Teens often seek validation and understanding to find their identity and sense of belonging - many turn to their phones for connection. Social media can be a guide for awareness of mental health issues, but it can also bring about unnecessary anxiety and stress.
Increasingly, mental health professionals have observed children and teens "self-diagnosing" their own mental disorders after watching influencers discuss them on TikTok and other social media platforms. Certain exposure can be harmful if teens identify with a diagnosis they saw or heard online then take it on as their own without seeking professional help to talk, be properly diagnosed, and learn coping strategies for what may be going on under the surface.
Advice for Parents - as your teens naturally seek independence and begin spending more time in their rooms and on their phones, it is important to also create opportunities to communicate 1:1 with your kids and encourage them to share their feelings. Carefully monitor social media use and educate them on the complexity of mental health. Explain the importance of talking to a professional for a proper diagnosis.
Our goal is to support healthy physical, mental, and emotional growth and support for our kids!
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