A Socio – Psychological Analysis of Social Media Trends

Abstract

Social media has become an everyday part of life for college students, shaping how they think, feel, and interact with others. This study examines how social media trends, such as viral challenges, aesthetic lifestyles, and popularity-based content, affect the mental health of college-going students and how, in extreme cases, these influences may be related to suicidal thoughts and behaviour. Using a socio-psychological approach, the research focuses on both social pressures like peer comparison, fear of missing out, and need for acceptance and internal psychological responses such as low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and loneliness that arise from constant involvement with online trends. The study is based on data collected through a structured Google Form survey from 135 college students aged 17 to 21, capturing their social media usage patterns, emotional reactions, and experiences with harmful or stressful trends. The responses are analysed to identify patterns such as how often students feel pressured to follow trends, how they feel when they do not receive expected likes or comments, and whether these experiences are linked with self-harm or suicidal thoughts. The findings aim to provide insights that can help parents, teachers, mental health professionals, and institutions create awareness programs, support systems, and safer online practices to reduce the emotional burden and suicide risk associated with social media trends among youth.