The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescent Social Anxiety and Coping Strategies

Abstract

Today's adolescents are a generation born with the advent of the internet, and their lifestyle and thinking patterns are deeply influenced by the online environment. Unlike in the past, when adolescent growth mainly depended on living, learning, and social environments, media technology today is intricately linked to human development. With the widespread use of social media, while adolescents enjoy the convenience and fun it brings, they also face challenges related to social anxiety and other mental health issues. Therefore, this paper analyzes the impact of social media use on adolescent social interactions from different dimensions, including both positive and negative effects. It also explores the causes of adolescent social anxiety, which include individual psychological factors, the characteristics of social media itself, and the family and social environment. Accordingly, it suggests that targeted support should be provided to adolescents to help them develop good social media habits, effectively cope with social anxiety, and promote their overall healthy development.