Scroll. Like. Compare. Repeat.
With summer break underway, many teens are finally stepping away from the stress of school – but not from their screens. Every day, teens spend an average of three to five hours on social media, constantly measuring their worth through likes and comments. But is this digital validation worth the mental cost?
Over the past decade, social media has become a huge part of teen life – especially apps like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and X (formerly Twitter). With so much focus on likes and views, it is easy to fall into a cycle of measuring self-worth through everything you swipe through. These platforms promote self-presentation, where teens craft an “ideal” version of themselves to seek validation. Hours can pass in a blur – eyes aching, minds comparing – while users scroll through the highlights of others’ lives, often ignoring their own.
While body image issues are nothing new, social media has intensified the problem. In the past, teens might have compared themselves to celebrities on television. Now, they are bombarded with filtered, edited images of peers and influencers, creating unrealistic beauty standards that feel impossible to meet.
This also fuels FOMO, the fear of missing out. Teens feel like they’re constantly behind, seeing friends at parties, on vacations, or living picture-perfect lives. What makes this worse is that many of these moments are carefully staged or edited—but still accepted as reality.
“Studies have demonstrated that the excessive use of social media negatively affects areas such as academic functionality, social relationships, mental health, life satisfaction, and self-esteem in adolescents,” Mehmet Colak, Ozlem Sireli Bingol, and Ali Dayi, researchers from Indian Journal of Psychiatry, said.
Social media creates constant pressure: tteens start to believe their worth is tied to likes, comments, and shares. The pressure to look and act perfectly can even cause them to change who they are. Unlike the past – where watching TV with friends or hanging out outside was enough – today’s teens spend hours on social media every day, often without any parental guidance. According to Pew Research, about a third of teens (36%) say they spend too much time on social media – yet many do not see this as a serious issue. So what is really going on beneath the surface?
“Fear of missing out—also plays a role. If everyone else is using social media sites, and if someone doesn’t join in, there’s concern that they’ll miss jokes, connections, or invitations,” McLean Hospital psychologist Dr. Jacqueline Sperling said.
Many teens do not realize the impact social media has on their mental health. It can quietly contribute to anxiety or depression – creating a cycle of endless scrolling, comparison, and self-doubt.
Social media companies should be held accountable for the damage caused by unrealistic content. Many harmful posts slip past moderation and continue to negatively impact viewers. Schools also need to take initiative by teaching digital literacy and mental health strategies. With better understanding, teens can recognize toxic content and protect themselves.
There are clear steps that can help break the cycle. Setting screen time limits, unfollowing toxic accounts, and creating healthy digital boundaries all support mental well-being. Schools should expand mental health education to include the effects of social media and body image. Social media platforms must improve moderation, limit harmful filters, and offer better tools for emotional support.
Teens deserve the chance to live fully offline. With support from parents, schools, tech companies, and their communities, the focus can shift away from perfection – and toward authenticity and balance.
