Wait! Can this Teacher Relate?

 Depression & Social Media

By Jay Ghiorse

JRN100 Staff Reporter

In May 2015, Shawna Lynch noticed that her son James’s mood had changed, and he seemed to be frustrated and tense all the time. She tried to talk to James, but the 15-year-old spent all his time in his room and refused to talk to anybody. Later that month, James made an attempt on his own life.

According to a recent study by Child Mind Institute, 66% of teenagers who spend a large amount of time on social media say they suffer from depression. Thirteen percent of teenagers who do not use social media say they suffer from depression.

It turned out he was being harassed on social media and was suffering from a deep depression. After his failed suicide attempt, he reached out for help. With the loving support of his family and the advice of his therapist, he recovered.

James is one of an increasing number of teenagers who are finding that social media is causing harm to their mental health.

According to a recent study done by Northwest Primary Care, about 77% of kids ages 13-17, have at least one social media account. 70% of them are suffering from depression. Many of these teenagers find it tough to stop using social media because it is addicting.

“Once you become attached, it’s tough to stop,” said guidance counselor and social media expert, Allison Towne.

Allison Towne, before becoming a guidance counselor, studied digital technology and how it affected young people. Towne researched the positive and negative effects that digital technology had. She noticed a trend in teenage behavior regarding social media. Teenagers were becoming more depressed.

When Towne became a guidance counselor at Nipmuc Regional High School, she spoke with many students that were depressed due to social media. Towne said that the one thing that all those people had in common was that they all seemed addicted.

“I have definitely noticed an increase in the amount of teenagers that are suffering from depression,”

Towne said that people become addicted to looking at what everybody is doing. She gave an example of how somebody may find that a celebrity has started a new trend and how that person wants to participate or become obsessed with what their friends and family are doing.

“And some people just want to cause trouble,” she said.

Towne said how the younger generation has become addicted to social media. She has said that over the past ten years of being a guidance counselor, she has seen more students that are constantly on their phones and interacting with each other verbally.

“Their faces are constantly buried in their phones,” said Towne.

Towne has worked with many students who have suffered from social media addiction and how it affects their mood and how they behave with others. Towne said that many students struggle to understand why they are feeling depressed and why they are addicted to social media.

Towne said she has brought the students’ social media addiction to their attention. She said they seemed addicted to social media and suggested that they take a break or decrease the amount of time they spend on social media. However, many of her students said it was too tough to stop.

“Many students have said that they find it really tough to stop,” said Towne.

She said that many students have said that they always need to keep track of people because they fear that they will be excluded from the social circle of the cyberworld.

“Many students feel like they need to seek validation and it’s sad to see,” said Towne.

Towne has done a lot of research on depression and social media and works with students who are depressed, as well. Unfortunately, she, like many other people, believes that the issue is continuing to increase and that it’ll be very difficult to control.

Another issue with social media is how it damages human interactions. Therapist Sarah Charest explained how social media is unlike the real world and how humans really interact with each other.

She has been a therapist for twelve years and specializes in helping teenagers who suffer from trauma, depression, and anxiety.

“I’ve heard from many teens that have been affected by social media,” said Charest.

Charest said she has heard stories from many of her patients about how social media has damaged their relationships. She said that her patients became so used to talking with people online that they found it hard to make connections with other people.

Charest said how a lack of healthy relationships with open communication stems from social media addiction.

She also said that as this world is growing more and more digital, younger people in turn will use digital technology. This is something that worries her.

“I’m noticing a negative trend with technology,” said Charest.

Many students become lonely, and they feel like the only way to truly feel worthy is through social media use. She said how many students will try and have open communications with people online and how that will damage their relationships. Her patients will rely on the cyberworld for comfort rather than the real world.

“It’s sad to hear what some of my patients have gone through,” said Charest.

Social media has positive effects and negative effects. It has helped our world tremendously. It makes our lives easier in many ways. The opposite can be said as well.

Social media is poisoning the minds of the youth and it’s an issue that is spreading. Teenagers are suffering from depression, they have trouble with making human interactions, and they struggle with their self-esteem. This is an issue that must be addressed, said Towne.

“I care about our children and I care about our future,” said Towne.

Allison Towne photo