A balanced exam essay examining whether social media causes or helps mental health problems among young people, drawing on research by Jonathan Haidt, platform design evidence, and the case for digital literacy.
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-07-23
Understanding the complex relationship between social media and mental health is crucial for writing a nuanced and high-scoring essay. This guide breaks down the core arguments, provides key terminology, and shows you exactly what an examiner looks for, moving your analysis from superficial claims to a sophisticated discussion of psychological mechanisms and societal impact.
Social media has become an inescapable feature of modern life. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube attract billions of users daily, many of them teenagers and young adults. In parallel, rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and poor self-esteem among young people have risen sharply over the past decade. This has prompted an urgent question: is social media making young people mentally unwell? This essay argues that while social media carries genuine psychological risks — particularly for adolescent girls — it can also provide meaningful support and community, and that the solution lies in digital literacy and responsible design rather than blanket restriction.
The Case Against Social Media
The most compelling evidence linking social media to poor mental health comes from research by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, author of iGen. Their data show a striking correlation between the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media (around 2012) and a sharp rise in teenage depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rates — particularly among girls. Instagram, for example, is built around visual comparison. Seeing carefully curated images of peers who appear more attractive, more successful, or more popular can trigger feelings of inadequacy, envy, and low self-worth. …