It is common to see teenagers glued to their phones. How can a parent recognize when a teen’s social media use has become problematic? Social media use can turn into an addiction, and knowing the signs can help a parent tell when a teen needs the help of a social media addiction treatment program.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery offers addiction treatment for teenage boys. We support all types of addictive behaviors, including social media addiction treatment. Give us a call at 866.300.5275 to learn more about getting help for your teen at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery.
What Is Social Media Addiction?
Social media has only existed for a few decades, and it’s been a central element of life for an even shorter period. It’s not surprising that many parents aren’t initially aware that excessive social media use can lead to a mental health diagnosis.
Social media addiction is a type of process addiction. A person with a process addiction becomes dependent on the actions (or process) of doing something and the feelings that accompany that process.
Other common examples of process addictions include smartphone addiction, video games, shopping, and gambling. Although these activities may look different on the outside, they follow the same dynamics and often require professional help to overcome them.
Signs of Social Media Addiction in a Teen
If you’re a parent concerned about your teenager’s social media use, knowing the signs of social media addiction can help you identify whether your teenager needs professional support.
Common signs that indicate a teen is addicted to social media include:
- Emotional changes caused by social media
- Depression or anxiety over likes and followers
- Social media use interferes with sleep
- Social media use negatively impacts relationships, grades, or hobbies
- Excessive anger or emotional outbursts when social media use is restricted
- Anxiety when unable to use social media
- Lying about or hiding the amount of time spent on social media
It’s common for teenagers to spend a lot of time on social media apps, so it can be challenging for a parent to know what’s normal and what’s cause for concern.
Healthy social media use shouldn’t lead to emotional or behavioral charges and shouldn’t impact other areas like relationships and academics. These are all serious signs that a teenager needs help learning how to manage social media use.
If your teenage boy’s emotions or behaviors around social media concern you, it’s a sign that something’s wrong. When in doubt, it’s best to seek a professional evaluation.
How Teen Social Media Addiction Treatment Can Help
Teen social media addiction treatment can make a lifelong difference to a teen’s mental and emotional well-being by connecting them with education and support.
Teens and their parents learn how to set healthy boundaries for social media use and how to recognize signs that indicate social media use is causing harm.
With professional support, teenagers can understand their behavioral patterns and learn tools for managing social media use that will serve them far into the future.
Overcome Teen Social Media Addiction at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery
If your teenager shows signs of social media addiction, they may need help. A teenager struggling with addiction often doesn’t possess the perspective to recognize there’s a problem and ask for support.
Watching a teenager become addicted to social media is challenging, but healing is possible. Foothills at Red Oak Recovery works with teenage boys and their parents to identify the underlying needs being met by a social media addiction and create a plan for moving forward.
To learn more about how we can help, contact us at 866.300.5275 and ask about teenage social media addiction treatment at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery.
