Teens and Social Media Usage

Written by: Jessica Gross, M.A.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people under 24 in the U.S. and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Report from 2023 found that 20% of the country’s 12–17-year-olds have had at least one major depressive episode. This data tells us that young people are in crisis. There is an overwhelming amount of research that extensive social media usage is contributing to this decline in young people’s mental health. Jonathan Haidt, author of ‘The Anxious Generation’, argues that parents are overprotecting their kids in the real, physical world and under protecting them in the online world.

Adolescents between the ages of 10-19 years old are experiencing a highly sensitive period where parts of the brain responsible for identities and feelings of self-worth are forming. “Frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain”, parts of the brain responsible for emotional learning, impulse control, and emotional regulation. There are a variety of concerns that include the amount of time adolescents spend on social media platforms, the type of content they consume, and the degree to which it disrupts activities related to health like sleep and/or physical activity.

Below is an overview of the potential harms, benefits, and suggestions for parents related to social media usage.

Potential Harms

• Research studies show that American teens (ages 12-15) who use social media over three hours each day are faced with twice the risk of having negative mental health outcomes, like depression and anxiety symptoms, body image and disordered eating behaviors, and poor sleep quality.
• Social media algorithms are built to promote whatever the individual seems interested in. Therefore, if a teen searches for mental health related information the algorithm will continue to feed the individual information regarding depression, suicide, etc. which could cause the teen to think that everyone around them is thinking about these topics as well.
• Some researchers think that exposure to social media can overstimulate the brain’s reward center and, when the stimulation becomes excessive, can trigger pathways comparable to addiction.

However, it’s not all bad..

Potential Benefits

• Some teens can benefit from social media when it is being used to foster positive connections with others who share common interests or identities.
• Social media can create a space for self-expression.
• Online communities can allow for interactions with diverse peer groups.

So, what should you do as a parent of an adolescent aged child?

• Determine the age your child will have access to social media: There is no “right” age, and all adolescents mature at different rates. You know your child best! Research suggests delaying full access to smartphones for as long as possible and starting your child off with a phone that doesn’t have internet.
• Keep devices out of the bedroom: Try to create a culture at home where all phones are turned off by a certain time (at least one hour before going to bed). There is a strong positive correlation between social media use and poor sleep quality, and poor sleep quality is linked to emotional health issues.
• Keep the lines of communication open, and let your teen make mistakes: Establish trust with your teen and encourage open communication; try not to hover or monitor your teen’s phone. Part of becoming a teenager is figuring out who you are in the world, which requires some amount of privacy.
• Follow the rules yourself: You are your teens role model which means you need to follow the same rules you are setting for your children. Empathize with your teens that it can be difficult for you too to put away your phone too.

Sources: Jonathan Haidt on countering negative effects of social media How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide > News > Yale Medicine