Surgeon general warns social media is triggering teen mental health crisis

Social media continues to drive up depression and anxiety among teens, the surgeon general warns.

Up to 95% of teens and 40% of children between the ages of 8 to 12 are on social media.

And those spending more than three hours per day face double the risk for poor mental health as well as content that can trigger body image issues, eating disorders, social comparison and low self-esteem, according to a new report, which was released Tuesday by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s office.

The report is a call to action for parents to monitor their child and teen’s social media use “especially during adolescence, a particularly vulnerable period of brain development.”

A staggering 46% of teens aged 13 to 17 said social media makes them feel worse about their own body image while just 14% said it makes them feel better about the way they look. Forty percent reported feeling indifferent. 

What’s more, roughly 64% of adolescents said they’re “often” or “sometimes” exposed to hate-based content, which includes topics such as suicide and self-harm, on some social media platforms. The report noted that this has “in certain tragic cases” been “linked to childhood deaths.” 

Excessive social media use is also leading to poor sleep quality and addiction. Indeed, more than half of teens said it would be difficult to give up social media with girls aged 11 to 15 saying they feel “addicted.” 

The report advised parents to establish “tech-free zones that help protect sleep and better foster in-person relationships, teach children and adolescents about responsible online behavior.”

It also urged them to block “unwanted content” and to be careful about sharing personal information. 

“Policymakers can take steps to strengthen safety standards and limit access in ways that
make social media safer for children of all ages, better protect children’s privacy, support
digital and media literacy and fund additional research,” according to the report.

Mental health expert Dr. Gregory Jantz, author of “Social Media and Depression,” said the surgeon general’s findings are consistent with the ongoing youth mental health crisis.

“We have seen an increase in anxiety, depression, and addiction, including digital addiction, among our youth since the start of COVID,” Jantz told The Post via email.

“Social media has also driven an increase in emotional abuse, toxic relationships, and the sexualization of our youth at an early age. Social media use and mental health should be a topic for ongoing discussions in families. Start regularly talking about safety in digital communications, time boundaries, and which apps should be avoided,” he added.