At times we all need to vent or talk about something that could be affecting our lives. It’s important to tell someone how we are feeling instead of not talking about it to someone either in the real world or on the internet. But since technology has been a major impact on people’s lives, many people use it as a safe space.

There are ways in which this could be a good thing. One of the good things about using social media and the internet, is that many young teens use it to cope. According to the “NBCnews.com” it has been stated that “teenagers are setting up their own private social media chats, often sharing experiences with people they have never met face to face.” Teens are in these chats giving others support and the help that they need. There are many different emotional support groups full of teens from all across the world who have dealt with the same experiences.  All of the members in the group can discuss about it and help each other out with it.

Many people say that the internet can be toxic and unhealthy for teens. But it can also be a benefit that can save someone’s life. According to a story on the blog Connect Safely entitled How Social Media Helped Saved a Life, an 18-year-old teen posted on Facebook that he was deciding to take his own life by jumping off the George Washington bridge. A Facebook user who saw the post decided to report this to the police immediately. When they found the teen they took him to a local hospital to get help. Social media can help save someone’s life and you never know who it could be or when it could happen.

Not only do emotional support groups help others, but there are personal therapists on different apps, hotlines, and websites that can help anyone at anytime. There is a hotline for everything and for everyone. According to a website called Teen counselling.com, teens can sign up in a help app that gives them the ability to talk or text a professional counselor instead of talking to them face to face. There are also many hotlines where people can call or text. If you search up “hotlines” on any search bar they are many available numbers for people who have a specific problem or issue. Callers can talk about with that specific number with a counselor who is trained and ready to give support and advice on that topic. For instance there are many support/help hotlines that are listed for different topics such as depression, stress, anxiety, eating disorders,  LGBTQ+, and so much more.

Yes, it may isolate teens into not talking about their issues in real life but they can join support groups and have a professional counselor online to get the help that they need. As soon as they get enough support and the amount confidence, they can find/talk to a doctor in real life to get the attention they need outside of the internet and can get help while talking to a therapist from face to face so social media can be a benefit for teens.