Too much time spent scrolling through social media can result in symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Here’s how social media can be destructive:
Focusing on likes: The need to gain “likes” on social media can cause teens alter their appearance, engage in negative behaviors and accept risky social media challenges.
Cyberbullying: Teens girls are at risk of cyberbullying through use of social media. Cyberbullying is associated with depression, anxiety, and an elevated risk of suicidal thoughts.
Making comparisons: It’s very difficult to avoid making comparisons. Everything from physical appearance to life circumstances to perceived successes and failures are under a microscope on social media.
Too many fake friends: The more people on the friend list, the more people have access to screenshot photos, Snaps, and updates and use them for other purposes. There is no privacy on social media.
Less face time: It’s difficult to build empathy and compassion when teens spend more time “engaging” online than they do in person.
The key to helping teens learn to balance social media with real life friendships is to keep the lines of communication open and keep talking.
It’s also important to walk the walk. Disconnect on weekends and show your teen that there is a whole world out there that doesn’t require a handheld screen.