The Rapid Rise Of Teen Mental Distress

Teen depression, anxiety and suicide have dramatically increased since 2012 according to research psychologist Jean Twenge.

A quick glance at the graph below (looking just at depression) provides a sense of just how dramatic this increase has been.

Twenge believes that the increase in teen mental distress is related to yet another change in teen lifestyle that occurred during the same period of time – a surge in smartphone use.

At first glance, you might think that this is simply an interesting correlation, but not necessarily an argument for there being a causal link between diminished adolescent health and smartphone usage.

 A significant body of research over the past few years, however, suggests otherwise and supports the idea that in fact there is a causal connection.

The pernicious impact of smartphones is not simply because teens spend so much time using this technology, but rather what that technology brings into their lives.

On average teens spend 8 hours a day using a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Most of their attention is riveted on social media. This is particularly true of girls. Unfortunately, their attention is not simply focused on looking at the most recent fashion trends. Instead, they spend their time making comparisons of themselves to their peers with regard to their appearance, social likability, general success, intelligence, etc.

This is unhealthy. A recipe for psychological distress.

How so? Think of it in these terms. A group of individuals, teens, known for being anxious and insecure are given the opportunity, through smartphones and social media, to relentlessly compare themselves to idealized versions of their peers.

At the same time as they judge themselves to be failing in this regard, the same technology also opens a portal for them to be bullied and criticized by peers throughout the day. In the pre-smartphone era, a teenager’s home could be a ‘safe’ place free from the influence of negative evaluations by peers at school. No longer.

Adding to this ugly mix is that smartphone usage acts, for some teens, as a means to become even more isolated. This occurs as teens exchange more meaningful face-to-face relationship-building for the easy and superficial connections made via social media. If you doubt that teens prefer social media connections over face-to-face connections simply take note of how often you see a group of teens gathered for coffee, each of them bent over their cell phone.

In light of the above it is not surprising that the earlier in life a youngster begins to use a smartphone, the more likely it is that he or she will struggle with mental health issues.

There is one other consequence attached to obsessive smartphone use that deserves mention. Lack of sleep.  Teens frequently trade time on their phones for the time they should be sleeping. This ends up making it even more likely that the teen will become anxious or depressed.

how to help teens be less depressed/anxious

There are some simple steps parents can take to help protect their children from developing mental health problems. These can be thought of as involving three broad approaches – parents should employ each strategy.

Approach ‘A’ focuses on the smartphone:

1. Limit cell phone time (two hours/day). There are a number of apps that help parents do this (and yes, the determined youngster will find a workaround)

2. Limit what sites can be accessed via smartphone

3. Talk with your child from an early age about how social media can distort their view of themselves and others. Give specific age-appropriate examples. This is a form of ‘psychological inoculation that has been applied to many other aspects of mental health

4. Do not give your child a fully functioning smartphone until he/she is 14 (better yet, 15) years old. Yes, you will hear complaints. But your job is not to be your child’s well-liked friend, so these tantrums can be brushed aside. A cell phone that provides text and call functions will allow your son or daughter to communicate with friends (and you) without the risks that come from social media (for a review of these phones go here). 

Approach ‘B’ focuses on broadening and deepening relationships, thereby attenuating the impact of social media:

1. Insist that your child be involved in the community of his/her peers. This can involve sports, music, church groups, civic organizations, etc.

2. Be intentional about helping your child build healthy friendships (this should start in pre-school). By the time your child is 10 years old, he/she should have two or more close friendships that are healthy and based on genuine mutual regard. These friendships will act as a bulwark against the negative influence that peers will direct toward your child via social media in the teen years (yes, it is nearly inevitable)

3. Focus on creating a family culture that is close, mutually respectful, and instills a deep sense of belonging in your child (the need to belong is very strong, and must not be ignored)

4. Instill in your child a sense of purpose (there is a vast body of research showing that ‘sense of purpose’ diminishes the likelihood of becoming severely anxious or depressed)

Approach ‘C’ focuses on developing interests/activities that compete for time on social media, or decrease its impact:

1. Develop in your child a breadth of interests and skills that build a sense of competency. This will act as a buffer against some of the insecurities that he or she will face later in childhood. One of the easiest ways to do this is by encouraging the development of hobbies. These may include anything from collecting baseball cards, robotics, and woodworking, to sewing.

2. Encourage a love of reading from an early age as this will not only compete with social media, but broaden your child’s knowledge of the world, of how others think, and cultivate a greater sense of curiosity.

Conclusion

Every age has its challenges and right now one of those facing teens is the threat to mental health brought about by social media and smartphone usage. Parents who are aware of the threat and make a plan to mitigate its impact can save their children a great deal of pain.

Will your teen thank you? That’s a rhetorical question. Of course they won’t. Did they thank you earlier in life when you took them to the pediatrician and they received vaccines? As young children did they express gratitude when you told them they needed to go to sleep on time, or not have one more helping of dessert?

That did not stop you from doing what you knew was in your child’s best interest. Don’t let your teenage son or daughter’s protest stop you now. Good parenting very often involves frustrating a youngster’s desires. The short-term cost of having your teen upset with you will later be rewarded with a more confident, optimistic and healthier youngster who is ready to succeed when entering the world of adults.

And who knows, maybe somewhere in the distant future, after your teen has become a mature adult, a belated thank you will come your way after all.