When worst is the best by Olivia Paull

WHEN WORST IS BEST

OLIVIA PAULL sees the anti in social media.

Social media.

A place to connect, and perhaps disconnect, depending on how you’re feeling. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are common in schools and especially with teens. With such a wide variety of content, you never know what you’re going to find. It could be cooking tips, comedy or a relatable meme. There’s something for everyone.

Of course, social media has its upsides, but let’s look a bit closer at the side protective parents never stop talking about.

The downside. When you read that, your mind immediately goes to cyber-bullying and sexual content. The prospects most talked about are most threatening in the minds of parents and teachers. Sure, the prospect of sexual or unwanted opinions corrupting their child’s mind is possibly one of a parent’s worst fears, but what about a side parents don’t experience? The content appears simply because one in two teens can relate to it. Content that appears simply because it can.

Venting and posting about mental health affects teens more than school and friends. And they don’t think about it, because it’s just a video about suicide or a photo of self-harm. Just scroll past. Maybe click the heart because you’re sympathetic. Forget about it.

‘I’m just so sick of it.’ ‘How to lose weight.’ ‘TW, blood and sharp objects.’

Then comes comparison.

‘My mental health is worse than yours because I cry all the time.’ ‘Mine is worse because I don’t eat anything.’

Teenagers live by comparison. Its popularity, beauty standards. Not a thing about bad mental health is staged for attention. As soon as someone says ‘Mine’s better’ or ‘mine’s worse’ is when the competition begins. In this case, it’s the race to be heard. To be fixed. To be the worst so you’re the best. Mental health cannot be compared for the sake of happiness. A surprising amount of depression is caused by social media. Whether it’s a bunch of nasty texts or a comment someone can’t shake. Posting and trying to influence people through posting about depression isn’t correct and nor is it ‘cool’ or ‘sad’, whatever they want to be.

A vent post should have a warning, a self-harm post shouldn’t have pictures. Emotions shouldn’t be labelled by social media. Fundamentally one in five people feel affected by social media standards, whether it’s summer body types or the reason a person wears long-sleeve tops.

Social media is either a comfort place or an emotional terror. You’re influencing this by anything you post. That post button calls to be pressed.