The negative impact of social media on adolescents is becoming increasingly pronounced, as platforms such as Instagram and TikTok continue to evolve into primary sources of information, entertainment, and social interaction for young people. While social networks initially served mainly as tools for communication with peers and the exchange of ideas, they now expose adolescents to a vast range of content that often has a direct and harmful effect on their mental health.
TikTok and Instagram, in particular, promote content in which physical appearance is placed at the forefront. The widespread use of filters, digital editing, and unrealistic beauty standards creates a distorted reality in which “perfect” bodies are presented as the norm. This fuels constant comparison and reinforces the belief that personal worth is directly tied to outward appearance.
As a result, many adolescents feel pressured to imitate the behavior, clothing, and lifestyles of influencers or their peers, gradually losing their sense of authentic identity. This social pressure is frequently accompanied by insecurity, diminished self-esteem, and, in some cases, online bullying and stigmatizing comments that further exacerbate their emotional distress.
Speaking to Mollëkuqja, psychologist Lindita Mustafa explains that social media has become a constant tool for comparison, particularly among adolescents who are still in the process of forming their identities. According to her, while this influence is present across all stages of life, it has especially direct consequences for adolescents’ mental and physical well-being.
“The role of influencers could be very positive if they were teaching young people something valuable,” Mustafa says. “But in the race for ‘likes,’ they simply serve content that has nothing to do with reality—flawless skin, inflated lips, perfectly shaped bodies, and so on. This creates an internal conflict for adolescents: why don’t I look like this person, what do I need to do to become like them? From there, mental health problems begin—anxiety, depression, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia—because imposed beauty standards and the idea of an ‘ideal’ body are constantly being promoted.”
These concerns are supported by scientific research. A study published in the journal European Psychiatry by the University of Cambridge found a strong correlation between frequent social media use and negative body image. Both adolescent girls and boys reported higher levels of dissatisfaction with their bodies, while continuous exposure to appearance-focused content was associated with an increased risk of eating disorders, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Social comparison and the need for peer approval play a crucial role in shaping self-perception.
According to Mustafa, stigmatization is often normalized among adolescents.
“Young people frequently use insulting language toward one another and claim it doesn’t hurt them, seeing it as part of social interaction. Even critical comments or mockery related to appearance—such as ‘why don’t you take better care of yourself?’, ‘why don’t you wear makeup?’, ‘why don’t you go on a diet?’ or ‘why don’t you fix your eyelashes?’—are often perceived as well-intentioned advice. This language becomes internalized, and adolescents begin to believe that a person’s value lies solely in aesthetics. They start seeing themselves through a critical lens—asking even ChatGPT for advice on hair color combinations or makeup. I’ve had patients who never removed their hats because they believed their hair was ‘bad,’” she explains.
Mustafa adds that in some cases, the influence of others’ opinions is so powerful that adolescents refuse to leave the house without makeup or avoid being photographed without filters. This leads to social anxiety, which requires sustained effort and professional support to address.
“In most cases, I work with patients who suffer from eating disorders, and social media is almost always present in the background, aggressively promoting ‘ideal’ beauty trends. Young people strive for the ideal weight, ideal beauty, and sometimes even ask about ‘ideal’ height. There are also cases of emotional overeating followed by self-induced vomiting, or eating in front of family under pressure and then vomiting to avoid weight gain. This has a serious negative impact on mental health—bulimia and anorexia are severe disorders that often require long-term treatment and, in some cases, hospitalization,” Mustafa emphasizes.
In this context, she highlights the importance of raising awareness among both young people and parents about limiting excessive technology use. Parental monitoring—especially during pre-adolescence—open communication, and spending quality time with children are considered essential in preventing negative effects.
At the same time, Mustafa stresses the need for easier, barrier-free access to mental health services, as well as the importance of media literacy. Children and young people must be taught how to distinguish between authentic and manipulated content, including filters, artificial intelligence-generated images, and misinformation.
