How Social Media Is Hurting Your Mental Health
Feeling bummed or burnt out as of late? According to a new study, your smart phone could be to blame. Eurekalert reports that teens who spend more than two hours a day on social media are running some pretty high risks. Turns out that all the Tweeting, Instagraming and Snapchatting could lead to poor mental health, psychological distress and suicidal thoughts. Yikes!
The study, which comes out of the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking journal, says that about 25% of the Canadian teens surveyed who spent more than two hours a day on social media reported unmet mental health needs.
But there’s no need to disable all your social media accounts. On the flip side, online channels are giving mental health providers an easy way to reach troubled teens. Because teens are so active on these platforms, they make the perfect places to spread awareness of health promotion systems and provide support.
Tell us what you think of teens and their social media use in the comments!
(Feature image by Monica Schipper for Getty Images)
