Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can be a place for teenagers to showcase their skills and connect with others. However, there are dark sides to social media that parents should be aware of. 

As a parent, you should consider the risks when providing your teen with devices and ways to access the internet. In this post, we discuss the advantages of social media, what the potential risks are, and how it can negatively affect your teenager’s mental health. 

The Benefits Social Media Gives Teenagers

One of the benefits of social media is that it inspires people to achieve amazing feats. For instance, a teenager who watches painting videos can begin to get involved in art. TikTok is one platform that inspires teenagers to do fun activities like dancing or acting out scenes to movies. 

Another reason social media can be beneficial is that it allows teenagers to connect with friends and family from all over the world. There are also sites like YouTube and X (formally known as Twitter) that provide information about other countries, cultures, and languages. These platforms allow teenagers to learn more about the world. 

How Social Media is Affecting Teens Today

Unfortunately, there are potential risks to using social media that many parents aren’t aware of. Studies show that using social media more than three times a day can have a severe negative impact on mental health. Here are all the ways social media platforms are affecting teenagers in today’s world. 

Attention Span

Short-form videos on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels have been proven to reduce a person’s attention span. This can have a severe negative effect on a teenager’s academic performance because they can’t pay attention for long periods in class. 

Researchers are calling this phenomenon “TikTok brain” as this is one of the platforms that allow creators to make short 15-second videos. Watching shorter videos makes it difficult for teenagers to engage in anything that doesn’t produce instant gratification. 

Distractions

Social media is a major distraction for teenagers because the algorithms are designed to keep users engaged. Additionally, social media notifications interrupt their train of thought which makes it difficult to concentrate on important tasks. 

Switching between multiple apps causes mental exhaustion and reduces a teenager’s productivity. They’ll start to slack on their homework, and chores and even stop hanging out with friends or family. This is especially true when teens are addicted to social media engagements. 

Unrealistic Expectations 

Influencers have become a major part of social media platforms and they have different niches. Some influencers use their platforms to talk about fitness advice and others use them to promote products. These online personalities become rich at young ages. 

Teenagers may compare themselves to influencers or online models and become depressed when they can’t live up to the people they admire on their screens. Some teenagers even start to experience body dysmorphia because of their negative views of their own bodies. 

Adolescents who have developed severe mental decline because of social media may need to visit a residential treatment center.

Exposure to Harmful Content 

One of the major drawbacks of social media is being exposed to explicit or harmful content. Platforms such as X are now allowing pornography on the site which teens can easily be exposed to. 

What’s more, some sites show videos depicting violence, hate speech, and criminal activity. There are also people on the internet who encourage children to take part in harmful challenges that could be fatal. 

Sleep Disruptions 

Being addicted to the internet can cause major sleep disturbances like insomnia. The stimulating effects of blue light from a smartphone screen cause you to feel alert which leads to you feeling energized. 

Teenagers who check their social media pages before bed run a risk of developing sleep problems over time because of their blue-lit screens. 

Cyberbullying 

Cyberbullying is one of the major causes of adolescent suicides. Strangers on the internet can send your teenager threatening messages which causes them to develop mental health issues. 

There have also been cases where friends from a teenager’s school post messages, pictures, and videos of their victims online to cause them emotional distress. 

What Parents Should Do to Solve the Problem

When your teenager is going through a tough time they may want to use social media as a coping mechanism because they don’t want to face their problems. However, social media can make the situation worse. 

As a parent, you need to monitor your child’s social media platforms and their screen time habits. Ban your teen from accessing certain social media sites that may cause them harm. 

On the other hand, there are therapy programs that may help teenagers who have an addiction to social media. A mental healthcare professional can help your child overcome their addictions and find healthier ways to spend their time and cope with stress. 

Final Thoughts – Helping Teens with Internet Addictions

If your teen has developed behavioral issues due to social media, our staff at HelpYourTeenNow can assist you with the right treatments and programs. Give us a call today so we can help curb your child’s social media habits and provide healthier activities for them to take part in.

We also have a large supportive community for teenagers who have mental health concerns due to social media. HelpYourTeenNow looks forward to helping your teen become the best they can be without the influence of social media sites.