By Marta Ramos, personal service coordinator in pediatric psychology at Rady Children’s Health Orange County
Social media is a part of everyday life
Social media is a part of daily life for many children, teens, and adults. It can help us stay connected with family and friends, learn new things and share important moments.
It can also help us find people who enjoy the same hobbies and interests that we do.
While social media offers many benefits, it can also influence how teens think, feel, and behave. Understanding how social media affects teens’ mood and mental health can help caregivers support healthy habits while encouraging a balanced and positive relationship with technology.
How can social media affect teens’ mood?
The brain uses chemicals that help regulate emotions, including feelings of happiness, calm, connection, stress, and worry. What teens see and experience on social media can influence how they feel in the moment and over time.
Positive experiences, such as receiving a supportive message, sharing a funny video, or connecting with friends, can boost a teen’s mood and sense of belonging. However, negative experiences, such as hurtful comments, cyberbullying, or comparing themselves to others online, may contribute to feelings of stress, anxiety, loneliness, or sadness.
Every teen responds to social media differently. Caregivers can help by paying attention to changes in mood, behavior, sleep, or social habits and having open conversations about how online experiences affect their well-being.
How can social media affect teens’ self-esteem?
Self-esteem refers to how teens think and feel about themselves, including their confidence, abilities, and sense of self-worth.
Positive interactions online, such as supportive comments, encouragement from friends, and feeling connected to others, can help strengthen a teen’s confidence. However, spending a lot of time on social media or constantly comparing themselves to others may negatively affect self-esteem.
Many people share only the highlights of their lives online, including celebrations, achievements, vacations, or carefully edited photos. They often do not share their challenges, worries, or difficult moments. When teens compare their everyday experiences to someone else’s carefully selected posts, they may begin to feel like they are not measuring up. Over time, these comparisons can contribute to stress, anxiety, and self-doubt.
Social media and belonging
Everyone wants to feel accepted, valued, and connected. A sense of belonging is an important part of healthy emotional development and overall well-being, especially during the teen years.
Social media can help teens stay connected with friends, build relationships, and find communities with shared interests. Positive comments and supportive messages can help teens feel included and valued.
Caregivers can remind teens that likes, followers, and comments do not determine their worth. A post receiving fewer likes than expected does not change who they are or the value they bring to their relationships and communities.
Encouraging healthy social media habits
Caregivers can help teens use social media with purpose by encouraging them to think about why they are opening an app. Social media can be a positive tool when it is used to connect with friends, learn something new, explore interests, or engage with content that brings joy.
Encourage teens to take breaks from screens and make time for activities outside of social media. Exercise, reading, art, music, hobbies, and spending time with family and friends all support emotional well-being and help create balance.
Watch for unhealthy social media habits
Social media can become unhealthy when it gets in the way of school, work, sleep, chores, or relationships.
Caregivers can watch for signs that social media may be affecting a teen’s well-being, including spending excessive time online, frequent comparisons with others, changes in mood, or experiences with cyberbullying. These experiences can contribute to feelings of stress, anxiety, loneliness, or low self-esteem.
While online friendships and communities can be meaningful, they are most beneficial when balanced with in-person connections. Face-to-face relationships help teens develop communication skills, build trust, and strengthen their sense of belonging.
Encourage healthy breaks
Regular breaks from social media can help teens’ mind and body recharge.
Caregivers can encourage teens to create screen-free times during meals, homework, family activities, and before bedtime.
Encourage teens to replace some screen time with activities that support their well-being, such as going for a walk, joining a club, playing a sport, exploring creative interests, or spending time with friends and family.
Support teens’ hobbies and interests
Participating in activities that teens enjoy can support a positive mood, build confidence, and provide opportunities for connection. Caregivers can encourage teens to explore their interests and find meaningful activities in their school or community.
Whether it is joining a club, taking a class, volunteering, playing a sport, or exploring a creative hobby, these experiences can help teens develop skills, build friendships, and strengthen their sense of belonging outside of social media.
Key takeaways for caregivers
Many families are working toward healthier social media habits, and small changes can make a meaningful difference in a teen’s well-being.
When used in healthy and balanced ways, social media can be a valuable tool for connection, learning, creativity, and self-expression.
Caregivers can support teens by helping them create balance with screen time, take regular breaks, engage with positive content, and make time for relationships and activities outside of social media.
Community resources
Caregivers can explore local resources that help teens build connections, develop interests, and maintain healthy routines beyond social media.
- Check with your teen’s school about clubs, sports, and extracurricular activities that encourage connection and engagement.
- Visit your city’s Parks and Recreation or Community Services website to learn about local programs.
- Family Resource Centers often offer free or low-cost activities for families.
- If social media appears to be affecting your teen’s mood, relationships, or daily life, consider talking with a trusted adult, school counselor, or mental health professional.
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Get mental health resources from CHOC pediatric experts
The mental health team at CHOC curated the following resources on mental health topics common to kids and teens, such as depression, anxiety, suicide prevention and more.
