Snapchat: One of the many causes of teenage anxiety

By Ms. Meglino

I have been a high school teacher for almost nine years, and in that time, I have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of students diagnosed with anxiety. With the growing number of students being hospitalized for the condition, the question arises: What is causing this anxiety?

Teenagers live in a world of technological advancement, constantly addicted to new forms of social media, all of which can trigger anxiety. Snapchat, an app that has grown increasingly popular over the past few years, has caused a great deal of anxiety. Hidden within the facade of funny filters lies an underlying desire for many teenagers to have a story with a high number of “views” and to achieve a high “streak” of daily exchanges with specific followers.

I am constantly listening and consoling teenagers who cry over friends and significant others ending Snapchat streaks. I used to find it difficult to empathize with these kids, and I would often dismiss their problems as trivial. They were being dramatic. They were on their phones too much. They were too self absorbed.

How could anyone believe that a Snapchat streak or a story view was a true indication of how much someone cared?

One day, a student approached me in tears. She found out her boyfriend was cheating on her. This student created a fake snapchat account and began following the girl her boyfriend was having the “affair” with. She saw her boyfriend all over the girl’s story, made public for all her followers.

This shocked me. Yes, I was sad for my student, as no one wants to experience being cheated on. However, I was more shocked by my student’s behavior. Making a fake account to essentially stalk someone seemed extreme, yet she assured me that it was normal behavior. Unbeknownst to me, it is apparently common for people to make fake accounts in order to keep tabs on people.Yikes.

Eventually, I downloaded Snapchat to see what all the fuss was about. At first, I used it as a means to send funny pictures back and forth to my friends and family. I loved getting goofy pictures from my cousins of her two young girls using the filters. One picture, one small snap shot of someone you love, can make you smile, and sometimes, that smile a helpful way to get through the day.

However, when Snapchat became a means to communicate with a guy I was dating, I quickly noticed that even as an adult, my anxiety was heightened by my usage of the ap. I was in my late twenties, yet I quickly entered this dark phase where, just like my students, I began to measure the quality of a relationship by analyzing snapchat behaviors.

I was constantly glued to my phone. My anxiety increased and I was astounded by how much value I placed in whether or not this guy checked my story or kept a “streak” with me. I was happy when I received a snap from him and sad when I didn’t. If he checked my story, but didn’t send me a direct snapchat, I actually became angry.

More than that, I began to measure his level of interest by his response to snaps. He sent me a direct snap, he must be interested.

Snapchat allows us to get a glimpse into someone’s life. It makes us believe that we know someone more than we actually do. When that interaction ends, it feels as if you’ve lost someone. Cue the unnecessary, yet very honest anxiety.

My experience with Snapchat was short lived. I was able to acknowledge how it was affecting my moods and I couldn’t handle it. However, my experience with the ap has allowed me to empathize with my students.

No wonder these kids are so anxious. They are using aps like snapchat to confirm suspicions and to validate their feelings.