Generation Z – the loneliest generation of all, thanks to social media.
Born between 1997 and 2021, this generation has grown up with technology, mobile phones, social media, the Internet and ”on-demand” entertainment. They are the most connected generation with groups of friends and fans on messaging apps, social media, live streaming and they will never leave home without their phone. If they do, their FOMO (fear of missing out) urge will be so strong that they’d rather ditch school to go home and collect the phone than leave it until after school.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, we had already noticed a significant increase in Gen Z suffering from mental illnesses such as depression, due to intense loneliness.
During a research study done by Jean Twenge, San Diego State University (2017) – it was noted that those who spent most of their time on their phones and social media suffered more with loneliness than others who spent less time on their phones and more time playing sports, meeting their friends in person or attending religious activities.
It was, therefore, a clear correlation between spending more time on social media resulting in higher instances of depression.
We asked ”Why?”
The results showed that 37% of girls had three or more symptoms of psychological distress such as feeling worthless and unattractive, and unable to concentrate. 15% of boys felt the same.
Anxiety has become more pervasive than depression in young adults. The survey respondents said that this was due to the fact that social media puts pressure on young people, especially girls, to live their lives in public – documenting their every waking moment. They become aware of the importance to create their personal ’brand’ from a young age. Many girls receive their sense of self-worth by the number of followers, comments, likes and shares that they get from each of their posts.
Things that used to be done in private are now done in public and teenagers agree that it is perfectly fine for someone to break up with their girlfriend or boyfriend on social media or via a text message.
Young adults, desperate to fit in or become popular (and even famous) will present an image of themselves online that is not their true authentic selves. A lot of teenagers will admit to having a Finsta account in addition to their regular Instagram account.
A Finsta is a fake instagram account where you pose for pictures, set up clips, dress up and do all sorts of things to pretend that you are having a fabulous life. Photos are manipulated with editing and filters to make bodies look thinner, bottoms look bigger and in the end – they look nothing like the actual person in the picture. So it doesn’t matter if this false persona becomes popular. The teenager behind the profile knows that the love he/ she is getting is not toward anything real. The community they build around these fake profiles are fickle one day they love you and the next day – they’re gone. They have no idea who the profile really belongs to. This is why living your life this way can be very lonely.
If you have noticed your child has been acting more moody, isolated, easy to anger, does not do things he or she used to do in the past, please take them to a doctor to see whether they need help.
