Social media is an undeniable part of life for today’s youth, offering spaces for connection and self-expression. Up to 95% of teenagers and nearly 40% of children aged 8-12 use social media[1], despite most platforms requiring users to be at least 13 years old. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat can serve as a way to explore identity, share experiences, and discover new ideas. For teens who experience significant anxiety, social media can even be a lifeline, providing resources, fostering community, and normalizing conversations about mental health. Although the benefits of social media cannot be ignored for these youth, it also poses challenges, including amplifying unhealthy comparisons, spreading unhelpful information, and the drawbacks of excessive usage.
The Two Sides of Social Media: Guiding Teens Through Its Opportunities and Challenges
In our work with youth and their families, we’ve seen firsthand how social media increasingly impacts teens’ daily lives and mental well-being. Through our evidence-based approach – rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with a focus on exposure therapy – we actively help teens navigate their relationship with social media. Striking the right balance is essential for fostering a healthy relationship between teens and their digital worlds.
Balancing Destigmatization of Mental Health with Unhealthy Comparisons
Anxiety can be deeply isolating, often leaving teens feeling defective and alone. Social media has the power to normalize conversations about anxiety. Teens see influencers, peers, and celebrities opening up about their own experiences, helping to reduce shame and encouraging open dialogue. Hearing an athlete discuss their panic attacks or an actress share their experiences with stage fright can remind teens that they’re not alone.
On the other hand, carefully curated posts often portray an idealized version of life, which can lead teens to compare themselves to others’ seemingly perfect lifestyles, appearances, or achievements. This “highlight reel” effect can fuel low self-esteem and exacerbate feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, or depression. For teens with perfectionism, seeing peers post about academic achievements or college acceptances may intensify their own fears of failure or reinforce beliefs of inadequacy. Social media can also lead to reassurance-seeking behaviors, such as constantly checking who viewed or liked their posts, which can intensify anxiety around friendships or self-worth. For teens with anxiety, this can create a vicious cycle: the more they seek validation online, the harder it can become to confront fears or engage in real-world interactions.
Balancing Access to Resources with the Risks of Unhelpful Information
Platforms offer extensive access to resources, from tips on how to manage anxiety and panic, to help finding professional support services, empowering teens to take proactive steps in their mental health journey. The increase in mental health content on social media has made these conversations more accessible than ever, helping to normalize seeking support and fostering awareness.
However, unhelpful mental health information can spread quickly, potentially leading to harmful consequences. Teens searching for support may stumble upon advice that isn’t evidence-based, leading to confusion or misguided actions. Algorithms often amplify similar content, creating echo chambers that can reinforce fear or harmful behaviors. During the pandemic, cases of functional tics – sudden involuntary movements or sounds – surged among teens, with many linked to social media exposure. Platforms like TikTok contributed by showcasing content from individuals with tics, creating a cycle where vulnerable teens developed tic behaviors of their own. This example highlights the dangers of social media echo chambers, which can intensify fears and perpetuate harmful behaviors, especially in impressionable teens.
Balancing Gradual Exposure with the Drawbacks of Excessive Usage
For teens with anxiety, social media can be a stepping stone, allowing them to engage in lower pressure situations and interactions. For example, practicing exposures that involve social interaction in a virtual environment – like commenting on posts or sharing memes – has helped some patients with social anxiety feel more comfortable taking action in the real world. Similarly, teens with perfectionism may be encouraged to intentionally post an “incorrect” comment on a public page to practice breaking anxiety’s rules and doing things imperfectly.
Yet, if over-relied upon, social media can become a barrier for real life interactions. Some teens may rely on social media as a way to distract from uncomfortable feelings and avoid real-world experiences that feel scary or overwhelming. Excessive reliance on digital platforms may inadvertently reinforce these avoidance behaviors, making face-to-face interactions feel even more daunting and growing anxiety overtime. Screen time that exceeds healthy limits can lead to isolation, reduce opportunities for meaningful offline experiences, and disrupt sleep – an essential component of mental health. In fact, adolescents who use social media more than three hours per day face twice the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes.[1]
Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers
Supporting teens with anxiety and avoidance in developing a healthy relationship with social media starts with proactive and intentional involvement from parents and caregivers:
– Guide Teens with Anxiety to Engage Critically: Teach teens how to approach online content critically, evaluating its credibility and impact on their mental health. Encourage healthy consumption habits, such as unfollowing accounts that trigger stress or unhealthy comparisons.
– Emphasize Offline Experiences to Break the Anxiety-Avoidance Cycle: Anxiety often drives avoidance of situations or activities that feel overwhelming, which can reinforce the cycle of fear. Encourage your teen to take steps towards engaging in activities that promote real-world connection, creativity, and skill-building. Whether it’s participating in group activities, pursuing a hobby, or simply spending time outdoors, these experiences not only challenge avoidance behaviors but also enrich emotional development.
– Use Parental Oversight Thoughtfully and Model Healthy Behaviors: Maintain visibility into your teens’ social media use through open conversations, periodic check-ins, or parental controls. Set age-appropriate limits on content that may be harmful or inappropriate, and be transparent about your intentions to build trust. Additionally, model healthy phone habits by being fully present during family activities and establishing”phone-free” times, such as during meals or before bed. Practice intentional phone use by limiting social media to designated times rather than continuously. Enforce boundaries with parental controls, such as keeping phones out of bedrooms to protect sleep and mental health.
– Create Safe Spaces to Explore Professional Mental Health Support: Help your teen access professional mental health services, as needed, or a safe space to find peer support. Social media can be a helpful starting point for destigmatizing therapy and inspiring teens to make positive changes in their lives. Parents can build on this momentum by encouraging their teens to connect with trained professionals or join peer support groups where they can interact with others who share similar experiences.
Guiding Teens with Anxiety and Avoidance Towards Balance
For teens navigating anxiety and avoidance, social media presents both benefits and risks. While it can offer access to supportive communities and valuable resources, it also has the potential to heighten anxiety and perpetuate the cycle of avoidance. As technologies evolve and popular platforms release new features, it’s important to listen, learn, and provide support for teens navigating an ever-evolving digital world. Through proactive guidance, education, and modeling, we can help teens with anxiety build healthier relationships with social media – nurturing resilience and well-being in both their digital and real-world lives.
[1] Vogels et al., 2022. Rideout et al., 2022.
[2] Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2023.