Teens, Social Media, and Mental Health

According to Statistics Canada (2024), 91% of young Canadians aged 15-24 regularly used social networking sites. With the majority of our teens active on social media it is crucial that as parents, caregivers, educators, professionals etc, we are paying attention to the world that so many teens are engaged in. From TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and more, teens are spending a greater amount of time immersed in their phones where the majority of their interactions and relationships exist. While social media can have many positives for teens, such as social connection, positive content and education, there needs to be discussions on how the content our teens are viewing can have negative impacts on their mental health. 

Luckily, there are many ways in which we can engage with our teens in an open-minded way to explore more about what your teen is seeing and experiencing online and help them to create balance in the digital world we are all living in. There are a number of safety, boundary setting and role modelling tips that can help your family take a step back from excessive screen/social media use and ensure that there is equal opportunity for both online and real life interactions with friends and family. 

If you want to learn more about the topics above, joint MSW Intern Olivia Johnston on April 25th @5pm to delve deeper into these important topics. Cost is $20 per person and will be held over Zoom. This limited-time webinar is open to any adults wanting to learn more about the risks and benefits to social media on our teen’s mental health and the ways in which we can find balance in the online world. 

Excited to see you there!