15 Signs Social Media is Effecting Your Teens Wellbeing + How to Help Them

According to a new study, published by the American Psychological Association, rates of mood disorders + suicide-related outcomes have increased significantly over the last decade among the teenage age groups.

Social Media hasn’t even been around long enough for us to really know the long term effects, but what we can see in our teens is higher experiences of anxiety, depression + self harm than ever before with the biggest changes in how we live being that we now live online.

How do you feel about your teens social media usage + presence?

For most of us we aren’t too happy with the amount of time our loved ones are spending online + often aren’t too proud of what they are doing on there.

How many of the following 15 signs is your child demonstrating…

~ They are spending a high quantity of time daily online

~ They feel stressed or anxious when they can’t be on social media

~ They are spending less time doing other hobbies, activities or with people in real life

~ They are always thinking about social media when not online

~ They do things just so they can post about them

~ It’s effecting their studies, work, relationships

~ Without even being aware of it they pick up their phone + open social media

~ They check who has liked their posts + viewed their story compulsively after posting

~ Their phone is the first thing they do in the morning + the last thing they do at night

~ They post constantly + often delete too

~ They worry more about what people think of them online than in real life

~ Comparing themselves to people online constantly

~ They feel like you know people you follow personally

~ Your friends + family are often commenting that they are always on their phone

The first way to guide your teen to consider the long term effects of their online behaviour, is the

Think Before You Post approach.

Encourage your teen before every post, story or comment

to ask themselves these 5 things…

• Is it true?
• Is it kind?
• Would I say it in person?
• Is it helpful or useful?
• Will I feel good about it tomorrow?

If the answer to any of these is no or even I’m unsure, then they should consider not hitting that POST button just yet.

It's a good idea when uncertain to pause till the emotions have subsided a little or even sleep on it before posting or commenting on things that you’re not sure about.

As once it's online, the effects can last a long time.