We recently discussed the benefits of social media for teens and because I have teens and I haven’t always been a fan of them having social media, I figured that today we could talk about the negatives of social media for teens.
That’s not to say that there are no benefits, because there are. It’s just well worth talking about the negatives and downfalls of this thing that is such a huge part of almost everyone’s lives these days.
5 Negatives of Social Media for Teens
Being Disconnected
Connecting online can create a disconnect with real life. This is especially true the more time kids spend online.
Bad for Mental Health
In my last post about the benefits of social media, I mentioned that my daughter has deactivated her social media. She does this every 6 months or so to reset her mental health. She recognizes that social media affects her anxiety and mental health. I cannot tell you how much different and happier she is after these breaks.
If you have teens on social media, I highly recommend encouraging them to take a break and see how it helps them.
Online Predators
It sucks to even have to say this, but the reality is that there are dangerous people out in the world and the internet and social media have given them a new avenue for hurting others. Make sure that your teen is not talking to strangers online to help avoid this situation.
FOMO
Fear of missing out can actually create more situations in which teens are missing out on real life things.
Reality is Distorted
Even us adults can forget sometimes that social media is a highly filtered view of life. People typically post just the most amazing (and even then, it is filtered and enhanced). No one’s life is perfect and it’s important that teens recognize this.
