Social media and youth mental health

Popularnost i korištenje društvenih mreža značajno su porasli u posljednje vrijeme te je gotovo nemoguće zamisliti svakodnevno funkcioniranje bez njih. Društvene mreže posebno su važne mladima koji ih koriste u znatno većem omjeru u odnosu na druge dobne skupine. S obzirom na to, one zasigurno i uvelike utječu na brojne aspekte života mladih ljudi. Cilj ovog rada jest prikazati odnos drušvenih mreža i određenih značajki mentalnog zdravlja za mlade. Socijalna podrška i interakcija s bliskim ljudima svrstavaju se kao jedan od pozitivnih ishoda u vidu korištenja društvenih mreža, što osigurava veću povezanost s bliskim ljudima i veći osjećaj pripadnosti. Nasuprot tomu, negativni učinci uporabe društvenih mreža među mladima mogu se povezti s nižim samopouzdanjem, lošijom kvalitetom i ritmom sna, smetnjama pažnje, te mogu voditi depresiji i anskioznosti.The popularity and usage of social media have increased significantly recently and it is almost impossible to imagine a day-to-day functioning without them. Social media networks are particularly important for young people who use them in a much higher proportion compared to other age groups. That being said, they certainly have a significant impact on many aspects of the lives of young people. The aim of this work is to review findings about the relation between social media networks and certain features of mental health of young people. Social support and interaction with close people are classified as one of the positive outcomes through the usage of social media, ensuring greater connectivity with important people and a greater sense of belonging. On the contrary, the negative impact of the use of social networks among young people may be reflected in lower self-esteem, poor quality sleep, distraction, and may lead to depression and anxiety