Social media and teenagers: how to find a healthy balance ?

Social media is a part of everyday life for many children and adolescents. They are used to communicate, stay entertained, learn, and find communities with similar interests. However, their relationship with emotional well-being is complex and continues to be studied by researchers and healthcare professionals.

Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that social media can have both positive and negative effects on children and adolescents. On the one hand, they can facilitate access to information, allow young people to express themselves, and help them connect with others. In fact, research cited by Johns Hopkins shows that many teenagers believe social media helps them feel connected to their peers.

At the same time, there are associations between certain patterns of social media use and issues related to emotional well-being. Johns Hopkins highlights that frequent use may be linked to behaviors such as social isolation, constant comparison with others, and certain depressive symptoms. However, it is important to note that an association alone does not prove that social media is the direct cause of these problems.

For this reason, rather than viewing social media simply as positive or negative, it is important to examine how, how much, and for what purpose each young person uses it.

Social comparison is one aspect that deserves special attention. Images and posts on the internet often show only a curated portion of people’s lives. When a teenager compares their everyday life to a carefully selected version of someone else’s, they can develop unrealistic expectations regarding their appearance, relationships, experiences, or success.

Parents can help by establishing open conversations about technology use. Johns Hopkins recommends setting healthy limits, creating phone-free times and spaces, turning off notifications when necessary, and, above all, having adults model healthy digital habits.

The goal should not merely be to reduce screen time. It is also important to help young people develop critical judgment so they can recognize what content they consume, how it makes them feel, and when it is necessary to step back.

Digital well-being is part of holistic development. Just as we teach children to eat well, get rest, and build healthy relationships, we can also teach them to build a balanced relationship with technology.

For INTANGY, this represents an opportunity to strengthen social-emotional skills that allow children and adolescents to navigate a digital environment without losing sight of their well-being, their relationships, and their personal growth.

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine — Social Media and Mental Health in Children and Teens