Social media pressure derailing youth purpose – Mental health advocate
By Solomon Nartey Tetteh
Mental health advocate, Stanislaus Nyaku, has warned that rising pressure from social media is pushing many young people into unhealthy comparisons and unproductive pursuits.
Speaking on the Business Breakfast on Zed 101.9 FM, Mr Nyaku explained that psychology identifies this behaviour under the “social comparison theory.”
“People compare themselves with others. When you feel you are doing better, it’s called a downward comparison, and when others are doing better, it’s an upward comparison. The problem is that many are now trying to ‘level up’ at all costs,” he said.
He cautioned that such comparisons often distort people’s decisions. For example, some workers may feel pressured to return to office spaces simply because their colleagues have done so, even when their own jobs do not require it.
Mr Nyaku highlighted that the chase for views and followers has become another unhealthy trend on social media. According to him, people often prioritise popularity over substance.
“On social media, the number of followers you have is now equated to relevance and success. Many are chasing views without putting out meaningful content. Those trending on social media now are mostly the ones going profane or nude, because that’s where the attention is,” he stated.
The advocate expressed concern that even educated and resourceful young people are being pressured to follow this trend, abandoning their own creative ideas in order to gain online traction.
He also noted that the phenomenon is affecting business startups. Some individuals, he explained, deliberately pretend to be football fans or jump onto unrelated trends just to attract traffic before returning to promote their own products or services.
“The struggle is real and it is derailing many people’s purpose. Social media could have been a powerful tool for us to promote genuine initiatives and innovative ideas, but the toxicity and focus on sensational content is undermining its potential,” Mr Nyaku stressed.
The mental health advocate urged Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to resist the pressure of harmful online comparisons and instead use social media to project positive and impactful content.
