The mental health of teenagers is among the most key issues that determine the general development, school performance, and living quality of a human. Adolescence is the period of great change, which means teens are easily subjected to mental health problems. In the digital age, the prevalence of this issue among teenagers is heightened through constant exposure to social media, addiction to devices, and cyberbullying. In this article, the effects of mental health on teens, issues specific to them, and measures that can help overcome these issues are discussed.
The Current Digital Age and Its Impacts on Teenagers
Teenagers now grow up in a world belonging to the internet. Smartphones, tablets, and computers are part of teenagers’ everyday lives. While these kinds of technology provide enormous benefits in education resources and social connectivity, they also bring about immense mental health risks in the form of device addiction and social media comparisons.
1. Device Addiction
Digital devices are everywhere. From keeping connected with family and friends,
to staying updated on events of the world, technology and the internet are intertwined with our daily lives. With this new digital era upon us, overuse of devices is fairly common, especially among teenagers. Teenagers today are the first generation to grow up on the modern internet. They’ve known about and interacted with new technology since they were born. Technology overuse leads to addiction, because teenagers feel the need to always be online. Addiction interferes with sleep, limits face-to-face interaction, and increases feelings of isolation. Evidence has shown that the more time a teenager spends on their device, the higher the chances that that particular individual will suffer from anxiety and depression (Butler Hospital, 2022).
2. Social Media
Today adolescents are majorly on sites like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, which showcase unreal notions of belonging. Such unreal content makes them foster unrealistic expectations and comparisons. Adolescents face a barrage of ideal images lifestyles online constantly, leading to a widespread feeling of inadequacy and low self-esteem. The most serious issue is that of cyberbullying. Negative comments and bullying on social media often demoralize teens, destroying their self-esteem (National Library of Medicine., n.d).
How to Cope with Digital Mental Health Challenges
To cope with the mental health challenges they face, teenagers need to employ healthy digital habits. Healthy digital habits are needed to prevent device addiction and the damage caused by social media. There are many techniques that can be used. The techniques include the following:
- Setting limits
Encouraging teenagers to work towards limiting their screen time and settingboundaries is very beneficial to their mental health. Limiting screen time allows less interaction with unrealistic and degrading content that is detrimental to mental health. Allocate certain times for using the devices and have regular breaks to avoid addiction. Try a “digital detox” from devices during meals or before bed. - Consumed social media feeds
Teenagers should work towards being aware of what they feed into their brains. Following inspiring and encouraging accounts rather than accounts that promote unrealistic standards in the first place guarantees that they will be having a better time online.
3. Open Communication
Keep the lines of communication open regarding Internet experiences. Being able to openly communicate to friends, family, and/or trusted adults is vital to protect teenagers’ mental health. Having healthy discussions about possible risks on social media encouraging them to report incidents related to bullying will help in managing issues at early stages.
Additional Help
It is very important that a teenager knows when they need professional help for their mental health problems. Watching for warning signs such as lasting sadness, withdrawal from others, changes in appetite or sleep, and slipping grades is crucial to maintaining good mental health. If these last over a long period, an adolescent may need professional help, such as therapy, counseling, and medication.
1. Therapy and Counseling
Various forms of therapy and counseling can be beneficial in overcoming the
teenagers’ mental issues. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is generally used for patients with anxiety and depression because it allows a patient to change the pattern of negative thoughts (NHS, 2022). Group therapy can further provide support among teenagers experiencing similar issues and can learn much from each other.
2. Medication
There are times when medication may be needed for the mental health state to be under control. This has to be closely monitored by a healthcare professional in order to have better outcomes.
In Conclusion…
Teenagers growing up in today’s technological age face exceptionally unique challenges to mental health. These are often catalyzed by addictive behaviors around devices and pressures that originate from social media. For teenagers, chances of sailing through this highly critical phase of life stand better in case of healthy digital habits and access to professional help.
Written By: Nimai Pradeep, Mental H2O Youth Resource Writer
Works Cited
- ● England, C. N. (2022a, January 14). Is your phone affecting your mental health?. Butler Hospital.https://www.butler.org/blog/phone-affecting-your-mental-health#:~:text=A%20study%20among%20teenagers%20on,part%20in%20non%2Dscreen%20activities.
- ● Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S.Surgeon General’s Advisory [Internet]. Washington (DC): US Department of Health and Human Services; 2023. Social Media Has Both Positive and Negative Impacts on Children and Adolescents. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594763/
- ● Overview – Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). NHS . (2022, November 10). https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapie s-and-counselling/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-cbt/overview/#:~:text=CBT%20is%20b ased%20on%20the,them%20down%20into%20smaller%20parts.
