Question: As a young person who enjoys keeping up with current events through digital media, I was wondering how to protect one’s mental health while still staying informed and involved? 

 

Answer: It is normal to want to stay current on what’s happening in your community or around the world, and also be concerned about how to balance what you’re viewing with how it makes you feel. Social media has made it possible to have access to the latest news at any given moment, in real-time, right at your fingertips. Most teens report preferring to get their news from social media and/or YouTube than traditional news sources. 

However, teens who get their news from social media and YouTube are also much more likely to consume news from influencers and content creators who may not be the most reliable sources. It is important, as a digital consumer, to think critically about where you are getting information from. It may be tempting to rely on content creators who may present the information in brief, entertaining, and more easily digestible ways, but that may come at the cost of less accurate or researched information. 

There are many positives to consuming news on social media, one of which is that it might increase your likelihood of participating in civic events and volunteering within your community. Social media is also a great way to stay connected with friends, but research has shown that too much exposure to distressing news can have negative impacts on wellbeing.  

  • A systematic review of research articles about COVID-19 news consumption and mental health found that higher consumption of COVID-19 news on social media was related to adverse mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety in adolescents and young adults 10-24 years old.  
  • Similarly, a literature review about children and adolescents’ reactions to war media coverage found that exposure to war media produces a range of emotions, and those reactions are often dependent on context; children with direct ties to the conflict or a family member involved in the war may experience more sadness. Even those far from the conflict may still experience feelings of fear, worry, sadness, and anger when viewing war media coverage. 
  • Besides news coverage of current events, adolescents may also be impacted by FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and wanting to stay updated with friends using social media. 

While it’s important to stay informed and connected, it’s also essential to balance that responsibility with taking care of your well-being.  

Some things you can do to stay connected while protecting your mental wellbeing include: 

  • Limiting the types and quantity of content you see. If you find that too much exposure to distressing news is affecting your well-being, consider adjusting the user controls on your social media apps. You can also consider reducing or getting rid of real-time notifications from certain apps or news sources so you have to go into each app vs. being prompted to do so.  

While specific user controls vary by platform, many social media platforms allow users to have some control over content filters. Here are a few resources for common platforms:  

If you’d like to learn more about media literacy and identifying credible sources, the MediaWise Teen Fact Checking Network (TCFN) has a series of fact-checking videos created by teens. These videos focus on teaching media literacy skills and de-bunking misinformation. Here are a few examples: 

  • Be intentional about when you check social media. No matter the type of content, it’s helpful to balance social media use with other important areas of health and well-being. For example, consider putting your phone away an hour before bed to protect your sleep and to avoid taking in distressing news that may keep you awake. You can also try to avoid checking social media for news updates when you know you won’t have time to process the information you see; reading upsetting news between classes or while waiting for the bus may leave you without adequate time to process what you see. Consider setting tech-free times to prioritize other vital areas of your life, such as homework time, time spent with friends, and family mealtimes. The “do not disturb” feature is also an easy way to limit real-time notifications when you need to take a break or focus on something else. 
  • Communicate with peers and trusted adults about concerning content you see online. Conversations with parents and teachers will provide you with an opportunity to further process what you are seeing and hearing, receive support, and help clear up any misconceptions that you might have.  
References 

 

 

Age: 13-24 

Topics: Adolescents, youth, news engagement 

Role: Youth 

Last Updated

04/15/2024

Source

American Academy of Pediatrics