EXPERTS IN IB, IGCSE & A-LEVEL Since 1997

SELFIE FEVER AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR ADOLESCENTS

The enormous expansion of Social Networks and their ease of use, allow us to become public figures for a moment. The problem comes from the obsession round our lives. In the case of adolescents we can see how it has become a serious problem which is: why do teenagers make so many selfies?

 

Adolescents between 15 and 30 years of age seek social recognition through posting their selfies. They are immediately waiting for their followers to approve of their image with a ‘Like’ or a comment. The more they have, the better they feel. The problem of these young people being addicted to the selfie is that they are constantly worried about the image they project and what others think about it. Their obsession is to show others how happy they are; although in reality their life is not like that. Through filters and retouches, they are able to mask the defects and insecurities in their photos and to take a picture without the need for anyone else, so they enjoy as much freedom as possible.

 

But, when does it become a problem?

 

The excessive use of this trend can result in a predisposition to develop an anxiety and depression disorder in adolescents, especially because they tend to compare their realities with what they see in this ideal world of social networks. Most of the time these ‘selfies’ show a world where everything seems perfect; They are all beautiful and they are always in incredible places. Normally they are photographs with no significant content and great appearance. A recent study by the American Psychiatric Association has shown that what began as a fad has become a disorder suffered by millions of people in the world, which It has called SELFITIS. For which even, have been called three levels of severity (according to experts).

– Selfitis Borderline:

Take pictures of yourself at least 3 times a day, but without sharing them on social networks.

 

 – Acute Selfitis:

Take pictures of yourself at least three times a day and then publish them all on social networks.

 

– Chronic Selfitis:

Taking pictures of oneself “without control”; when a person takes more than 6 selfies a day and shares them on all their social networks repeatedly.

 

-Selfitis dangerous and extreme:

On several occasions it has already happened that the selfie ends with a tragic end and it is not surprising if we look at the images that we find on the web to find photographs that, in case of having a happy ending, leave pictures that put the hairs of tip but that sometimes is paid with too high a price and have already cost several lives

                                     

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