Social Media and Mental Health: What Parents Need to Know

Teens on phones

Social media use among teens has been sharply on the rise. Researchers have also noted a strong link between social media use and mental health problems. As children are introduced to social media earlier in life, parents are struggling to keep up. 

While there are potential benefits to social media, including being able to connect more easily with friends, find community, and express creativity, there are serious drawbacks, especially for kids and teens. Using social media for more than three hours a day can double the risk of mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Social media algorithms can also expose kids and teens to harmful content and has been connected to the development of eating disorders in teen girls.

Chair of the Yale Child Study Center, Dr. Linda Mayes offers a comprehensive guide to help parents navigate social media use and set practical boundaries when managing their kid’s screen time. Myers lays out a clear path for how to manage social media use and ensure that kids stay safe online. You can find her full guide for parents in the full article at Yale Medicine.

Reference article: How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide