Tips to help protect your child's mental health from harmful social media use

Archana Dubey, MD

Chief Medical Officer

UnitedHealthcare of California

Social media can be a great tool to help build connections, stay informed and engage with others. However, it can become all-consuming and potentially damaging to adolescent brain development, which is a cause for concern.

A recent advisory issued by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy calls attention to the potential harmful effects social media has on children’s mental health. According to the report, 95% of teens ages 13-17 say they use social media, with more than a third saying they use it “almost constantly.” In additio...