Social media is almost like a double-edged sword—it connects us to the world while also slowly destroying our mental health. For students, especially teenagers, the consequences of scrolling endlessly are undeniable, and it’s time we stop pretending that the benefits outweigh the damage.

The biggest issue is that social media fuels comparison. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok thrive on short, curated videos and clips, where everyone appears to have a perfect life. It’s a recipe for insecurity. According to a study from the Journal of Adolescence, teens who spend more time on social media report higher levels of issues such as anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Why? Because no one’s feed reflects real life, yet we all fall for the illusion. We’ve become addicted to comparing ourselves to people who don’t even exist–at least not how they appear online.

Then there’s also the issue of time. On average, teens spend 3.5 hours per day on social media, according to a 2023 report by Common Sense Media. That’s more than 24 hours a week, an entire day lost to mindlessly scrolling, liking, and sharing. Imagine what we could do with that time instead: pick up a hobby, spend time with the people we love, or simply get more sleep. Instead, we’re stuck in this endless loop of content consumption, sacrificing real-life connections for online validation.

Social media companies don’t even remotely help; they exploit all our vulnerabilities. Algorithms are designed to keep us hooked, feeding us a steady stream of content tailored to our interests, but also prey on all of our insecurities. It’s not an accident that you feel bad about yourself after scrolling through Instagram–it’s by design. Companies then can profit from our unhappiness, selling us products and convincing us that there is something wrong with us, and we let them.

Yet, social media isn’t all bad. For some teens, it’s a lifeline—a way to connect with others who share their struggles or passions. Not only that, it’s a tool for activism, self-expression, and even learning. But the question we need to ask ourselves is, at what cost? Is a trending hashtag worth the heavy mental toll of constantly feeling like “not enough”? I would argue no.

But the problem isn’t just that social media exists—it’s how we use it, and how it uses us. We need to start setting more boundaries. Take breaks. Delete apps that make you feel worse instead of better. Hold companies accountable for prioritizing profits over people. And above all, we need to speak about this more, because pretending everything is fine isn’t working.

Social media shapes our generation’s minds in ways we’re only beginning to understand. If we don’t stop to reflect, we risk losing ourselves in the never-ending cycle of scrolling.