Psychologist reveals how parents can support children through the social media ban
An expert warns Australian parents to expect withdrawal symptoms as millions of under-16s lose social media access, but says benefits will follow within weeks.
I am a strong supporter of delaying access to social media minimum until 16 years.
As a psychologist providing treatment to people experiencing eating disorders, I see
regularly the harmful impact social media can have.
For younger children not yet on social media, the social media delay is a no brainer. They will have further years protected from the algorithms that operate with deadly precision that pose many risks to mental health and brain functioning.
A recent survey found 96 per cent of 10 to 15-year-old Australians use social media. So, the decision to remove existing social media users will impact millions of young Australians.
Australia is the first country to introduce an age delay, so there is no research to show what happens when a whole population of under 16-year-olds who were on social media, can no longer access it.
We can get some guide from studies with young adults that involve a social media break. These studies usually find that over the one to two weeks there can be an increase in irritability, anxiety, and lower mood. These are ‘withdrawal’ effects like ceasing an
addictive substance.
Importantly, studies that follow people over two or more weeks find benefits. These
include reduced depressive symptoms; anxiety, loneliness and fear of missing out.
Improvements were also found in wellbeing, life satisfaction, body image, and physical activity. This suggests that it could be hard for some young people to cease SM to start with, but benefits can be expected relatively quickly.
In these studies, participants still had friends on social media. This means there would have been higher levels of fear of missing out.
An important factor in Australia will be how well the law is implemented by social
media platforms. If age verification is effective and under 16-year-olds are prevented
from accessing the platforms, this will likely help the transition to be easier for more
young people.
But the reality is that individuals will react differently to coming off social media.
Some might find this a positive change straight away, or with only minor impacts,
while others might find it more difficult to start with.
Factors that might influence an individual’s reaction include the amount of time they
were spending on SM, family support, social connections in real life and their mental
health.
We need to be mindful of this and be particularly attuned to our young people
through this time.
Parents can play two important roles. The first is to support their child in navigating
this change. This involves regular conversations with their child, checking their reactions to the change, validating these, and helping them prepare for and managing the change.
It also involves helping their child find alternative activities with friends, family members and for when they are on their own. Time spent together in real life is likely to be particularly helpful.
Whilst some withdrawal effects are common over the first 1-2 weeks, keep an eye
out for significant changes in your child such as much lower mood, physical agitation, increased anxiety or becoming withdrawn. Parents should not hesitate to speak with a GP or mental health service if they are concerned.
The second, is for parents to reflect on their own screen use and to lead by example.
This includes minimising use of SM in front of their child, reducing use of mobile screens in general when with their child, and having designated activities together without screens present (e.g., meals, walks, games).
This helps our children to feel seen and to have helpful modelling of appropriate screen use boundaries.
Overall, I’d encourage parents to ‘hang in there’ with supporting their child adjust to
life off social media. There are reasons for optimism that it will be helpful in the long
run, but we need patience and care for our children through this transition.
Dr Simon Wilksch is a Professor in Psychology (Full Academic Status) at Flinders
University and Clinic Director at Advanced Psychology Services.
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Originally published as Psychologist reveals how parents can support children through the social media ban
