Most of us spend hours on our phones daily—scrolling our feeds, interacting with posts, and watching videos. Teens spend more time on social media than any other age demographic. It can provide a space for them to connect, learn new information, and express themselves creatively. 

However, it’s normal for parents to wonder, “When does social media become a problem for our youth”? Spending too much time on social media can increase the risk of teenage mental health problems, skew their perception of reality, and lower their self-esteem. 

Understanding what social media addiction is, how to recognize the signs, and intervention strategies can help parents support their teens in building healthy habits when consuming online content. 

Statistics About Social Media Addiction 

Although the birth of modern-day social media is relatively new (early 2000s), it has grown into one of the most influential parts of our lives. Social media is used in marketing, healthcare, business, finance, and other sectors to connect with & influence the general population. 

Although we often associate social media use with teens, it is a global phenomenon with users of every age and background. Some key statistics to understand the rise of social media addiction in users include: 

• Over 5 billion people actively use social media as of 2024 
• 61.4% of the world's total population uses social media 
• 93.5% of global internet users use social media 
• 88.4% of smartphone users are active on social media 
• Users spend average 2.5 hours per day on social media 
• Facebook is the #1 used social media platform

Teens and Social Media Addiction

Teens are especially vulnerable to the addictive tendencies that social media provides. They are discovering their likes, passions, and interests while building relationships and skills they will carry into adulthood.

Social media is a powerful platform that can greatly influence teens. Some key statistics to understand the impact social media has on the lives of teens include: 

• 95% of youth 13-17 use social media daily (⅓ report using it “almost constantly”)
• 40% of children 8-12 use social media 
• Teenage girls spend an average of 5.3 hours per day on social media
• Teenage boys spend an average of 4.4 hours a day on social media 
• 3+ hours a day of social media use increases the risk of depression/anxiety 
• Instagram & TikTok are the most popular platforms among teens  

Knowing these stats can help us understand how relevant social media is to teens' lives. While social media can be a positive tool and creative outlet, spending too much time scrolling can create mental and physical health concerns. 

Why is Social Media Addictive? 

Social media causes similar chemical reactions in the brain to substance abuse. Constant use impacts the pleasure-reward cycle. Every time a teen interacts with posts or receives a notification, a small burst of dopamine is released in the brain. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that plays a role in developing habits, motivation, and pleasure. 

Teenagers tend to be more impulsive and lack self-control during development, making breaking their social media habits harder. Regions of the brain that control dopamine are also still growing. Similar to how drugs affect the brain— as social media engagement increases, the more a user craves it. 

Effects of Social Media Addiction Among Teenagers

Social media addiction can cause long-term consequences on the developing brain that impact their thoughts, feelings, mood, and behavior. Research shows that excessive social media use is linked to higher rates of depression and anxiety.  Social media can also increase the risk of eating disorders, feelings of isolation, and FOMO (fear of missing out). 

Platforms are designed to display the best part of people’s lives. Teens who are constantly seeing posts from influencers, celebrities, or content creators may set unrealistic expectations in their heads, triggering feelings of depression. Constantly viewing edited selfies or photos of models may decrease levels of self-esteem in already vulnerable teens and can trigger eating disorders. If teens are constantly seeing posts about political problems, climate disasters, or violent crimes, this can increase stress in the body and lead to anxiety. 

It’s important to encourage teens to consume content that is beneficial to their health and explain the context behind what they see online.  

Signs of Teenage Addiction to Social Media 

Spending time on social media is normal for most teens today and can be tricky to recognize when it has developed into a problem. Many teens report using social media to stay up to date with friends, learn new skills, and creatively express themselves. However, when social media use begins to impact their daily functioning or cause issues with their mental health, it can point to a problem. Signs of social media addiction in teens include: 

• Spending excessive amounts of time on social media 
• Unable to put down their phones, constantly checking their feeds 
• Documenting everything they do for Insta reels, Snap stories, or TikToks 
• Low self-esteem
• Irritability or aggression when they do not have access to their phone
• Trouble sleeping
• Problems focusing
• Decline in school grades
• Constantly getting in trouble with teachers for using their phones in class 
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Rapid changes in mood
• Distress after spending time on social media 
• Acting secretive around their online behavior and interactions  

How to Deal With Social Media Addiction in Teens: Strategies for Parents 

It’s understandable for parents to want to extend trust in their teens' use of social media. Respecting their privacy and independence is important. However, it is still our job to set healthy boundaries. Below are some strategies to help you set healthy limits on their screen time. 

• Provide your teens with context about social media posts they interact with, explaining that not everything they see online is authentic & accurate 
• Set time limits on your teens’ phone use (experts recommend no more than 2-3 hours per day) 
• Encourage your teen to engage with content that is beneficial to their growth and mental health (educational videos, self-help tools, apps to monitor/track their mood or health, following content creators that promote positive messages) 
• Limit violent or distressing content using parental settings on platforms to set restrictions 
• Have them put their phones on Do Not Disturb during dinner, family activities, events, etc 
• Shut down phones and all technology a couple of hours before bedtime 
• Model healthy digital habits for your teen by monitoring the amount of time you spend on social media 

Treating Teen Addiction in Florida    

Lotus Behavioral Health helps teens recovering from substance abuse & co-occurring disorders break addictive tendencies and develop healthy habits that support their long-term recovery. Our comprehensive treatment programs take a family-first approach to help teens build a sustainable lifestyle that encourages sobriety & success. 

Sources 

Digital 2023 Global Statshot Report. 

Social Media and Youth Mental Health. US Surgeon General Advisory. 

Average Daily Time Spent on Social Media Among US Teens in 2023. Statista.