Social media’s effect on mental health
Kids mental health is getting worse, and a big part of it is how much time they spend on phones and social media. Many parents use screens to keep kids quiet, which means they’re not connecting with their children the way they used to. Kids should be outside playing, making friends, and creating real memories. Instead they sit inside scrolling through videos they forget in seconds.
Social media has also created a lot of pressure. Children worry about how they look, what they wear, and how they compare to others. They shouldn’t even be thinking about those things yet. I struggled with this myself, seeing older women online with “perfect” bodies that weren’t even real. Young girls are growing up thinking these fake images are normal.
It’s not just kids. Older people are on social media too, but many don’t understand how it works. They believe fake videos, fall for scams, and trust things that aren’t real. It’s dangerous.
People are spending hours scrolling, chasing quick hits of dopamine, and losing time they’ll never get back. There is so much more to life than a phone. I just hope people realise that before it’s too late.
In order to raise funds for mental health charity 20Talk, I'm going to take on the challenge of sitting in a 2 metre square box for 20 hours with no technology and no talking. This challenge will be a small look into the day of someone struggling with mental health. All I will have is my own thoughts, a journal and a chair to sit on.
So why am I doing this?
We have all been touched in some way or another by the reality of mental health. It can be dark, lonely, and confronting.
Structurally, the statistics are still alarming..
- Suicide still remains the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-44.
- Only 2% of mental health funding goes towards prevention (Mental Health Commission 2022)
I'm completing the 20 Hours for 20Talk to turn these statistics around. Your contribution goes towards 20Talk's relatable prevention campaigns. They are a mental health charity that makes education cool and accessible, for young people by young people.
Your generous donations go towards:
- Every $120 puts a young person through a one day Mental Health Maintenance cours
- Expanding 20Talk's online resources and 60,000+ social media community
- Running large-scale interactive mental health events
By improving mental health literacy, removing harmful stigma, and encouraging professional help-seeking we are preventing people from getting people into crisis in the first place.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and for donating to the cause. Hopefully this small challenge can help change someone’s life.
If you ever need to chat, I’m always here. Love you all and thanks again!
Well done Hannah u can do this