A Plea to Save a Generation: Struggling to Unplug
October 11, 2026 | By Tylee R.
Dear Content Creators and Social Media users,
I know how exciting it is to press record and post that highly filtered picture of you for the simple purpose of engagement and “likes”, but do you realize the effect it has on young minds like mine? In my experience, scrolling through social media is supposed to be a “mindless” activity. However, seeing these unrealistic and filtered pictures and videos you post could be creating more anxiety and negative effects among teens than you realize. I became a statistic a year ago when I fell victim to the dangers of social media and was diagnosed with anorexia and almost lost my life.
It is estimated that 81% of teens are currently active on social media1, putting the majority at risk for the effects. Furthermore, a recent study has also shown that 1 in 5 teens struggle with an eating disorder. The grappling feedback loop from social media is a never-ending cycle, catching people by the hook every time they open the app, triggering the dopamine effect, and encouraging severe, addictive, harmful behaviors. The simple solution is just deleting the app; but for many, especially teens, that is just not realistic.
Social media has become the center of society for many reasons, both positively and negatively. For instance, social media has opened many doors for teen entrepreneurs. Social media has allowed families to re-connect across the world. Social media has located missing children and pets. The list can go on and on. But at what expense? Skyrocketing anxiety rates and cyberbullying (particularly among teens) and a worldwide mental health crisis to name a few. How did we get here so fast? And how can we reverse the damaging effects that social media has already had on this next generation?
Algorithms don’t always work the way they should. That “harmless” bikini picture you are posting could affect a young and vulnerable mind in ways you can never imagine. Teens are harming themselves because they “don’t fit the beauty standard” that YOU are promoting. I know it's boosting your self esteem to get the likes and comments from complete strangers on social media, but there is also a teen girl somewhere looking at your post saying “I’m so ugly. I hate myself. What’s the point of living?”
Not only are eating disorders now commonplace in every high school across America, but suicide rates have also skyrocketed in the past few years, in my opinion, because teens are dependent on this dangerous environment called social media. PLEASE think before you post. Stop exploiting your body for views and likes. Don’t abstain from things you enjoy just for digital attention. Instead, think about the positive difference and impact you can make in the real world. We are at a crossroads and need immediate action not only from you, but from the government and from lawmakers. We obviously can’t carry this burden alone. We need more school counselors, more community mental health centers, better mental health insurance coverage, more mental health education at every middle and high school across the country, and more research on the link between social media and adolescent mental health.
But we have to start somewhere, no matter how big or small. So please, the time is now to stop defining your self-worth through meaningless digital metrics, and place greater importance on authenticity and the mental health of future generations.
Sincerely,
Tylee R.
16 years old
Las Vegas, NV
Addendum
These are my personal thoughts, coming from a place of mental health advocacy and the study of psychology and teen emotions/behaviors. I wish I could send this letter and get it into the hands of every influencer out there targeting teens, but that is obviously not likely. I wish we teens could show these influencers the current anxiety and depression rates of our generation but that’s not realistic either. In the meantime, how do we manage our social media feed and usage and strike a balance between staying current and educated, while also taking back control of our own mental health? Here are some tips and strategies that have worked for me, and if they help just one other person, then I have succeeded.
5 Ways to Find Balance in Digital World
Filter your feed: You have the power to curate your own feed. Is an account making you uncomfortable or do you find yourself consistently (and negatively) comparing yourself? Unfollow.
Find your inspiration: What public figures do you respect? Who do they follow or tag? Fill your feed with positivity. Find more inspiration and educational content for your feed.
Set boundaries on your own scrolling: For starters, no scrolling first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Even reducing scrolling by 30 minutes a day could have a drastic effect on your daily mental health.
Scrolling Swaps: Make a list of “7 Scrolling Swaps: Scroll Less, Live More” and keep it handy. Some ideas can include Facetime with a friend, meditate, draw/sketch, journal, watch a feel-good Netflix show, exercise.
Normalize asking for help: Be aware of potential signs of anxiety and depression—irritability (especially after scrolling), trouble sleeping, lack of interest in “in person” activities, feeling addicted to scrolling (turning down other activities), feeling inadequate or constantly left out. Turn to a parent, trusted friend, favorite teacher, coach, or school counselor. There is someone who wants to help and support you, but you need to ask.
About the author
Tylee R. is a high school junior from Las Vegas, NV. She has been a mental health advocate from a young age and always dreamt of growing up in simpler times. However, recognizing that there is also some good behind social media use, she set out to study the psychology and human behavior behind social media usage and how we can navigate it in a healthy way.
She sits on the Youth Executive Board of Hope Means Nevada whose mission is to eliminate teen suicide among Nevada youth through education, awareness, and peer-led advocacy . Additionally, Tylee is a Mental Health Teen Advisor for the Teen Talk app, and has also been writing a children’s book focusing on mental health awareness.
She plans to pursue Psychology and Forensics in college and is committed to making a difference in the mental health arena, no matter how big or small. As social media continues to shape modern life, Tylee believes protecting the mental health of future generations is a responsibility we all share.
Additional Tools and Insights 📚
GoodforMEdia's Guide to Social Comparison: This guide was created to help young people navigate social comparison, a common phenomenon that can make social media a draining experience. This resource explains why we engage in social comparison and contains detailed strategies for combatting comparison related to appearance, FOMO, achievement, and social media metrics.
10 Tips for Taking Care of Your Mental Health in a Digital World: Learn insights and strategies for protecting your wellbeing while staying connected.
GoodforMEdia Guides and Tools: Explore additional resources created by youth to help their peers and adult allies navigate the positive and negative aspects of social media.
Sources 🔍
Cornman, Eva. “Youth Suicide Is on the Rise: Yale Aims to Save Lives.” Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, 11 Sept. 2024, https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/youth-suicide-is-on-the-rise-yale-aims-to-save-lives/
Galen, Gillian C., and Jacqueline Sperling. “Scrolling and Stress: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health.” Deconstructing Stigma, 5 July 2025, deconstructingstigma.org/guides/social-media.
Kaplan, Karen. “Attention Parents: Your Teens Aren’t Coping Nearly as Well as You Think They Are.” Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024, www.latimes.com/science/story/2024-07-16/attention-parents-your-teens-arent-coping-nearly-as-well-as-you-think-they-are.
Klein, Ezra. “The Alarm Over Social Media is Getting Through to Teens.” The New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/opinion/social-media-teens-pew.html
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