2021 Project: Social Media and Mental Health
Class: Montour High School CHS Cybersecurity and the Law class led by Michael Waldron
How does the overuse of social media affect the mental health of adolescents? What do parents need to know? What can adolescents do to avoid the risks associated with social media? The purpose of this project was to research the link between the overuse of social media and mental health decline. The video provides researched facts regarding the subject, states the risks and potential downfalls of social media, includes helpful tips for parents and students to prevent mental health decline from occurring, and incorporates footage from high school students sharing their opinion on the subject.
Student Bios:
Henley: “My name is Henley Staley and I am a junior at Montour High School. After high school, I plan on going into the psychiatry field since mental health is something I prioritize. As a teen, I constantly see people around me being unmotivated and depressed. One of the main reasons is the overuse of social media. I have first-hand experience with this along with many other people and I want to shed light on this issue. It is important to educate both parents and teens on the risks and also provide ways to prevent mental health decline from occurring. ”
Angela: “My name is Angela Maietta. I’m also a junior at Montour High School. Like Henley, I constantly see students my age not motivated, but they are always on their phone. This project helped me see there is a reason why students’ mental health is low and one of the main reasons why is because of social media. I wanted to help parents know some of the downfalls of social media. I think the topic of mental health is rarely talked about, so I think it is important to shed light on the topic for parents. ”
Colin: “My name is Colin Dhanse and I’m a sophomore at Montour High School. Even though I have only been at the high school for two years, I’ve noticed that ever since the COVID pandemic, a lot has happened. Phones have become even more popular and social interactions even less. Students are on their phones constantly. Social media is being used by everyone now from kids to adults, so I believe that social media and screen time is a very bad habit for people and needs to be addressed.”
Nicholas: “My name is Nicholas Schindehette. I’m a senior at Montour High School. I am continuing my education in psychology, so I wanted to get a deeper understanding of why mental health issues occur and how to remedy them in regards to social media.”
