There is no denying the attraction of social media, especially for children. In an instant, they can connect with friends, work on school assignments, share their thoughts, and follow their favorite celebrity. All of this from the comfort of their own room.

 

The Common Sense Media Census in 2019 reported that, “…children aged eight to twelve spend close to five hours each day on a screen, while teens are online for close to seven and a half hours.” This time that our children are spending in front of their computer, immersed in social media, and have an impact on their mental health. The time on social media can develop into cyber-bullying, anxiety, and depression. If more than 4 hours a day are spent on lince, it can substancially increase the chance of becoming hyperactive, inattentive, and decreases feelings of self-worth. Access to social media, especially in today’s controversial world, has been shown to be significant factor in our children’s mental health.

 

It is very important, as a parent, to understand how social media can affect their child’s mental health and ways to recognize mental health concerns. Here are som pros and cons of social media.

 

Mental Health May Be Affected by Social Media

 

Why and how our kids use social media can linked to how it affects their mental health.

 

Those whom use social media in a manner that is healthy, can benefit froms social support, access to resources, and access to online communities that can help improve their self-esteem. On the other hand, kids that have unhealthy social media habits may find themselves experiencing negative events such as depression, hyperactivity, and anxiety to name a few.

 

Social Media Upside

 

Children feelng connected friends and strengthening those relationships can be a strong positive for social media. Routinely connecting on social media has been shown to help kids by improving social connections, improving communication, and enhancing technical skills as reported in a study in Pediatrics.

 

Some other positives from social media may include:

• Organizion and participation in causes that are important to them.
• Creatively expressing themselves in various forms.
• Increasing their associations with children with similar interests or different points of view.
• Engaging in communities and discovering opportunities to become active in their neighborhoods.
• Keeping in touch with their classmates and colaborating to complete assignments and projects from school.

Social Media Downside

 

As we have all experienced, it is wonderful to feel connected. However, social media can also leave you feeling lonley, anxious, and depressed. Our kids whom are using social media may have a higher risk of these problems and are more vulnerable to peer pressure. The most common risks of using social media include:

• Cyberbullying. This type of bullying is constant and continuous. Our kids may get mean and vicious messages when they are online. This type of bullying can trigger behavioral issues, anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. It is even possible that our children whom spend a lot of time being cyberbullied can develop suicidal thoughts.
• Phone addiction. A survey conducted by Digital Wellbeing 2020 showed that most teens that participated are addicted to their smartphones. More than 50% indicated that they believed that their lives are impacted negatively by technology.
• Increased anxiety and depression. Our teenagers whom are on social media more that three hours a day also have an increased likelyhood of internalizing their problems. This can increase their risk of developing anxiety, depression and the fear of FOMO; fear of missing out.
• Disordered sleep. If you pay close attention to your kids bed time habits, you may have also seen how their smarphones are disrupting sleep, making it difficult to relax and stay asleep. Lack of sleep can lead to such problems as impulsive behavior, anxiety, depression, and decrease in testing scores.

How To Modify Social Media Use

 

These steps can help cut back on your childrens’ social media use and help strengthen their mental health:

• Use a social media monitoring app by installing it on their devices to observe home much time they actually on social media.
• Use parental controls to block apps from working after times you set in the evening or during “home work” time.
• Set “phone free” times to allow for family activity. This can be during meals or movie time in the evening. Everyone turns off their devices, best to keep them in another room, and create time for family.
• Have the devices placed in an area away from the bedroom. This will help ensure that the kids are not being distracted and let them get pleanty of sleep.
• Have outings and events to get them off of their electronics and engage with others. This can include sporting events, vollunteering in local organizations, or simply engaging with others.

Social Media and Your Kids’ Mental Health; What to Look For

 

The negative impact of social media can be difficult to detect. Here are some signs to watch for:

• Spending more time online than with their friends. The time they spend online can make them feel detached from the real world which can lead them to spend less time on in-person activities. It will be difficult to develop social interaction skills when they are not engaging “off-line”. Real world socialization can also increase their self-esteem.
• Lack of interest in prior passions. Kids can become afraid of missing a text or not getting enough likes on their social media platform. This can lead to them loosing interest in things they used to enjoy because they are more interested in checking on their status.
• Lack of sleep. The impact of sleep disorders can be far reaching. You may find them cranky or lethargic. This can have a negative impact on their school work. This can also affect their relationship with you, their parents, and they siblings. If they have their device in their room, they may be staying up late at night. Dealing with a tired, lethargic, or cranky kid? If your child has a device in their room, the alerts could be keeping them up at night. Children who don’t sleep enough are at a much higher risk of mental health problems.
• They’re being bullied. Cyberbullying is relentless. It happens at all hours of the day and night, decreasing self-esteem, confidence, and happiness. Watch for signs that that your child is being bullied.

Symptoms That Need Immediate Attention

 

Kids with unhealthy social media habits may require professional intervention. If your child seems very emotional and overly affected by their connection to social media, for example being overtly sad, lonely, or anxious, it’s time to seek help from your doctor.

 

Watch for these symptoms that require immediate professional help:

• Giving away possessions.
• Self-harming or practicing self-destructive behavior.
• Talking about feeling hopeless, helpless, or powerless.
• Socially isolating from friends and family.
• Frequent angry outbursts.
• Eating less or more than usual.

If you’re worried about your child’s mental health, make an appointment to see their pediatrician or primary care doctor to develop a treatment plan.