NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — Phones, tablets, and computers have become the gear that moves modern life forward — not only for adults of the working world but children and adolescents.
But when does convenience become a necessity, an addiction?
Last week, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy called for a warning label on all social media platforms, writing in an article, “The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor.”
According to Murthy, adolescents spend almost five hours a day on social media, including in North Dakota.
However, studies have found that adolescents who use social media for more than three hours a day double their risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, and poor self-image. Worse, they can become addicted.
“So, when kids look back on their teen years, what are they going to look back on doing?” asked Sanford Mental Health Counselor, Heidi Eckroth. “Are you going to look back on the fact that you were sitting on your phone every night after school or every weekend, or are you going to be out doing stuff, you know? So it’s up to parents to really teach them that.”
Social media use releases brain chemicals like dopamine that tell our body to continue using social media because it “feels good.”
But because adolescents’ brains are developing, they will have an even harder time managing addictive tendencies and risk missing out on key life moments for a quick fix.
Most parents, though, don’t have the time, energy, or knowledge to create guidelines and set controls on social media for adolescents.
However, if you’re noticing problem behaviors in your children, there is something you can do to learn more about how to help.
“I think it’s always best to just talk with a professional that they trust,” said Sanford Health Nurse Practitioner, Hannah Bailey. “If they have a therapist that’s involved with the family, or they have a pediatrician, they should be able to get directed to reliable information.”
If you’re concerned, have an open conversation with your child and learn as much as you can to keep social media off the dinner tables and the brain.
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