According to a report by Common Sense Media, teenagers spend a whopping average of nine hours on social media per day. That’s longer than most people sleep per night! Social media never sleeps. With dozens of social media sites available at their fingertips, it seems like teenagers are constantly glued to their phones. Although social media is great for keeping in touch with friends and family, there are some downsides teens are likely to experience.
Negative Effects of Social Media Use on Teens
Excessive social media use may worsen these effects. Make certain to talk to your teens about using social media responsibly and safely. If you want your child to have healthy social media habits, lead by example. Don’t use your phone while you’re driving and “unplug” when spending time with family. Being mindful of your own phone etiquette will set a good example for your children.
Social media can be dangerous for young people with low self-esteem and distorted body image. Many advertisements seen on social media portray extremely thin and attractive models, which can cause envy. Some teens tend to measure their worth by the amount of likes they get on a post, or the number of followers they have.
Teenagers need between nine to nine and a half hours of sleep per night. On average, teens only get seven hours of sleep per night. The routine of refreshing all social media platforms until you can no longer keep your eyes open is a nightly ritual for most. When morning arrives, the phone is the first thing they lay their eyes on. Inadequate sleep will result in problems with attentiveness, decision-making, reaction time and creativity.
If your teen’s phone is buzzing every few minutes, they are likely to get distracted and lose focus easily. Students should have their phones out of sight during class and homework time. With teenagers juggling the stress of everyday life, it is easy to become overwhelmed, which can exasperate stress or mental health.
The more time teens spend in front of a screen, the less human interaction they have. Studies report that social media is harming people’s ability to competently interact with individuals offline. As teens continue to rely on social media as a primary source of communication, it is important to know the value of face-to-face interaction.
There has been an increase in cyberbullying among teen social media users. The anonymity enables kids to bully individuals with no consequences. Victims of cyberbullying are more likely to self-harm, have low self-esteem or mental health issues.
Are you worried your teenager spends too much time on their smartphone or in front of a screen? Just like with most other things in life, social media should be used in moderation. Don’t forget to set and enforce social media boundaries for your kids.
