Not only that is to accept that notion, to embrace it and comprehend the various degrees of your personality. In adolescence, identity becomes somewhat of a crisis. Coming out of childhood, they can no longer be who they were. The changes in their body give them feelings and emotions which are difficult to understand. Adulthood is so far ahead that it´s not even a viable option just yet. So, what do they have left? The confusion and bewilderment of not only to figure out their new changing reality but also to shape an identity that will carry them through life. In order to do that, they turn to friends, schoolmates, and people they can relate to and admire. They see if they can share interests, similar, and questions. Moreover, they can absorb the qualities they want for themselves and explore different characters to see which one fits better. Schoolyard, playgrounds, and sports clubs used to be the lands where these matters were addressed. Now, social media is the primary field for its resolution.

For some teenagers, being part of a social network is the only way they know how to live. They are what is called “digital natives”, being exposed to it since birth. Therefore, using it to search who they are is only natural. Guillermo Cánovas, former director of the Safer Internet Centre for the Protection of Children in Spain, says that social networks have become as important as a school for identity development. Furthermore, researchers discovered that virtual interactions are processed by the brain the same way as to face to face interactions, triggering and increasing similar hormones. This means that social media exchange is not a recreation of the physical life. It´s similar to it and should be treated as such. A study conducted by psychologist López de Hoyos, along with the Integral Care for the Minor Foundation, revealed that youngsters are constructing their identity based on social media communication. This virtual sociability, hidden in anonymity, gives them the space to engage and perform different selves and personalities, comparing results and seeing how they feel in each suit.  

However, it can be a double edge sword. Virtual profiles get manipulated, says Botero Bentancur, a masters degree in education. They only show whom they want to be and how they want to be seen, regardless of who they are outside of the network. According to an investigation by Caceres, Ruiz and Brändle for the Complutense University of Madrid, 1 of 3 teenagers modifies his/her identity for social virtual interactions. This is supported by Spanish philosopher and doctor in philologist Portillo Fernandez, who observes that a physical identity, more spontaneous and continuously evolving, is being replaced by a virtual identity, more statical and pre-designed.  Correspondingly, since reputation is an important part of the identity, whom they come to be more about what they post, whom they connect with or which comments they do than the values, manners or how they conduct themselves in the physical world. This means that the environment may be starting to fade in favor of the virtual context.

Consequently, in view of the fact that social media have so much impact on teenagers, a hybrid identity, physical and virtual, is what youngsters are managing. The connections and coherence between them is a task difficult to address, but critical in that time of their lives. Since the lines that separate each world gets blurry, constructing a cohesive and unique identity that operates in both areas can be extremely challenging. As Winocur, professor and researcher of Communication and Information Technologies put it: “For youngsters, in terms of social transcendence, what can´t be seen or upload to the social network, doesn´t exist”.

As adults, accompanying, listening and assisting is very important. To be able to guide them to distinguish the roles of each space, but also, to recognize the significant parts of themselves and apply them accordingly. Or simply just help them accept and acknowledge the struggles that come with this period. Our comfort and support can go a long way on this journey.