Many sports teams at Tallwood have their own team social media accounts run by the students or coaches. Finding a balance between academics and athletic achievements in some cases can be both challenging and rewarding. Social Media has become worldwide through Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more. You can walk down the hallways and see teachers or even students scrolling on social media.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a significant issue that can affect many individuals, especially student-athletes. For a student-athlete to see hurtful comments on their performance and negative criticism about their sporting abilities can harmfully affect their mental health. Anything can be said through comments, posts, stories, and even direct messages which can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression. With harsh words being said or posted it can cause an athlete to have constant breakdowns throughout the day or while they perform.
Comparison and Self-Esteem
Comparison can be damaging to oneself and contributes to a decrease in self-esteem. There will always be pressure when it comes to being a star athlete. Everyone’s eyes and cameras will be on the star which can cause you to fall apart in some cases.The feeling of failing when one thing goes wrong can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and self-doubt. This can affect how a student-athlete performs in their everyday life.
Time Management
Time management is a crucial skill for everyone, especially student-athletes. As a student-athlete, you can miss time away from family because of school work, training, and sometimes a job. An endless cycle of scrolling, liking, and commenting can lead to being unfocused. It causes you to procrastinate on things such as studying for a test, completing homework assessments, or preparing for a practice or game.
To sum up, while social media can positively affect student-athletes’ mental health, it does more harm to them. Constantly scrolling on social media can lead student-athletes to cyberbullying, comparison & self-esteem, and time management problems. At the end of the day student-athletes must become more mindful of what effects social media can have on them.
