Social media is a wonderful tool for so many people. For me, I use it to connect with current and prospective patients, and to share stories from my blog. But social media is far from perfect, and new research shows that teens should distance themselves from heavy social media use, as it can cause mental health problems.
According to research from Ottawa Public Health, teens who use social media sites for two hours or more a day are significantly more likely to suffer from poor mental health, psychological distress and suicidal thoughts.
Social Media Sadness
To better understand how teens are affected by social media, researchers analysed data from 750 students between 7th and 12th grade. Students were asked questions about their daily social media habits, mental and social well-being, and aspects of mental health support and services. After analyzing the data, researchers uncovered,
- Roughly 25 percent of teens spend more than two hours a day on social media sites.
- Those heavy social media users were more likely to report that they had poorer mental health, suffered from psychological distress, like anxiety or depression, and were more likely to experience suicidal thoughts.
Despite the findings, researchers were quick to note that correlation doesn’t prove causation. Instead, the direction of influence likely runs both ways. Researchers believe teens who are struggling with their mental health my dive into social media platforms as a way to escape from reality, and social media may contribute to mental health issues because it tends to only show the false reality of mainly accomplishments and happy moments, meaning observers can feel that their friends are all doing great things, while they are left feeling unaccomplished.
“The relationship between the use of social networking sites and mental health problems is complex,” said Dr. Hugues Sampasa-Kanyinga. “Simple use of social networking sites cannot fully explain by itself the occurrence of mental health problems.”
The findings fall in line with other studies on social media and mental health, and Ottawa Public Health warns parents that they should be aware that excessive, constant social media use may be an indicator of mental or social problems.
Dr. Brenda K. Wiederhold, who read the study, say we should be looking at the problem as part of the solution.
“We see social networking sites, which may be a problem for some, also being a solution,” said Dr. Wiederhold. “Since teens are on the sites, it is the perfect place for public health and service providers to reach out and connect with this vulnerable population and provide health promotion systems and supports.”
Dr. Silverman comments
Any parent who has a teenager probably feels like they spend way too much time on their computer or phone, but that’s how kids stay connected with their friends these days. Sharing pictures on Instagram or updating your Facebook status after a long run isn’t problematic, but when teens spend hours alone on their phone, it could be a sign that they are having a tough time adjusting to the real world around them.
As a parent, do what you can to limit time on devices. Make kids put them a way at the dinner table, and be sure to follow your own rules. Getting out of the “cloud” can be the best way to clear a cloudy mind.
Related source: Huffington Post