Rushing into the bathroom at Stevenson High School was a teenage girl accompanied by her friend. She was sobbing and ranting about Facebook and her profile, comparing herself to others. Through muffled conversation, I heard her vent about how she wasn't invited to her friends' party. She saw all her friends posting videos and pictures to an event she should've been invited to. Already in a depressed mood she worsened her attitude by saying she would look like a loser compared to everyone else and it looked like she didn't have friends. She then started sobbing about how one of those "friends" commented negatively on a status she posted about feeling alone. The girl said she should stop acting moody and go get some friends that actually like her. I could hear it down in her low voice how this one social media site is causing her mental breakdowns and feeling alone. She now lacked the self-esteem to feel proud about herself and felt like she had to change. Hearing someone saying they had to change themselves or trash talking themselves is a result social media shouldn't cause.
Posting whatever you want, like pictures, statuses, and videos seems like a fun way to communicate with friends and family. You can control who sees what and be whoever you want to be. A majority of the time these posts are positive and pictures with people you care about. Sadly there is someone behind the computer, phone, or device that lets him or her see it all. They are the one struggling with friendships, comparing themselves to others, and feeling envy for the loved and cheerful. Thoughts like " they're so much more attractive than me," " I wish I had friends and went to parties like them," or " they're so smart and an all-star athlete" are common thoughts among the viewers. People of all ages deal with these insecurities and wish to have perfect live like others show. One might start to feel ugly, unconfident, unpopular, less intelligent, or inferior to these seemingly fun people.