Social Media Use for Teens: What a Family Therapist Has to Say

Nearly half of American teens say they are on the Internet “almost constantly,” according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Most teens use popular social media apps for almost 5 hours every day, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Discord, and other platforms.

With so much minute-by-minute exposure to information, opinions, advertisements, and countless other stimuli, social media use has a significant impact on the mental and emotional health of adolescents.

Anna LaDelfa, LMHC, is a lead primary therapist in Rochester Regional Health's Home Crisis Intervention program and frequently works with adolescents. She explains some of the benefits and challenges of teen social media use, as well as important conversations adults should have with their teens about social media.

Benefits of Social Media for Teenagers

First, some positives about teens' social media use. There's a lot of community building going on in these apps. For teens who have endured the years of isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic or are uncomfortable with social interactions in general, social media can be helpful in determining how to behave in groups and connect with other people their age.

For people of color or LGBTQ+ teens who might feel like they don't have a social group they fit into at their school, social media communities can create a sense of group belonging and serve as a support system. They can learn how to handle difficult situations from the experiences of other teenagers.

Learning to talk about mental health issues is another benefit. Watching videos or talking with others about depression, anxiety, or other problems can help teens express how they feel. In some cases, this might lead them to seek help.

“Sometimes it's easier to ask for help behind a screen rather than in person – and depending on the situation, it may be safer to ask for help virtually rather than in person,” LaDelfa said. “Social media can be a gateway for these good things to happen. »

How Social Media Can Harm Teen Mental Health

Unfortunately, years of experience and research show that the challenges and potential downsides of social media outweigh its benefits.

Social media affects everyone differently. Teenagers will use it in a variety of ways, depending on their maturity level, family culture, social life, economic situation, pre-existing mental health issues, and other factors.

Bullying is a significant problem: nearly half of American teenagers report having been victims of online bullying.

THE Rising The amount of time teens spend on social media also affects their health. Research shows that American preteens and teens ages 12 to 15 who use social media more than three hours a day are twice as likely to have negative mental health problems.

“A good litmus test is to look at whether their phone use prevents them from regulating their emotions at home, school or work,” LaDelfa said. “If this is not the case, social media use may not have a major impact on a teenager's mental health. But if it creates an unhealthy dynamic, it might be worth discussing it more deeply.

Using social media can distract teens from daily responsibilities like homework and household chores. Some videos or social media groups may glorify unstable mental or physical health diagnoses (e.g., anorexia, ADHD) through misinformation, idealize unattainable lifestyles, or encourage isolating behaviors.

Another area of ​​concern is the dramatic increase in child pornography. When a teenager takes a nude photo and sends it to another teenager, this may be considered depending on the age of the people involved.

“There are potential legal repercussions not only for the child, but also for their parents,” LaDelfa said. “If the videos or images are released, then the FBI could become involved.”

Sometimes this happens between teenagers, but it also happens with teenagers who befriend someone they believe is another teenager, but who is actually an adult predator who ends up exploiting them and/or extort them – a process known as “sextortion”.

The effect of social media on physical health

For some teens, social media may begin to affect their physical health in different ways.

Sleep

Perhaps the most common side effect of being on the phone late at night is loss of sleep or poor quality sleep. Teenagers often stay up late at night when they have to get up early for school or work the next day to browse social media.

Studies suggest that teens who are on their phones late at night are more likely to be associated with “depressive humor, low self-esteem, externalizing behavior, and poor coping skills.”

Body image

There are accounts, hashtags, and groups on various social media apps dedicated to views of a person's life or body that are unrealistic. Teens may watch or listen to an influencer advise them on how not to eat or exercise too much to burn more calories to achieve a certain appearance, when the habit or behavior is actually unhealthy.

Misdiagnosis of health problems

In recent years, more and more adolescents have begun to seek out different health diagnoses and self-diagnose health conditions that they may not necessarily have.

Teens may see other teens talking about disorders like ADHD, anxiety, or autism and see themselves reflected in those videos in some way. While this may be true in some cases, it may also be a misdiagnosis or partial diagnosis and lead to a missed health problem.

“People may say 'I saw something' or 'I hear voices' and think they have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, when in fact they may have anxiety,” said LaDelfa.

Learn more: Press Pause during Tourette's self-diagnosis

How to talk about social media with your teenager

The best thing a parent can do for their teenager is to start by having an open conversation with them. Be willing to hear your children's position and do your best to restrain the urge to jump to a conclusion and let them know you know better from the start (even if you do). Being curious will better serve your relationship in the long run.

“Getting your child to think critically is the most beneficial thing you can do because eventually they will be out in the real world and need to respond to the skills they have to make the best decision possible,” LaDelfa said.

Other ways to get actively involved in healthy ways might include:

Be their friend (online): Add them as friends on different social media apps so you can monitor what they post and who they might interact with online.

Use parental controls: Verizon, Apple, Android and other companies allow parental controls to be enabled and various settings to be enabled so that they cannot access certain types of sites or content.

Speak coherently: Having regular discussions on social media (e.g., “I saw this, what do you think?”) lets them know you value their opinion and gets them thinking critically.

By following the same rules: The expression “monkey sees, monkey does” applies to phone and social media use. Putting time limits on your own phone use and modeling good behavior will help them succeed as healthy adults.

“Social media is not all bad,” LaDelfa said. “Like anything, it can be used as a tool. But if you use it too much, it's not good for you. It should be used in moderation. Having connections with other teens and other people is healthy. Social media use may vary from generation to generation, but it provides a wonderful opportunity for teens and parents to learn and explore together.