How Does Social Media Affect Teen Mental Health?

Posted November 16, 2022

Many parents often wonder how does social media affect teen mental health. Social media is a ubiquitous presence in everyday life—especially for teenagers. According to statistics provided by Pew Research:

67% of teens aged 13-17 use TikTok
32% of teens regularly use Facebook
95% of teens use YouTube on a regular basis

Social media provides an outlet for teens to connect with their peers at home and around the world and provides an outlet for entertainment. Social media allows teens to create an online persona and helps those who feel alienated with a sense of belonging and inclusion. Despite its positives, constant scrolling does have adverse effects on teen mental health.

This article further answers the question of how does social media affect teen mental health. The connection between social media and mental health will be discussed, and you will learn where you can find teen mental health treatment in South Florida.

Is Social Media Bad for Mental Health?

Does social media affect teenage mental health? Is social media bad for the mental health of teenagers? Social media often has a negative effect on a teen’s mental health—especially if young people spend countless hours scrolling through feeds. Research shows that teens who constantly use social media are three times more likely to develop depression. Why is there a negative connection between social media and teen mental health?

As we know, the teenage years are filled with tremendous brain growth. Since the teen brain is still developing, they often have difficulty self-regulating their screen time. As a result, they become more vulnerable to peer pressure and cyberbullying. Also, long amounts of screen time give teens more exposure to inappropriate, upsetting, and traumatic content. These images may be too much to process and can negatively affect a young person’s perception of the world.

The information provided on social media platforms is often distorted and inaccurate. This creates unrealistic expectations that teens cannot live up to. This creates negative feelings of self-worth, self-esteem, and loneliness.

Adolescent Wellness Academy offers teen mental health treatment in South Florida. Contact us today to learn more.

How Does Social Media Affect Teen Mental Health?

The million dollar question many parents ask is how does social media affect teen mental health?

First, social media affects teen mental health because it prevents them from learning social skills. When teens spend the majority of their time on social media, they fail to develop healthy face-to-face communication skills. They also will have problems reading social cues such as body language, facial expressions, and vocal inflections. If young people have too much screen time, they can experience disruptions in their sleep patterns. Often, teens will wake up in the middle of the night and check their social media accounts.

Social media also affects teen mental health by creating feelings of jealousy and envy. Some social media accounts are curated in a way where it appears that people are leading more exciting lives. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, and teens may judge themselves in an unfair manner. Teens may start comparing their lives to others and feel their lives are inadequate. Worse yet, there may be an increase in bullying or stalking. Because online communication is surface and superficial, teens can have difficulty communicating to people in real-time. As a result, the relationships they create maybe not be deep and authentic.

Adolescent Wellness Academy Provides Mental Health Treatment in South Florida

If your son or daughter is struggling with mental health issues, it is crucial that you find professional treatment as soon as possible. You need to find a rehab facility that focuses on the unique needs of teens. Most importantly, you need to find a teen rehab facility with evidence-based programs and experienced staff with proven experience in helping teens from all walks of life. Located in Davie, Florida, Adolescent Wellness Academy is a top-tier teen treatment center that serves South Florida.

Our mental health and addiction services help teens process their emotions, improve their social functioning, and helps them improve control of their behaviors through critical problem-solving. With a patient/counselor ratio of 6:1, the staff at Adolescent Wellness Academy can focus on providing your teen the attention they need to address and overcome mental health issues.

Call Adolescent Wellness Academy toll-free today and give your teen the power to transform their lives.