Pengaruh Penggunaan Media Sosial terhadap Kesehatan Mental Siswa Kelas XB SMA Santo Arnoldus Janssen Kupang

Abstract

Social media has become an integral part of adolescents' lives, offering various benefits in communication, information acquisition, social relationship building, and educational activities. This study aims to analyze the influence of social media use on students' mental health, particularly among Grade XB students at SMA Santo Arnoldus Janssen Kupang, and to identify strategies for reducing the negative effects of its use. This study employs a literature review method by collecting and analyzing various relevant sources, including scientific journals, books, articles, and other publications. The analysis involves selecting, categorizing, comparing, and synthesizing information from multiple sources. The findings indicate that social media has both positive and negative effects on adolescents. On the one hand, social media serves as a platform for communication, information acquisition, skill development, self-expression, and social support. On the other hand, problematic social media use may be associated with anxiety, depression, social comparison, sleep disturbances, cyberbullying, and reduced psychological well-being. Therefore, social media should be used wisely through time management, improved digital literacy, appropriate content selection, privacy protection, information verification, and support from parents and the school environment. Through balanced and responsible use, the benefits of social media can be maximized while minimizing potential risks to adolescents' mental health.