Technology and Teen Mental Health: Unpacking the Rise in Depression

In recent years, the widespread adoption of smartphones has revolutionized how we communicate, access information, and entertain ourselves. However, this digital transformation has not come without its drawbacks. Recent research has highlighted a concerning correlation between the advent of smartphones and a sharp increase in depression, particularly among teenagers. This trend can be attributed to several key factors, one of them being social media pressure.

Social Media Pressure

One of the most significant contributors to this mental health crisis is the pervasive influence of social media. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat present users with a constant stream of curated, idealized images and lifestyles. These portrayals often highlight the best moments of people's lives, creating unrealistic standards of beauty, success, and happiness. For teenagers, who are in the critical stages of developing their identities, this can lead to detrimental effects on self-esteem and mental well-being.

The pressure to maintain an appealing online persona, gain likes, and fit into ever-changing trends can be overwhelming. This relentless comparison to seemingly perfect lives fosters feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression. Unlike previous generations, today's youth are not just comparing themselves to their immediate peers but to an endless array of influencers and celebrities who often portray unattainable standards.

What can you do? 

• Talk to your teen about what they are watching and how it makes them feel. 

• Try to listen without judgment and encourage your child to share *their own ideas of what is problematic about these images. 

• Help them make a list of all the things they value about themselves and their own life and remind them that social media is an unrealistic, idealized snapshot of people’s lives and that nobody’s life is perfect. 

• Remind them that these apps are designed to manipulate them and make them keep scrolling so it’s not their fault that they struggle with feeling addicted to their phones.

• Encouraging your child to get involved in an activity that makes them feel good is also helpful. A hobby or activity that both distracts them and takes them away from their devices, allows them to build mastery at something, and possibly connects them to other people in the real world are also helpful ways of countering the feelings of inadequacy that come from social media.

*NOTE: For the purposes of simplicity, I will refer to kids as “they” “them” “their” in place of he/she/they/them