Social Media and Anxiety: How it can Affect your Teen
Mental health challenges have risen in the past few years. In 2017, the World Health Organization estimated that 10-20% of children and adolescents worldwide experience mental health problems. In 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the US surgeon general estimated that persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40% affecting 1 in 3 students.
Teens are experiencing more social anxiety and symptoms of an anxiety disorder following the pandemic. Many teens were isolated in the pandemic causing them to delay social development milestones. While the pandemic certainly contributed to adolescent social anxiety, it is not new. One of the currents that have been affecting all humans, especially teens is the use of social media.
Social media use among people. Seven out of ten Americans spend their time on social media with this number being much higher among younger Americans. 71% of 18-29 year olds use instagram while 65% of that same group use snapchat. The numbers are nearly identical with tiktok usage.
Many people are wondering what effect social media is having on anxiety.
What is social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety is sometimes referred to as social phobia. It is anxiety that rises in people when they are in social situations. Many people who experience social anxiety worry that they will embarrass themselves in public or fear that others will judge them negatively and criticize. This can lead to a negative view of self.
Social anxiety is like other anxiety disorders in that it causes an increase of heart rate, faster breathing, thinking that spirals out of control, and can even lead to a panic attack. Social anxiety is different for teens than shyness. Shyness is when a teen's personality is more quiet and reserved. Social anxiety is when over the course of six months a teen experiences fear or anxiety that is out of proportion with actual danger or threat. A teen might feel socially anxious about going to school. This can affect a teen so much that he might avoid going to school often complaining about feeling sick and just want to keep to himself.
This is a big deal that affects many kids.
What role does social media play in contributing to social anxiety?
The honest answer is that it is hard to know exactly if social media contributes to social anxiety. There seems to be a correlation between social media and social anxiety but it hasn't been shown that social media causes anxiety yet. It has been reported that there has been a rise in sleeplessness, loneliness, worry, depression, and dependence that has coincided with the release of the first iPhone 10 years ago.
One of the biggest contributions to potential social anxiety among teens are the amount of time that teens are spending on social media. This has led to increased insomnia and lack of sleep from being constantly stimulated.
Seeing people posting about events to which they haven't been invited.
Feeling pressure to post positive and attractive content about yourself.
Feeling pressure to get comments and likes on your posts.
Having someone post things about you that you cannot control or change.
Social media may cause teens to feel anxiety about seeing peers post about events that they haven't been invited to.
Sometimes call FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, when teens see their friends post on Snapchat or Instagram about events or hang outs, teens can quickly lose confidence. Teens often are trying to understand why they weren't included or invited. Many teens conclude that it is because they lack the social skills needed to get along with peers. Teens are wanting to fit in and feel secure in their relationships. Teens want to know that they belong.
Social media may cause teens to feel anxiety and pressure to post positive and attractive content about themselves.
Instagram can sometimes be called a highlight reel emphasizing all of a person's greatest accomplishments. Teens spend time wanting to make sure they get the perfect photo for their story, or the perfect snap to send to their friends. Social anxiety can also lead to depression because teens can criticize themselves for how they don't have enough "positive" and "attractive" content about themselves. Many teens focus on what is wrong with them instead of all the things that are right.
Social media may cause teens to feel anxiety and pressure to get comments and likes on posts.
Many documentaries, including The Social Dilemma, liken social media to a slot machine. Teens enjoy the dopamine hit that they get when they get a notification that a friend has commented or liked their post. Teens can feel addicted to needing a certain number. If a teen doesn't get many likes or comments, they will sometimes even delete their posts. Instead of being a place of self-expression, it becomes a place of constant comparison. Teens are comparing the life that they live to their friend's lives. Teens are wondering if they are attractive enough, funny enough, stylish enough, and more. Social media may contribute to social anxiety and pervade a teen's thought life.
Social media may cause teens to feel social anxiety when someone posts things about them that they cannot control or change.
Cyberbullying is on the rise and is a leading cause of teen depression. Unfortunately teens sometimes post videos publicly picking on them. Other teens might have things said about them to others in private. This causes teens to feel enormous distress. When a teen has experienced cyberbullying or might even be nervous about the possibility of cyberbullying will often avoid situations entirely where they could be made fun of.
Social media may not directly contribute to social anxiety, but there seems to be a correlation. How can families help support teens?
Families can help support their teens struggling with social anxiety. Instead of taking phones away or forcing teens to delete apps, having open and honest conversations about phone usage can be one of the biggest protective factors for teens.
A family can help teens practice healthy social media usage by:
Modeling healthy social media usage. Teens need models of how much time to spend on social media and when to use it. If you as a parent can limit your screen time usage then teens can know that a life without attachment to phones is possible.
Set screen-free zones and times. Some families use the dinner table as a screen free zone to promote healthy family interactions. Others set a movie time or physical activity to engage with one another without needing screen time.
Check in with your teen about what is going on in their lives. They might not want to tell you everything at one time. If teens can know that they have sometime who supports them and who is a source of steadiness then teens can gain more relaxation and a decreased sense of anxiety.
Engage with a professional when appropriate. Sometimes teens and families need more support from a licensed therapist who can help a teen understand what is going on underneath the surface.
Social anxiety therapy in Atlanta, Georgia
Working with a professional counselor can be helpful in helping your teen not only learn coping skills to handle social anxiety, therapy can help your teen understand the fears that may be contributing to anxiety. Using a method of therapy called experiential cognitive behavioral therapy, teens can learn in real time how to think about and experience their problems in a different light. I help my clients and their families find healing and relief from social anxiety. Sometimes we work on a better relationship with social media and its connection with social anxiety. Other times we look at what is behind the social anxiety.
Ember Counseling Atlanta can help teens experiencing social anxiety
Conveniently located near Piedmont hospital in Atlanta, Ga I offer teen counseling for teens experiencing anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, ADHD, and more. If you would like help for your teen reach out for a free consultation today. By filling out the form on the consultation page, our assistant Courtney will help schedule a free 15-minute phone call. On this call we will talk a little about what is going on for your teen and family, answer any questions about counseling, and talk about how to get started.
