Recently I reinstalled the powerful app, Instagram. I keep wasting so much time on it reminding myself why I deleted in the first place. Parents are always telling teens to get off social media but can those breaks actually be useful to the development of the brain?
Why social media is bad
Social media interactions create an artificial barrier so you don’t get the non-verbal cues that occur in normal conversations. This can cause a disconnect and reduced social skills. Also constantly scrolling through the filtered version of others lives causes anyone to lose self-confidence especially teens that have a lower baseline than adults. Overall social media can cause reduced satisfaction in life.
How to have a healthy relationship with social media
First off, screen time and social media should be used in moderation. Some studies suggest not spending more than one hour per day on social media. It is important to continue real relationships and not rely solely on internet relationships. This will give you a higher furfillment out of life. It can also be helpful if you are feeling addicted to take a week or month break away from social media.
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