Social Media Proven To Have Long-Term Negative Effects On Teens And Young Adults, Reports Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Recent reports say that social media can cause social media problems in young adults and teens.
"Our current generation of teens and adolescents are actually the first generation to really have social media from the time they were born," Sandstone Care Teen Center at Chesapeake Program Director Adrienne Washington said.
WJZ spoke with the Program Director at the Sandstone Care Teen Center at Chesapeake, which treats teens and young adults dealing with addiction and mental issues.
"This is really the first time we're seeing some of the long-term effects over the life span," Washington said.
She said that some social media platforms can cause younger people to compare their lives to others, resulting in depression and anxiety.
"We're really associating those two core pieces of development and likeness and trying to find an identity with how many likes you're receiving from people on the internet," Washington said.
Towson students we spoke with, like Jenna Wilson, agree.
"Everyone hates on everybody about every little thing," Wilson said. "So, I do see that it causes mental health issues a lot and people get absorbed in it and compare themselves to a lot of other people out there."
Washington has tips for social media users and parents. She suggests you should limit the amount of time you spend on social media. She also said parents should have a discussion with their kids about how they use the platforms.
"Really talking to your kids about how that's affecting them and what they feel is valid from the information they're seeing," Washington said.