May 9, 2022

Is social media impacting your child's mental heaLth?
 
Dear Friend, 
It’s good for children to be connected with one another, but connection to the digital world may come with risks, including cyberbullying, sexting/sextortion, sexual exploitation, and others -- all which can lead to depression, anxiety, and other health concerns. In fact, research has shown that social media can be one of the main factors affecting children's mental health!
Here are just a few statistics: 

  • Teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more likely to develop mental health problems including depression, anxiety, aggression, and antisocial behavior. (JAMA Psychiatry, September 11, 2019)

  • Young people (10-16 years) who accessed or shared sexual content or images of cyberbullying or violence had up to a 50% higher risk for thoughts of suicide. (JAMA Network Open, September 20, 2021)  

  • Children and young people under 25 who are victims of cyberbullying are more than twice as likely to self-harm and enact suicidal behavior. Perpetrators themselves are also at higher risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. (Swansea University, Wales, UK 2018)

  • Teens (ages 13-17) struggle with some social-emotional experiences when using social media (and even more so with young adults), from frustration and discomfort to jealousy, depression, or feeling isolated. (FOSI 2021 Research Report)

Monitor your child’s screen time and online activities and know with whom your child is communicating!  Take special note of behavior changes as that can be a sign that your child is feeling isolated, depressed, or even threatened! Mood changes may also be a result of your child simply spending too much time online or playing online games!

Finally, remind your child that time spent outdoors and with friends can help boost their mental health! Encourage technology breaks and limit screen time to help minimize the pressure to always "feel connected."

To learn more about internet safety and get the knowledge and resources needed to protect your children and families online, please visit InternetSafety101.org

The Team at Enough Is Enough®

Your Internet Safety Experts

PS - we'd love for you to Fund the Fight and help continue our efforts to protect kids in the digital world!