Banning teens from social media won’t help their mental health. Here’s what might By Jessica SchleiderApril 1, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/01/social-media-teen-ban-mental-health-intervention/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=300634896&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_7ye7SPDemHLks2C0J1zo6zTHpu1lbkUQV6DIITc8P78p4-OjH1uqkzMNzdqSpDmlRLSNEhY54UDcKgDXFjFrwUwy-cg&utm_content=300634896&utm_source=hs_email Adolescents live with overwhelming mental health challenges, some from the public online spaces they dwell in. But seeing only social media’s possible harms to teens, on which the science is quite mixed, may be shortsighted, Jessica Schleider of Northwestern University writes in a STAT First Opinion. Social media has the potential to support adolescent mental health, too, especially for teens who can’t easily find treatment otherwise. The long-term solution starts with training more therapists and addressing stigma against seeking help. But to help the millions of teens suffering right now, Schleider suggests embedding safe, evidence-based digital interventions into online spaces that teens frequent, allowing them to access support when and where they need it. “The challenge here is finding interventions that actually work, rather than just offering platforms a way to pay lip service,” she writes. “But there is good news on that front.” Read about some examples. https://mental.jmir.org/2020/6/e20513/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=300634896&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--2f8egDRm97aLn24AotueR7C-K7z4Hb5L5PB3tg6EM7hi4ubkEtW7z1LiXxO4YszPrMdddnudRYTbi5XrPWmbzxrU2pQ&utm_content=300634896&utm_source=hs_email