The GI Effect In Adolescence
Anguish, depression and anxiety. The GI effect in adolescence, a term that comes from the word Instagram, can be very harmful, not only because of the risks that young people are exposed to, but also because of the feelings that this social network encourages.
A network that grows every day
Instagram’s accelerated growth has no brakes. The ability to share images that teenagers love, even if it involves sacrificing privacy. This famous social network allows young people to show in one place everything they want to publicize.
It is a network to promote interpersonal relationships, with all the risks that this entails. In practice, this platform is a place to express yourself. And that’s what its users do, most aged between 16 and 30 years.
Appreciation or external recognition is essential for the adolescent. Some confuse affection with likes in their photos, others link them with popularity. So, if the number of likes is low, they prefer to delete the photo rather than admit it wasn’t effective.
This place is also recognized as a space to seek one’s identity and provide emotional support. Thus, relationships are created in different communities, but the risks are exponentially greater.
Bullying, a risk of the GI effect in adolescence
Bullying can be one of the consequences of exposing aspects of life in this social network. Anguish and anxiety, which can trigger depression, are other risks when intimacy is shown in front of so many people. Fear of criticism arises, and discomfort increases.
IG’s new features add to the problem. The act of sharing stories on users’ profiles attracts more followers every day. And that’s exactly what young people value: the number of followers they have and the number of likes their photos receive.
The photos with the most likes
The teenager also assesses which type of photo receives the most likes, which are nothing more than signs of approval from other users. If it’s the ones in which he appears alone, it denotes recognition, but also a narcissistic attitude. If it’s photos of events or meetings, they provide more representation.
beware of strangers
Every day, the number of teenagers who accept followers they don’t know grows. What matters to them is increasing the number. Many young people have a large following, thus generating a commitment to keep up to date. However, this can trigger episodes of anxiety.
The risk is in the aim of these strangers: who they are and what they are looking for are questions that should be mandatory. There have been cases where the photos posted on the social network ended up being used for other purposes, often for cyberbullying, which affects a large number of teenagers around the world.
Depression knocking at the door
A young person can experience deep depression if their photos are exposed in a degrading way. Once content goes viral, there’s no stopping it. Some teenagers even consider drastic measures (such as self-harm or addictions) as a way to escape this reality.
The ideal way to reduce the GI effect in adolescence is family and even professional guidance for adolescents who are bullied or experience feelings of great anguish for being immersed in this social network.
mental health at risk
With every attack on the GI, well-being and mental health can be at risk. This is a complex stage in life because of teenagers’ vulnerabilities. If the young person spends more than two hours in this social network, he is more prone to psychological conditions, especially to suffer from anxiety, anguish and even depression.
Sleeping hours decrease significantly, self-esteem is affected and questions about body image increase. Then, a very pessimistic view of life begins to emerge.
To avoid rejection or criticism, many young people edit their photos and include filters to improve their image. The fear of losing recognition also increases, and the fear of being a victim of cyberbullying is always latent.
The GI effect in adolescence can be very harmful if there is no awareness of how to approach it. Ensuring the preservation of intimacy is a way to avoid further inconvenience. In addition, treatment with people who are known or who are credible in the network is another recommendation.
