ADPH encourages parents to regulate children’s social media intake

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - According to the CDC, over 8 million children in America have been diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, or both.

Dr. Wes Stubblefield with the Alabama Department of Public Health says social media plays a significant role in teens’ development and could cause other health issues.

Studies are currently underway to find out the effects of teens overconsuming social media.

“Loneliness, anxiety, and depression are increasing in teens were having more mental health issues in our teens, and we have a very undersupply of mental health professionals to treat these teens,” said Stubblefield.

Body dysmorphia and eating disorders are also being linked to the overuse of content.

Stubblefield says government regulation of social media platforms could help, but until that happens, parents should be the ones who regulate what their children consume.

“What we as parents need to do is we need to make sure that we have a social media plan for our family that very important,” said Stubblefield.

Experts recommend kids should not consume more than two hours of media a day.

And when they hang up, they need to hang out.

In other words, have active in-person communication.

“Children and families need to eat together, they need to bond together, they need to speak. They don’t need to be in front of a screen. They need to have this dialoged. These things have been associated with positive outcomes in children,” said Stubblefield.

For tips on how to make your family’s social media plan, click here.

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