Adolescence & Social Media

 

Art by : Koren Shadmi

There is so much debate regarding social media and usage in children and adolescence. The data is emerging, and research is ongoing. It is interesting to see how polarizing social media and technology is, but many agree that social media is addicting and can be all consuming. In my work with adolescents as a therapist, I hear qualitatively the descriptions of social media and their usage, as well as its impact on self-esteem and body image. However, many of the teens I see have a strong sense of self and realize the implications of social media. The irony behind their own self-directed learning or opinions is that they gather many of their ideas regarding social media from social media itself! I also have many clients that come to be describing a tiktok they saw that now makes them question if they have "ADHD or Autism". 

This inspired me to ask pointed questions to one particular teen, she describes her experiences with social media and technology as limited yet without limitations. She is 17 and shares she did not receive a phone until she was 16. When asked how she felt about this, she shares "I felt left out, many of my friends had phones and this was how they communicated to each other.... I didn't care about social media, I just wanted to be able to text them or call them", when asked about social media, she shares that "I'm honestly glad I didn't have social media when I was in middle school, when I got my phone at 16, I downloaded Instagram and it is addicting, It would not have been healthy for me to have it at 13... it is easy to compare yourself to people's curated images". It's clear that many teens are learning from their experiences in social media and have criticisms for it. In the mindless distraction of social media, there is a sense that teens are aware of consequences regarding use, "I think that a lot of youth are aware of the fact that their phones and computers are addicting, and that they are spending way too much time on them. They haven't been able to self-regulate usage, and so it is almost a coping mechanism to open up Instagram and scroll through the reels and posts. And so I know some who spend up to ten hours a day or more on their phones, not really doing anything productive..."Almost every time that I spend a significant amount of time online, I feel like I have wasted all this time that could have been used elsewhere. Unless I am doing schoolwork or contacting friends just about everything else online is a waste of time. It is very difficult to represent yourself when you only post a certain part of yourself online for others to see. So I don't think anyone who sees my representation of myself online is actually seeing who I think I am".

She shares that she has had her fair share of the consequences of social media usage, "I have, and it is not a fun experience in any way. I am a big procrastinator, and so often I am racing to get work done before the deadlines. When I have to stay up late and then get up in the morning, I end up being tired and not feeling my best all day. It can be difficult also, to make up that lost sleep afterward".

When we reflect on the aspects of the development of the teenage brain, there is a sense/expectation that they can manage their time online, but as adults we can also understand that we also have a hard time managing our screen time. How do we discern what is health social media & technology usage when we notice that time on screens not only affects quality of sleep, movement and brain development, but also self-esteem and other ways in social development. Many things to consider when we know that social media & technology is not going anywhere. We need digital literacy skills and grounding in connection - in person. Our biology needs it. 

If you are interested in diving deeper, here are some articles: 

Social media may affect girls’ mental health earlier than boys’, study finds | Health | The Guardian

The Effects of Social Media on Teens and Young Adults – Department of Psychology (sdsu.edu)

Social Media and the Sexualization of Adolescent Girls | American Journal of Psychiatry Residents' Journal (psychiatryonline.org)

Here’s How Instagram Harms Young Women According To Research (forbes.com)