Balance: Social Media
and Adolescent Mental Health

BALANCE is a research-driven exploration of the relationship between social media, attention, and mental well-being. The project began with a concern for adolescent mental health and an interest in how graphic design might create safer visual experiences for young people navigating social media. Through research, the project expanded beyond visual safety to examine the psychological systems that influence digital behavior. Research into screen time, adolescent vulnerability, social reinforcement, and patterns of active and passive social media use revealed that the effects of digital environments are more complex than visual design alone. While social media can provide connection, community, self-expression, and support, the same platforms can also encourage comparison, validation-seeking, and prolonged engagement. This shift in understanding changed the project's design approach. Rather than treating social media as inherently harmful, BALANCE examines the tension between its benefits and its psychological pressures. Exploratory clock studies, infographics, visual research, and experimental compositions were used to investigate concepts of time, attention, repetition, and digital engagement. The final exhibition book translates this research into a visual narrative that asks designers to consider not only what captures attention, but what deserves it. The project ultimately argues that design has the potential to evolve beyond aesthetics and engagement by considering the psychological and human consequences of the experiences it creates.