Written by: Dr Shaunak Ajinkya
3 min readJul 9, 2024 06:30 AM IST
First published on: Jul 8, 2024 at 05:12 PM IST
When 15-year-old Ekta took to using social media to stay “with it” as her peers, she easily got sucked into spending four to six hours online, chatting with friends, watching or making reels and following influencers. But the harmless sharing turned competitive when she saw others posting attractive content that got more likes and hits than hers. The curated and unrealistic portrayals of life led to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem as she couldn’t catch up. She faced cyberbullies too, who commented on her physical appearance.
Ekta’s anxiety was mainly about the fear of missing out and getting left behind. In adolescence, the part of the brain related to attention from peers is most sensitive. Social media exploits this desire. The constant need to stay connected and check updates had made Ekta set unrealistic expectations and goals for herself, which had nothing to do with her abilities in real life. This split between an online persona and real life persona is compounding mental health issues among teens and adolescents and has prompted the US surgeon-general to advocate a warning label on social media overuse among young people.
WHAT ARE RED FLAGS?
Ekta’s parents noticed how she withdrew from family outings, became increasingly irritable and had mood swings. Her academic performance dipped as she stayed up late. The late night obsession disrupted Ekta’s sleep patterns. This and the persistent exposure to negativity added to her feelings of hopelessness, leading to emotional breakdowns.
HOW CAN PARENTS HELP IN DIGITAL DETOX?
1) Don’t talk down about the ills of social media. Remember that’s the language teens are most comfortable with, so encourage them to share their online experiences and listen without judgment. Engage in discussion. This helps them dissect harmful content and fosters critical thinking.
2) Set a family limit on screen time. As parents or elders, you can lead by example how to engage positively and take breaks from screens. You must set boundaries for online use, one for educational requirements and the other for entertainment. You can keep some shared family time as sacrosanct where nobody uses social media. Harp on a balanced use of technology and social media.
3) Also, schools and educational institutions can take the first step by setting a safe age limit to open social media accounts.
4) It’s crucial to ensure children understand and use privacy settings to protect their personal information and limit who can see their posts. Disable counts of likes that encourage excessive use. Use screen time settings. Set parental controls on inappropriate content. Children must use platforms suitable for their age and maturity level.
5) Emphasise the potential for children’s well-being outside of social media. Encourage face-to-face interactions with friends and family to build strong, supportive relationships. Promote hobbies, outdoor and indoor sports, board or card games and other offline activities that build self-esteem and relieve stress. Art therapy or play therapy helps children express themselves and learn about the world through artistic media and their natural love of play. Also, teach children stress management strategies like deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness-based practices.
Finally, seek the help of a mental health professional.
(The author is psychiatrist, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai)
Emphasising the potential for children’s well-being outside of social media is one way of ensuring digital detox. (Representative/ Express file photo by Praveen Khanna) 
Share
