The context for this paper is based on my experience as a teacher of students who are learning to
navigate the responsibilities of daily life all while having additional pressure placed on them
through the digital world of social media. In recent years, I have observed students utilizing
social media platforms with greater frequency and at younger ages. I have also seen a rise in
mental health struggles among students during this same time period. Add to this a global
pandemic that forced students into social isolation and onto their devices for greater periods of
time. In this paper, I argue that the rise in social media use among middle school students during
the pandemic has led to the deterioration of their mental health. During the pandemic, students
were required to utilize their devices and engage with the digital world as a part of their
schooling. After viewing social media posts, however, students tend to compare themselves and
their experiences to the ideals seen online, which leads to increased rates of anxiety, depression,
and suicidal thoughts. They also judge their experiences based on the number of likes and
comments their social media posts receive, creating pressure for them to create content that may
include risk taking behaviours in order to increase their viewership. The negative influences of
social media are significant within the educational environment because a student’s mental
health directly impacts their ability to engage in learning opportunities, meaning educators need
to address the social emotional needs of the students within the classroom. The implication is
that since students became accustomed to using social media as their main form of
communication throughout the pandemic, educators must now teach youth to navigate the world
of social media in a responsible way so they can maintain a positive state of well-being.
