Day by day we are overwhelmed with millions of funny tweets, viral videos on Facebook and pictures of the ideal relationship on Instagram.

As young people, we form the perfect life in our heads as we are faced with thousands of photoshopped photos of flawless celebrities. Little do we know what goes on behind closed doors.

We spend hours deciding what effect to put on our Instragram photo to ensure that it does not conflict with our current theme. We scroll through endless YouTube videos, learning about what makeup can make us look the prettiest. We care way too much about how other people view our lives that we begin to block out the most precious moments because we are so focused on picturing the event and letting other people know what we've done today.

But it doesn't matter as long as my followers on Twitter know that I have achieved an A in my recent assignment. It doesn't matter because Facebook friends are aware of my recent trip to that posh restaurant. I bet they wish they were me.

As young people, we need to realise that social media is turning us into deranged, self-obsessed robots. Cyber-bulling grows as people make fun of the lives others lead based on what is posted on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram. Indirects circulate the internet: 'How are you so annoying?', 'Why are girls so bitchy?'. We spend hours racking our brains, helplessly trying to work out the name behind the 'you'.

We need to realise that we are wasting our time. Focus on the moment. Care less about how other people view our lives. No matter what is posted online, everyone has their secrets. Nobody leads a perfect life.

What are we achieving from wishing our lives away?

How is social media affecting you? Tweet us using @FutureVoicesNfk

Charlotte Greenacre, 16, Drayton