How Technology Might Be Impacting Your Teen’s Health
How does social media make people feel bad? Why do people have the urge to look at their phone? How can we really connect in person? Social media and phone addictions are real, but they don’t have to be all-encompassing. Keep reading to see why technology makes us feel the way we do, and how your teen can connect to people without it.
The Role of Technology in Teen Mental Health:
Technology and social media and have become all-encompassing, specifically in the lives of teenagers. According to a clinical report regarding social media, “The average daily screen time was 7.7 hours per day in a national sample of adolescents”, this statistic is more than double that from four years ago.
Online usage has become a way to distract: from an unwanted feeling, an uncomfortable social interaction, or real-world responsibilities. Internet use is more often than not enacted in order to receive immediate relief from negative emotions, which can easily become detrimental to a teen’s mental health. The overuse of online platforms have been tied to higher symptoms of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
Social Skills and Emotional Development in the Digital World:
The more time is spent online, the less time is spent actually connecting. Yes, social media is a tool built for connection, but what happens more often — even if your teen has friends online — is negative comparisons, feelings of loneliness, and lack of social validation.
Teens aren’t learning or developing real-life, in-person social skills like micro-reaction, facial expression, or body language understanding; but they are learning to equate being liked with a number of likes.
Self-Esteem in the Age of Digital Comparison:
On social media, people (even friends!) are putting out a curated version of their lives, not the full, true thing. Technology itself is an echo chamber: users are only seeing things that they most likely already believe or are interested in. It’s easy to assume that one should look, act, and be a certain way, because that’s how people online seem to be.
Exploring ones identity through online communities can both positively and negatively impact and shape your self-esteem. If you are being authentic, the impacts will most likely be positive, resulting in feelings of acceptance, inclusion, and community. If your teen is being inauthentic, the feelings that come from that will be the opposite.
Healthy Digital Habit Building:
Set screen time limits - Utilize the built-in features like Screen Time (on iPhones) or Digital Wellbeing (on Android) to set limits on specific app usage
Use technology for positive purposes - Technology should be a tool for growth, your teen should use it for creative endeavors, to connect with likeminded people, and to learn
Practice mindful social media usage - Encourage your teen to follow accounts that are honest and transparent, accounts that inspire and align with your teen, and who promote positivity
Engage in offline hobbies or activities - Remind your teen that they are more than their profile, involve themselves in things that reduces their screen dependence
Final Thoughts:
Technology and social media can be all-encompassing, but through the right skills and habits, your teen can grow beyond their online presence. If you think your teen could benefit from a group-therapy model, Collaborative Minds Psychotherapy is now offering an in-person neurodiversity-affirming group in New York City for young teens who are ready to make meaningful social connections without fear of judgement or rejection.
To learn more about our group therapy or individual therapy services, click the button below or contact us for a free 15-minute consultation with our intake coordinator.
Supporting your teen is a journey, and with the right resources, you can help them navigate social interactions with confidence and ease.
