For the past decade, the increase in social media use of teenagers has grown immensely. According to a British Psychological Study, about 90 percent of teens worldwide use social media, and it is showing to affect their mental health.

The concern of excessive social media use has been found by countless studies to affect teen’s self esteem, often leading to anxiety and depression.

You can ask almost any teenage social media user, even in the halls of Bishop Blanchet, if they have ever felt affected negatively by social media and their answer will most likely be yes.

Numerous peers have shared their stories of how social media is getting out of control, and people are using it inappropriately.

The main incorrect use of social media that seems to be repeatedly occurring is people are using it to hide behind a screen and not own up to their problems in face to face conversations.

Not only is this issue affecting the victim’s self esteem, but the teens that are using screens to hide behind are seeming to show a decrease in social skills.

“People are just too reliant on social media,” said sophomore Sebastian Rizo. “If they are ever put in a slightly uncomfortable situation and are unsure how to act, they immediately put their face in their phones which makes it more awkward because the people they are with don’t know how to react.”

Rizo believes it is important for teenagers to take occasional breaks from social media in order to tear apart from it a bit.

“Unfortunately, nowadays people just don’t have the guts to say what they want to say to people to their face,” said junior Lena Gorev. “I have seen this ruin so many relationships.”

Gorev has seen social media affect many of her friends emotionally.

Social media is ruining relationships and changing lives negatively. It is important for teenagers to be educated on how much it is actually affecting them so changes can be made before things get worse.