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Takeaways from Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health

3 Minute Read

Social media is having devastating effects on kids’ health.

In May, the US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued a startling advisory explaining the harms of social media on children and adolescents’ mental health.

Why this matters
Surgeon general advisories are reserved for the most crucial and far-reaching public health concerns. Past advisories include exposing the damage of smoking in 1964 and calling for action on nationwide overweight and obesity rates in 2001.

TL;DR
The full advisory is 25 pages long with valuable information. But we saved you the work of reading it and we are breaking down the four things you need to know from it. Here are our top takeaways:

  • More than a third of 13-17-year-olds report using social media “almost constantly,” with 8th and 10th graders spending an average of 3.5 hours logged in every day. That means kids are spending less time being physically active and establishing healthy habits that help them maintain a healthy weight.  

  • More screen time also means more exposure to harmful products like substances and products that contain nicotine. Tobacco and vaping products are heavily advertised online, and depiction of smoking and vaping in popular media keeps products that contain nicotine on kids’ minds constantly.  

  • Another shocking finding reported in the advisory is that excessive time online can reshape children’s brains:  

“Frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain in the amygdala (important for emotional learning and behavior) and the prefrontal cortex (important for impulse control, emotional regulation, and moderating social behavior), and could increase sensitivity to social rewards and punishments.” 

Changes to the prefrontal cortex could lead kids and teens to engage in more impulsive and risky behavior like using substances. Additionally, heavy screen time is neurologically comparable to other addictions. The advisory specifically references studies finding that problematic social media use can lead to changes in brain structure similar to those seen in people with substance use addiction. 

The potential for social media to “increase sensitivity to social rewards and punishments” could also make young people more vulnerable to peer pressure – this is concerning given that nearly a third of young vape users first tried e-cigarettes because a friend or family member uses them. And young social media users looking to try other substances wouldn’t have to search far. The report notes that social media platforms are prime sites for “interactions with malicious actors,” and specifically names the sale of illicitly manufactured fentanyl to youth as a cause for concern.  

  • The advisory’s most pressing issue is that heavy social media use is correlated with an overall decline in mental wellness. One study found that teens who spent more than three hours a day on social media suffered double the risk of experiencing “poor mental health outcomes” including depression and anxiety. Conversely, separate studies found that college-aged young people experienced subjective improvements in mental health after limiting time on social media.

    These findings are startling, especially for tobacco and substance use prevention professionals.  
    Individuals suffering from depression and other mental illnesses are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors and tobacco products are already marketed to people experiencing severe stress and other mental health challenges.  

The advisory emphasizes that the burden is technology companies and policymakers to address this crisis. However, it also offers suggestions to empower parents and caregivers such as reporting cyberbullying and encouraging kids to be mindful of and responsible about their time online.

You can read the full report here.

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