You might be wondering what "Big Wahala" in the title might mean; it's not a grammar error or a vocabulary word. It's just a common word used in my country to indicate "big trouble or problem." Now, in simple terms, the title refers to "whether social media is a blessing or a problem to the mental health of teenagers."
Let’s be very honest, social media is now a major part of almost everyone’s life and not just the teenager’s life. Most teenagers that have nothing to do will, from morning till night, be scrolling, posting, liking, commenting, and catching cruise. But the truth is, while it looks fun and vibes on the outside, there’s a deeper effect happening, especially when it comes to their mental health.
I have seen many teenagers who should be focusing on their education or planning on how they want to make a difference in this life, all they would be doing is reminiscing about how they can make the car, or money spent by people who have made it their own.
Social media has both good and not-so-good sides. On the good side, it helps teens stay connected, informed, and even learn new skills. Some young people are making money, building brands, finding their voice, and expressing creativity in ways that didn’t exist before. We can see many of them, here on hive, I am sure you know one or two of them and you might be one yourself.
But at the same time, the pressure is real. Everyone is trying to look perfect, live soft, and show only the good parts of their lives, that is the most thing you can find on social media. And this has made a lot of teenagers feel like they’re not doing enough or that their lives are not good enough. You will hear them say things like "Oppression." I still don't understand who is oppressing them or how they feel oppressed. They don't look at the hard work those successful people have put into building themselves to that level; all they see is the money and good life.
Now when we look into the future, hmm, it’s 50/50 for me. On one hand, I believe the next generation will be more exposed and informed. They’ll have access to more knowledge than ever before. But on the other hand, I fear that their personal efforts might be reduced, because everything is just one click away. Instead of learning or working through things, some might just search quick answers or copy what they see online without thinking for themselves and this is what I fear the most.
As for me, I believe parent have a huge role to play in making sure their teenage children know how to use social media properly and they have to be monitor for sometimes on what they watch on social media. This way, what they do can be controled.
Thanks for reading. My name is fashtioluwa.
