media and dont realize the effect that it
has on us. That is why this inquiry is so significant. The majority of people that use social media
use it mindlessly and dont understand that what they are seeing or posting is shaping the way
they are behaving and thinking. Society has seen a major increase in mental illnesses among
teenagers and social media may play a role in that.
There are various ways that social media affects our mental health. It not only may
contribute to mental illnesses, but it also affects our mental health in other ways. For example,
social media makes its users restless, unhappy, and leads to the fear of missing out which is also

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known as FOMO. In addition, social media has given rise to cyberbullying, a growing concern in
todays society, and in some ways it glamorizes drugs and alcohol use which could harm not only
mental health, but physical health too. Social media is also greatly damaging teenagers sleep
patterns. We feel a need to make ourselves available 24/7 and some teenagers admit to waking up
during the night just to check their social media accounts. Teenagers need more sleep than any
other age group and a lack of sleep leads to irritability, anxiety, depression, and weakens the
immune system.
What about those that dont use social media? In todays world, its hard to image that
someone could live without having a single social media account. Most organizations work
through Facebook and use social media sites to promote themselves and provide information.
Some studies have found that people who do not use social media sites are happier than those
who do. They also get more sleep which lessens their chances of getting anxiety or depression,
and their bodies are able to function healthily.
I didnt know too much about my subject before beginning my research. I know what
social media is and although I may not use them all, I know the majority of the most popular
sites. Taking AP Psychology in high school, I have some knowledge on mental health and
illnesses however, not very much. I could give you some examples of mental illnesses but thats
about the extent of my knowledge. Before researching, I had absolutely no knowledge on the
correlation between social media and mental health, but am fascinated to learn more.
There is a plethora of information I still need to research in order to dive deeper into my
inquiry and understand it so that I can help my readers understand it for themselves. So far I
havent gathered much evidence other than the basic facts. Ive researched the definitions of

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social media, mental health, and mental illness along with examples of mental illnesses. I have
also looked at different ways social media has affected society, whether they are positive or
negative, although my focus for my inquiry is on the negative influences. I am looking forward
to all of the upcoming research from the various sources available to me. I think researching the
history of social media and its influences will help me better understand why it has come to play
such a large role in todays society. I also plan on researching psychology, specifically mental
illnesses and the certain behaviors associated with them. I will also research the correlation
between social media and mental illnesses and the general effects that social media has on its
users, specifically teenagers. Why are we seeing an increase in mental illnesses at younger ages?
Does social media play a role in this increase? Has social media become an unhealthy addiction?
There are so many questions with this inquiry that I am excited to find the answers to.
In conclusion, I hope that this opens societys eyes to the effects that social media has on
todays younger generations. We are growing up with social media being a prevalent part of our
lives and its beginning to shape the way we think and behave. I hope that this inquiry helps
people better understand mental illnesses and I hope they become more conscious of the things
they read, post, and share on social media. I also hope that this opens doors to help social media
have a positive impact instead of a negative one on society. After all, social media was created to
bring the world together, not tear each other and ourselves apart.