Recently, National Teenager Day was recognized and while we did have news stories about educational successes, the bright future of our children, and their athletic accomplishments, what was overwhelming was the coverage of increasing mental health issues faced by American teenagers.
Many of my friends immediately associated the disturbing trend with the impact of disastrous measures mandated by politicians in response to COVID. That would be partially correct, but there’s another factor every American family must address—a new addiction that isn’t caused by a virus, an illegal drug or alcohol, but by social media, a 21st century phenomena that has spread rapidly.
Today, about 4.9 billion people around the world use social media — more than half of the nearly 8 billion people on the planet. In the U.S., an estimated 308 million people use social media, out of a population of nearly 335 million.
Moreover, a study published by a journal of the American Psychiatric Association found the mental health of young people worsened at the same time their use of social media climbed, noting, “After remaining stable during the early 2000s, the prevalence of mental health issues among U.S. adolescents and young adults began to rise in the early 2010s. These trends included sharp increases in depression, anxiety, loneliness, self‐harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide, with increases more pronounced among girls and young women. There is a growing consensus that these trends may be connected to the rise in technology use. Increased digital media and smartphone use may influence mental health via several mechanisms, including displacement of time spent in in‐person social interactions…; disruption of in‐person social interactions; interference with sleep time and quality; cyberbullying and toxic online environments; and online contagion and information about self‐harm.”
A study issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February, based on survey given to 17,000 teenagers, found that 57 percent of girls said they experienced feeling of sadness every day for at least two weeks in the previous year — over 60 percent higher than in 2011. Every single day.
Additionally, “Dr. Victor Fornari, the vice chair of child and adolescent psychiatry for Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system, noted that the drop in teenager well-being coincided with the rise of smartphones. Although the technology’s full impact on adolescents’ mental health is still unknown, he said, there is ‘no question’ of an association between the use of social media and the dramatic increase in suicidal behavior and depressive mood,” reported the New York Times.
Human beings are social animals. We need to be in groups and thrive with that interaction. We know as adults spending so much times on computers, smartphones and tablets — and away from people — has created an unnatural and disturbing situation. Add in the political use of fear to manipulate and control us, some still view going out into the world, visiting with people, going to concerts, and even getting back into the workplace, as a dangerous or at least undesirable situation. As adults we can work on these issue, but what we’re doing to children is now manifesting in an undeniable mental health catastrophe which we must reverse.
With technology and social media being so ubiquitous it’s understandable to consider it something that must be accepted without question or modification. But this is incorrect. Some would dismiss concerns about our current situation Luddite in nature, yet this isn’t anti-technology but about discipline and management of something the data shows is impacting the mental health of all of us, and especially children. An article in Scientific American makes an excellent argument about why a modern ‘Luddite’ resistance is valuable right now and provides a “critical reflection and evaluation of the technological world we’re building.”
Some argue this problem can be solved with government regulations and laws. That’s rarely the answer, and in this case is not a solution. The more government intervenes, the less we take seriously, trust, and engage our own responsibility and critical decision making.
Explain social media downsides: Talk to kids about this column and other articles about the harmful aspects of social media, just as you explain the harm alcohol and drugs can cause.
Do fun things together: Family weekend outings and vacations geared to places and activities that interest young people will get them away from screens and strengthen family relationships. Even simply playing a game or watching TV together will take them away from social media.
Encourage contact with peers: Participation in school clubs and sports, religious and community youth groups and other activities will get young people off their screens.
Set an age minimum: I agree with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who says 13 is too young for children to get on social media, even though this is the minimum (and unenforced) age most social media companies set. Set an older age minimum, depending on the child’s maturity level.
Limit social media time: Kids should be spending no more than an hour a day on social media. Preferably less. Make the point that social media use in moderation is one thing, but overdosing can lead to serious problems. Prepare for them to argue about this but stand firm.
Limit screen locations: Keep smartphones, computers and tablets out of child bedrooms overnight, to prevent them from going on social media and other sites when parents are asleep. Don’t allow screens at the dinner table, which should be reserved for family time to talk to one another.
Set an example: Cutback on your use of social media.
Parents, teachers and politicians have expressed concerns about the impact of new forms of communications and technology on children for nearly 100 years, from the earliest days of radio, comic books, TV, home computers and video games. But the advent of the internet and social media has created a form of two-way communication that kids can access in ways unimagined in the 20th century. Now that we know the negative impact on children, this is one of many issues with which parents and families must take control.