In today’s world, teens and social media go hand-in-hand. Accord- ing to the U.S. Surgeon General’s recently released advisory “Social Media and Youth Mental Health,” almost 95% of youth ages 13–17 report using a social media platform, with more than 33% saying they use social media “almost constantly.” And although 13 is the commonly required minimum age to join a social media platform, almost 40% of children ages 8–12 use at least one.
With this widespread use, social media’s effects on mental health are becoming clearer, and concerns are growing.
Cause for alarm
While social media does bring some potential benefits, such as pro- viding a space for self-expression and fostering friendships, these positives are often outweighed by the risks.
“Adolescence is a time of finding a sense of belonging in the world and developing self-worth,” says Katelynn Leisher, LCSW-C, a social worker at Sheppard Pratt’s Adolescent Mood Disorders unit. “Teens can lose that connection with themselves when they become engrossed in the worlds of others.”
Exposure to inappropriate or harmful content can lead to low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction. Studies found that discuss- ing or showing content like “what I eat in a day” videos on TikTok, pro-anorexia content, and glamorized depictions of self-injury on Instagram can normalize behaviors like disordered eating, suicide pacts, and self-harm, according to the Surgeon General’s advisory.
With push notifications, autoplay, and algorithms designed to keep one scrolling, it can be difficult for teens to disconnect, leading to disrupted sleep and decreased physical activity.
“Patients come in feeling depression and anxiety related to social media. They might be being bullied or are comparing themselves to others,” she says.
Safer social media use
For parents who are seeing these negative effects or who simply want to set healthy boundaries, here are a few tips:
- Help your child make connections between social media and how it makes them feel. Have an open conversation with them about social media’s impact. Kids can also reflect through journaling.
- Encourage your child to build healthy connections offline. “They could join a club, volunteer, or connect with nature or animals—something that doesn’t involve technology,” says Leisher.
- Create a family media plan. “Make a list of pros and cons, and set rules like put- ting phones away during mealtimes and focusing on the art of in-person conversation,” she suggests. “It’s also important for parents and caregivers to model what human connection looks like without the confining walls of technology.”