When the Hi Impact Project launched a year ago, our first blog post highlighted the teen mental health crisis and called out technology and social media. We hate to say, "We told you so." Finally, even the Surgeon General is calling out the negative effects of social media on teen mental health. Just this morning, Dr. Murthy issued the Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. Better late than never. According to the Advisory, 95% of teens are on social media, and one-third are on it "almost constantly." Social media means constant comparisons, constant scrutiny, constant ads, constant messages (from who knows who), and constant distraction from healthy interactions. Any kid who is forced to put down their phone for more than a few minutes can tell you (even if reluctantly) how good it feels. Kids who are lucky enough to go to summer camp experience the joy of unplugging and connecting with their friends and themselves. As summer approaches, create a plan to unplug from technology and social media for hours a day or even days at a time.
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