Studies show that the number of social media users ages 18-29 have grown over 1000 percent in the last eight years. This drastic shift in our    technology-filled   world has caused a rift in the lives of many college students.

In 2016, college students are more dependent on social media than ever. However, extended social media use can often be linked to both anxiety and depression, and can often leave the user feeling detached from their real life.

When college students use social media, they find themselves comparing the carefully constructed  lives of their peers they see on-screen to their own lives.   

This comparison process can be problematic because many times their peers only show their best, most attractive selves online, creating a façade to mask their own anxieties or imperfections.

Moreover, when users post pictures or videos of themselves having fun with their friends or going on dates with their significant other, it can leave their audience feeling left out, inadequate and highly critical of themselves.

It is important for college students to remember that their peers might not be representing their lives as accurately as one would hope.

In addition, it might be healthy to take a step back from social media, connect with someone face-to-face and stop the endless, anxiety-fueled cycle of social media reliance.