Social Media and Youth Mental Health

By Lucy Swearingen

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, has released an Advisory stating “we cannot conclude social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents”. The Advisory “outlines immediate steps we can take to mitigate the risk of harm to children and adolescents.” We know existing studies have not been conclusive enough to create a solid link between social media use and increased mental health issues like anxiety and depression. But Dr. Murthy argues that our children are “unknowing participants in a decades-long experiment.”

I talk to so many parents about social media. No one is immune to the impact it has on their relationships with their children at home. Social media has negatively redefined how teens “socialize” by taking away authentic human interaction, resulting in feelings of loneliness and disconnection. Solutions focused on our children’s health, safety and authentic connection should be the priority, not big profits. #mentalhealth #socialmedia #morethanalike

https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html#understand