When Social Media Starts to Hurt: Helping Your Teen Navigate Screen Time and Mental Health
Social media has become a regular part of many teens’ lives. It can be a way they connect, express themselves, stay informed, and can even shape their identity. But when screen time becomes excessive or emotionally draining, the mental health impact can’t be ignored. As licensed therapists in Colorado, we are becoming more accustomed to helping teens—and their parents— who are struggling with the emotional toll of constant connection.
Teens and Social Media
If you're a parent who’s noticed your teen becoming more anxious, withdrawn, or self-critical since getting more involved with social media, you’re not alone. Research shows that heavy social media use can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and disordered sleep—especially in teenage girls. So what can you do? And how can therapy help?
Understanding the Impact of Social Media
Social media platforms are designed to keep users engaged. Algorithms prioritize content that gets emotional reactions—often highlighting images, messages, and lifestyles that promote comparison and insecurity. Teens, whose identities and self-worth are still developing, are especially vulnerable. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that adolescents who spent more than three hours per day on social media had an increased risk of internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression (Keles, McCrae, & Grealish, 2020). Another study in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health (2019) mentioned that frequent social media use was linked to poor sleep and low self-esteem, particularly in girls, with negative effects compounding over time. We’re not here to say that it’s all bad. Social media can also offer community, creative expression, and even support at times. The goal isn’t to eliminate it entirely, but to help teens build awareness and healthier habits around how and why they’re using it.
How Therapy Can Help Teens Understand Their Screen Time
In therapy with teens, we take a thoughtful and collaborative approach to helping teens examine their tech use. Therapy isn't about lecturing or restricting—it’s about giving teens space to reflect on how screen time is affecting their mood, relationships, self-worth, and potentially contributing to anxiety and depression.
In the teen’s therapy session, we may do the following:
Help them track their screen time and identify which apps or platforms they use most
Reflect on how they feel before and after using social media
Identify any patterns of comparison, self-judgment, or anxiety
Explore what role social media is playing in their lives—connection, distraction, identity, or something else
We may also use tools like:
Suggesting screen time limits and app monitoring features
Therapeutic phone audits (looking together at usage data and patterns during sessions)
Cognitive reframing to challenge negative thoughts and unrealistic comparisons
Motivational interviewing to help teens clarify their own reasons for making changes
Behavioral experiments like “tech breaks” to see how they feel with less screen time
Psychoeducation around the neuroscience of addiction and dopamine-driven behaviors
Screening for phone addiction when appropriate
Through the process, teens may begin to develop more autonomy and insight. They’re not just being told to get off their phones—they're choosing to use their time and energy in ways that align with how they want to feel and who they want to be.
Supporting Parents Along the Way
Parents play an important role in helping teens manage tech in a healthy way—but it’s not always easy. Parents may feel unsure of how much is “too much,” or worry that setting boundaries will lead to conflict. That’s where therapy can offer additional support.
As part of our work with teens, we may suggest to meet with parents separately to:
Discuss any concerns the parents may have about their teen’s phone or social media use
Talk through observations and patterns they’ve noticed at home
Explore how to set collaborative screen time boundaries that aren’t punitive
Support the development of a family tech plan
Reflect on their own screen use and the modeling that happens within the home
Parents Play a Role
Many parents don’t realize how much influence they have just by modeling behaviors. If teens see adults constantly on their phones or checking out emotionally at dinner, they internalize that as normal. Additionally, parents constantly checking their own phone can send the message to the teen that whatever is behind the screen is more important than them. Parents can help by setting the standard for the family and modeling proper boundaries with technology.
Signs It May Be Time to Seek Support
You may want to consider seeking help if you notice any of the following:
Your teen is spending large amounts of time online and becomes distressed when asked to unplug
They’re avoiding real-life social interactions or previously enjoyed activities
You see changes in sleep, appetite, energy, or mood
They express increased self-doubt, hopelessness, or shame, especially after being online
You’re struggling to set limits or have ongoing conflict around devices at home
These signs don’t mean you’ve failed as a parent. They simply indicate that your teen might benefit from a safe, nonjudgmental space to sort through their emotions—and that you might benefit from support in helping them navigate it.
Want help navigating your teen’s relationship with social media?
We’re here to help. At High Rockies Counseling, we specialize in working with teens and parents across Colorado, providing collaborative care that builds insight, healthy habits, and emotional strength in a digital world.
Contact us today to learn more or schedule a consultation.
Sources:
Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851
Riehm, K. E., et al. (2019). Associations between time spent using social media and internalizing and externalizing problems among U.S. youth. JAMA Psychiatry.
