Student’s Name: Nguyễn Võ Quang Huy

Topic: The Risks of Social Networking for the Young Generation

Thesis statement: This essay delves into the diverse risks young people encounter in social
networking, which includes cyberbullying, privacy breaches, and mental health implications.

Body Paragraph 3:
The risks to mental health stemming from digital technology and social media usage are
increasingly apparent and concerning. “Excessive internet use, particularly among young
individuals, has been identified as a significant factor contributing to mental health issues,
with a particular focus on depression” as noted by Lawrence T. Lam, PhD; Zi-Wen Peng,
MSc (2010). To further emphasize this point, a problematic behavior associated with internet
usage has exhibited symptoms similar to other established addictions since the mid-1990s.
Lawrence T.Lam, Phd; Zi-Wen Peng, Msc (2010) mentioned that Studies conducted in
Taiwan and China have observed a rising trend in the occurrence of this phenomenon among
adolescents, with figures climbing from approximately 6% in 2000 to about 11% in 2004.
Findings have indicated that individuals who excessively utilize the Internet tend to be
predominantly young men with introverted personalities. Nonetheless, there is an emerging
pattern of heightened prevalence among girls. Over recent years, as the Internet has become
increasingly accessible across most Asian countries, pathological internet use has emerged as
a growing concern for the mental health of adolescents. As a result, that phenomenon has
been bringing about various health concerns with regard to pathological use of the Internet,
such as depression and anxiety. In the prospective study 15 by Ko et al, it was further
reported that

“Depression and social phobia are found to be predictive of pathological use of the
Internet in a 2-year follow-up. These results suggest that depression and anxiety may be
important factors in the causal pathway of the pathological use of the Internet among
adolescents.”

Given the significant interplay between depression, anxiety, and the development of
pathological internet usage, it becomes crucial to investigate the effects of excessive internet
usage on the mental well-being of adolescents. To achieve this, an optimal research approach
would entail the execution of a cohort study with a "noncase" population. In essence, this
approach would involve the careful tracking of a group of young individuals who, at the
outset, do not display symptoms of depression or anxiety but exhibit varying degrees of
internet use. The primary aim would be to assess their mental health outcomes at the
conclusion of the follow-up period. The impact on mental health encompasses a range of
conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, and stress. Research has highlighted the
association between pathological internet use and the increased likelihood of experiencing
depression. For instance, as stated by Lawrence T. Lam, PhD; Zi-Wen Peng, MSc (2010),
“students with pathological internet use were found to be over two times more likely to
experience depression at the 9-month follow-up compared to those without such behaviors”.
These findings underscore the pressing concern surrounding the mental well-being of
individuals in the digital age. Given the growing recognition of the mental health risks
associated with excessive internet use, it is essential to emphasize the urgency of these issues.
By acknowledging the significance of these challenges, we can pave the way for a safer
online environment and a greater commitment to safeguarding the psychological and
emotional well-being of individuals in the digital age.