'Social media breaks due to peer pressure': Youth shares on the dark side of internet use

Social media applications like Tik tok, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter are where many youths spend their time online to get entertained and learn. 

Austin Ndegwa spoke to Wananchi Reporting about the effects that social media has had in his life:

"I spend most of my time on Tik tok, I find it interesting and educative but I end up scrolling only to realise time has gone by. Spending most of my time on the internet is significantly detrimental to my mental health and well being. 

Sometimes, there are things that I come across on the media that I wish I could unsee; nowadays people have really taken the right of the  freedom of expression seriously and they proudly embrace their sexuality and opinions without fear. 

Body wise, there is a lot of stigma around plus size women, men without beards, colour and social standards; the cyber bullying is mentally draining to witness but there's nothing much to be done since it's someone's opinion. 

However, I have made friends online who keep me engaged but I've come to the realisation that I end up withdrawing from the people that are actively present around me, mostly my family members, most of the time, all of us are on our phones.

There's a lot of comparison and envy on social media, this is from the different social standards that all of us posses, when someone that's my agemate has achieved a lot, I am happy about it but I end up feeling pressured and asking myself what I am doing in my life, the pressure was starting to get to me and I had to take a social media break and learn that I am living my own life and we cannot be the same. 

Being a man, there's a lot of social media influence that a man should be rich and have a certain physique and that has affected my relationship life since I  don't agree with the fact that a woman should rely solely on me to provide  for her. I believe that both of us should work and I will definitely treat her. 

However, on the positive side, I do a lot of research online about business, mental health and general well being and I have learnt a lot and learnt to be wise to avoid misinformation. 

I have tried to reduce my screen time because most of the time I find myself procrastinating and withdrawing from reality, which is a good feeling at the moment, but later on, I wish I chose my screen time wisely.

The internet benefits you if you know what you want and have self discipline.