Think back to when you were a teenager. Remember that painful longing to fit in and the feelings of insecurity about your looks? Do you recall that cutting comment made to you in middle school, and the embarrassment of that awkward social mistake you made in high school? Now, imagine the anxiety you would feel if all those mistakes and comments were on a highway billboard that could never be removed. Welcome to the world of today’s teenagers. Where smartphones, with access to social media, are making our teens anxious.
Today’s teens broadcast their lives on the “billboards” of social media 24/7. Nothing is sacred—nothing is private on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media outlets. Research confirms that mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression increase with smartphone and social media use. It is a linear increase, meaning, more time spent on social media equals more mental health problems.
