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<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The negative impact of social media on adolescents is becoming increasingly pronounced, as platforms such as Instagram and TikTok continue to evolve into primary sources of information, entertainment, and social interaction for young people. While social networks initially served mainly as tools for communication with peers and the exchange of ideas, they now expose adolescents to a vast range of content that often has a direct and harmful effect on their mental health.<\/p>\n
TikTok and Instagram, in particular, promote content in which physical appearance is placed at the forefront. The widespread use of filters, digital editing, and unrealistic beauty standards creates a distorted reality in which \u201cperfect\u201d bodies are presented as the norm. This fuels constant comparison and reinforces the belief that personal worth is directly tied to outward appearance.<\/p>\n
As a result, many adolescents feel pressured to imitate the behavior, clothing, and lifestyles of influencers or their peers, gradually losing their sense of authentic identity. This social pressure is frequently accompanied by insecurity, diminished self-esteem, and, in some cases, online bullying and stigmatizing comments that further exacerbate their emotional distress.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Moll\u00ebkuqja, psychologist Lindita Mustafa explains that social media has become a constant tool for comparison, particularly among adolescents who are still in the process of forming their identities. According to her, while this influence is present across all stages of life, it has especially direct consequences for adolescents\u2019 mental and physical well-being.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe role of influencers could be very positive if they were teaching young people something valuable,\u201d Mustafa says. \u201cBut in the race for \u2018likes,\u2019 they simply serve content that has nothing to do with reality\u2014flawless skin, inflated lips, perfectly shaped bodies, and so on. This creates an internal conflict for adolescents: why don\u2019t I look like this person, what do I need to do to become like them? From there, mental health problems begin\u2014anxiety, depression, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia\u2014because imposed beauty standards and the idea of an \u2018ideal\u2019 body are constantly being promoted.\u201d<\/p>\n
These concerns are supported by scientific research. A study published in the journal European Psychiatry by the University of Cambridge found a strong correlation between frequent social media use and negative body image. Both adolescent girls and boys reported higher levels of dissatisfaction with their bodies, while continuous exposure to appearance-focused content was associated with an increased risk of eating disorders, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Social comparison and the need for peer approval play a crucial role in shaping self-perception.<\/p>\n
According to Mustafa, stigmatization is often normalized among adolescents.<\/p>\n
\u201cYoung people frequently use insulting language toward one another and claim it doesn\u2019t hurt them, seeing it as part of social interaction. Even critical comments or mockery related to appearance\u2014such as \u2018why don\u2019t you take better care of yourself?\u2019, \u2018why don\u2019t you wear makeup?\u2019, \u2018why don\u2019t you go on a diet?\u2019 or \u2018why don\u2019t you fix your eyelashes?\u2019\u2014are often perceived as well-intentioned advice. This language becomes internalized, and adolescents begin to believe that a person\u2019s value lies solely in aesthetics. They start seeing themselves through a critical lens\u2014asking even ChatGPT for advice on hair color combinations or makeup. I\u2019ve had patients who never removed their hats because they believed their hair was \u2018bad,\u2019\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
Mustafa adds that in some cases, the influence of others\u2019 opinions is so powerful that adolescents refuse to leave the house without makeup or avoid being photographed without filters. This leads to social anxiety, which requires sustained effort and professional support to address.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn most cases, I work with patients who suffer from eating disorders, and social media is almost always present in the background, aggressively promoting \u2018ideal\u2019 beauty trends. Young people strive for the ideal weight, ideal beauty, and sometimes even ask about \u2018ideal\u2019 height. There are also cases of emotional overeating followed by self-induced vomiting, or eating in front of family under pressure and then vomiting to avoid weight gain. This has a serious negative impact on mental health\u2014bulimia and anorexia are severe disorders that often require long-term treatment and, in some cases, hospitalization,\u201d Mustafa emphasizes.<\/p>\n
In this context, she highlights the importance of raising awareness among both young people and parents about limiting excessive technology use. Parental monitoring\u2014especially during pre-adolescence\u2014open communication, and spending quality time with children are considered essential in preventing negative effects.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Mustafa stresses the need for easier, barrier-free access to mental health services, as well as the importance of media literacy. Children and young people must be taught how to distinguish between authentic and manipulated content, including filters, artificial intelligence-generated images, and misinformation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ndikimi negativ i rrjeteve sociale po thellohet gjithnj\u00eb e m\u00eb shum\u00eb tek adoleshent\u00ebt, nd\u00ebrsa platforma si Instagram dhe TikTok po shnd\u00ebrrohen n\u00eb burime kryesore informimi, arg\u00ebtimi dhe rrjet\u00ebzimi p\u00ebr t\u00eb rinjt\u00eb. N\u00ebse n\u00eb fillimet e tyre rrjetet sociale sh\u00ebrbenin kryesisht p\u00ebr komunikim me moshatar\u00ebt dhe ndarje t\u00eb ideve, sot ato ekspozojn\u00eb adoleshent\u00ebt ndaj nj\u00eb game […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":10968,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[344],"tags":[51,383],"class_list":["post-10967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pertej-siperfaqes","tag-edukim-seksual","tag-smsfacility"],"yoast_head":"\n