Social media has become a common way for people to communicate and share ideas. However, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory earlier this year about the effects of social media use on young people and their mental health after use of platforms have become nearly universal.
Teens who use social media formore than three hours a day face double the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms. Kids are using social media for about 3.5 hours a day on average.
The advisory says that social media can cause body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, social comparison, and low self-esteem, especially in teen girls.
But other groups, like those with chronic illness or LGBTQ folks, may be benefiting from various platforms by finding community and sharing their own struggles and victories while creating friendships across the country and even the world.
On this week’s Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll discuss both the potential harms of social media but also its benefits. How does social media impact you? Email letstalk@kunm.org, leave a voice message by clicking the button below, or call (505) 277-5866 during the show Thursday morning at 8.
Guests:
- Ysidra Tellez, Executive Director, Breaking the Silence New Mexico
- Clara Wasserman, Co-Founder, Log Off Movement
- Amanda Blair, New Mexico State University’s Health Promotion and the Aggie Health and Wellness Center
- Jessica Fish, Associate professor, University of Maryland
- Gabrielle Rael, Internet Crimes Against Children, New Mexico Office of the Attorney General
- Dr. Kristina Sowar, Associate Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of New Mexico
