4 signs your teen is misusing social media

Social networks are such a frequent and common element that, in the event that their use produced psychological problems, we would have realized it for a long time.

However, it is true that in some cases, they can facilitate the appearance of patterns of behaviors that damage mental health, especially in the population that uses them the most: the teenagers. That means that while the simple fact that a young person regularly uses digital platforms such as Instagram or Tik Tok does not have to worry, there are certain probabilities that through this habit dysfunctional behaviors and poor management of emotions linked to important aspects: self-esteem, the way of relating to others, the way of feeling part of a group, etc.

In this article we will see a summary of several warning signs to know when a teenager is misusing social networks.

• Related article: "The 3 stages of adolescence"

Signs that a teenager is misusing social media

Although it must be taken into account that each case is unique, these are some patterns of behavior that often indicate the presence of dysfunctional ways of using social media by teenagers.

1. Constantly manage your public image on the Internet

Self-esteem problems are relatively common in adolescents. And it is that in the stage of adolescence coincides a moment in which appears in challenge to adapt to some of the roles of age adult, on the one hand, and at the same time they do not have the experience and psychological maturity to do it without problems and autonomously, for the other.

The result is a sensation of almost constant tension between what is done and what is felt that the environment demands, and in this sense, the canons of beauty and the trends of Fashion is a source of very strong social pressure on adolescents, since at this stage much importance is given to the approval of peers (that is, the people of the same age).

That is why some adolescents, and especially women, they are obsessed with hiding what they consider physical imperfections and showing their facet more in accordance with current aesthetic codes. This can take several hours a week editing or choosing photos to post, for example.

• You may be interested in: "10 keys to increase your self-esteem in 30 days"

2. Make a "default" use of social networks

The mechanics on which social networks work make us constantly bombarded with new content, second by second; In addition, these are virtual environments easily accessible just by taking your smartphone out of your pocket, and much of the social life of adolescents occurs on the Internet because all the other boys and girls are there almost at all times.

For this reason, many adolescents start to feel that every minute that passes without being exposed to a source of stimuli comparable to this is wasted time, and they feel the need to immerse themselves in the screen when they are not doing another activity incompatible with it: sitting at the table to eat with their family, going to the bathroom, etc. This impoverishes their development and can also lead to disorders for the simple fact of always submitting to the same type of stimuli and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

3. Manage your sadness or anxiety with the "scroll"

The propensity to feel lonely is an aspect that affects many adolescents, due to several factors: the fear of showing their vulnerabilities before the feeling that everything they are overwhelmed by the idea that others may make fun of them, and even indecision about how they should express their feelings because they have doubts about their identity.

For this reason, many young people tend to isolate themselves when they feel bad, not because they think that is what they need, but because they don't see other possible options in such a situation. And enter social networks and make passive use of them (constant scroll to see the latest updates of what people post) seems to be a recurring habit in many teens who spend For this. It is a simple action to perform and does not include the complexity of having to examine or verbalize your emotions and feelings and having to manage them, so it is problematic because it does not facilitate maturation psychological.

4. Direct your search for experiences to what can earn you "likes"

This pattern of behavior can even lead them to put themselves in dangerous situations, or to generate frustration for investing in it too much time but at the same time not wanting to stop receiving that external validation.

Are you looking for professional psychological support?

If you are interested in having counseling or psychotherapy services for people of all ages, we invite you to contact us. On Advance Psychologists We have been working in the field of psychological assistance for 20 years, and today we offer child-adolescent and adult therapy, as well as neuropsychology, speech therapy and psychiatry. In addition, the sessions can be face-to-face (at our center located in the Goya neighborhood of Madrid) or online, via video call. On this page our contact details are available.

Bibliographic references:

• Karim, F.; Oyewande, A.A.; Abdalla, L.F.; Ehsanullah, R.C.; Khan, S. (2020). Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 12 (6): e8627.
• Pantic, I. (2014). Online Social Networking and Mental Health. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 17 (10), 652-657.
• Odgers, C.L.; Jensen, M.R. (2020). Adolescent mental health in the digital age: facts, fears, and future directions. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61: pp. 336 - 348.
• Spies Shapiro, L.A. & Margolin, G. (2014). Growing Up Wired: Social Networking Sites and Adolescent Psychosocial Development. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 17 (1): pp. 1 - 18.