Today's youth are the first generation that has grown up their entire lives online. Spotting the warning signs of social media harm can be important for managing an intervention, limiting a teen's social media use, and taking proactive steps to minimize the possibility of serious psychological issues.
One major danger of social media use is that users can become depressed or even suicidal, which can lead to acts of self harm. Millions of cases of self-harm go unreported, and two million are documented every single year. 60% of those involved in self-harm activities are females, and 90% of those involved in self-harm practices begin as a teenager. One in seven males and one in five females will engage in some type of self-harm activity.
Social media has proliferated this activity because of the highlight reel of other people's lives, the use of social media for cyberbullying purposes, and the constant comparisons that teens and young adults are making to each other.
Self-harm activities can include burning, cutting, picking scabs or acne, punching objects or themselves, or even hair pulling. Social media harm can also come in the form of significant cyberbullying, which makes your child consider suicidal ideation or actual suicidal actions.
Below are some key warning signs to watch out for in spotting and acting on the warning signs of social media harm.
Your Child Is Obsessed With Their Social Media Profile
Tracking your child's phone and using parental controls for social media can help you get a better handle on how your child is using these platforms. However, one of the most important things to watch out for is not just their actual use of social media apps, but underlying signs of an obsession.
If you notice that your child makes frequent comments or complaints about their follower count, are checking their posts obsessively throughout the day, or are constantly concerned with responding immediately to likes and comments on their posts, this could indicate an obsession with social media.
The human tendency for self-obsession can be exacerbated by social media since people get a dopamine hit from every action taken on their profile or each time they add a new friend.
A False Sense of Community
Social media can make it seem like you're more connected to people than ever before. Your child may feel as though it is extremely important for them to be on social media daily and to have access to these apps on their phone. They may argue that social media makes them feel more connected.
However, social media can create a false sense of community, particularly in younger demographics where bullying is already common. Virtual friendships are based on handing out compliments, likes, and connections, even though they may never see these people in person.
There is no substitute for personal interaction, including being on the phone. Make sure that your child has a healthy balance of spending time with people in person.
Struggling With Comparison
Social media gives us access to other people's lives, including their vacation details, information about their jobs, their families, and addresses. It makes it all too easy to automatically size yourself up against these other people who have recently posted something. Social media can trigger feelings of envy and can also make your child feel more materialistic. Make sure your child has a healthy assessment of themselves, or they may feel as though they come up short.
Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression are prevalent in younger adults already, but social media harm can make matters even worse. Children begin to police themselves with everything they say and how they look each and every day. Struggling with depression can only be made worse when they feel as though they've been excluded from activities or as though they simply aren't as cool as their peers.
Anxiety and depression can manifest through different symptoms. Your child may already have underlying anxiety or depression that gets exacerbated by social media, or social media can bring about these conditions. Some of the symptoms of anxiety disorder and depression include feeling restless, irritability or frustration, sleeping too much or waking up too early, having no appetite or eating more or less than normal, and having trouble staying asleep or falling asleep.