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The Toll of Social Media on Mental Health in Children and Adolescents—and What You Can Do About It

Social media can have a detrimental effect on mental health, especially for children and adolescents, many of whom spend hours a day, unsupervised, on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat.

Although social media can be a way of connecting a with friends, it more often than not leaves users—especially children and adolescents—feeling left out, lonely, isolated, and badly about themselves. Social media almost always leads to comparison—that all too familiar thief of joy. There is the well known  “FOMO” effect, or “fear of missing out,” in which users see photos of friends and strangers living exciting, fun-filled lives and worry that their lives are not enough… and, worse, that they themselves aren’t (pretty, popular, interesting, adventurous…) enough. Scrolling through friends’ feeds and finding pictures of friends hanging out together or at parties they were not invited to makes kids (and adults!) feel left out and sad.  They think, “there must be something wrong with me,” and in turn they focus on their “flaws” or where they fall short.

Conversely, some avid social media users make friends online, through the comments section and direct messages, yet have few friends in real life. The more time they spend on social media to feel connected to those social media friends, the less time they spend socializing with peers face to face.  When they get to school, they feel isolated and disconnected, and find it hard to make friends, which in turn may cause them to immerse themselves in their phones to escape the feelings of loneliness. This can hinder the development of social skills and provoke social anxiety.

Of course the worse case scenario with the use of social media is cyberbullying. Feeling left out and unnoticed is bad enough, but being the target of hostile posts and comments on social media can devastating.  On social media, an individual or individuals can publicly post hurtful messages, embarrassing photos, or spread ugly lies and rumors that all the kids in school can see. It’s easy for other users to pile on and join in, and for the harassment to continue day after day.

The effect of these scenarios on students’ mental health can be severe. Research has found associations between the use of social media sites and depression or anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents. Cases of suicide have even been linked to cyber-bulling on social media. A report by Johns Hopkins and other researchers, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that 12- to 15-year-olds who typically spent three or more hours a day on social media were about twice as likely to experience depression, anxiety, loneliness, aggression or antisocial behavior as were adolescents who did not use social media. As time on social media time increased, so did the children’s risk.

Clearly this is a problem adults—parents and educators—must face head-on.

Although increasingly difficult as children reach adolescence, parents should attempt to monitor and limit their child’s social media usage and time on devices in general. More than just setting time limits, parents should set an example by making sure they are not constantly checking their own devices around their children. Parents can also mitigate the harmful effects of social media by making sure their children are involved in activities they are interested in, such as sports, music, volunteering.

Schools can take steps prevent cyberbullying by explicitly including cyberbullying in the school district’s anti-bullying policies, and clearly communicating these policies to students and parents. Schools may reserve the right to discipline students for electronic communications off school grounds that cause a substantial disruption of the learning environment or interfere with the safety and security of students. Schools should make sure to educate staff about cyberbullying including the forms it takes, the school’s policies and procedures, and the steps they must take when they find out that cyberbullying is taking place. The book The Bullying Prevention Checklist is packed with helpful information and strategies for schools, including a chapter on cyberbullying. The Cyberbullying Research Center is an excellent online resource with an extensive array of helpful tools for schools.

Educators and parents alike should know the signs of cyberbullying to look out for. These are similar to the warning signs for mental health concerns generally, and include notable changes in behavior, mood, performance in the classroom and/or attendance. A student who unexpectedly stops using his or her devices, appears nervous when using devices, and/ or becomes secretive when it comes to online activities may also be a target of cyberbullying. When educators notice these warning signs, they ought to report their concerns to mental health professionals in their school (e.g., school psychologist, the social worker or guidance counselor).

In the coming months, NPR, Inc. will publish a quick-reference laminated guide on student mental health for educators, written by Dr. Joseph Casbarro.

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