School administrator, counselor weigh in on new social media recommendations

QUINCY (WGEM) - A report from the U.S. Surgeon General out Tuesday says social media drives problems like depression and anxiety in teens.

According to the report , 40 percent of kids ages eight to 12 use social media. That number jumps to 95 percent of kids ages 13 to 17.

Cornerstone Foundation for Families counselor Nakita Hughes said social media can present kids and teens a curated and unrealistic view of the world.

Hughes said this can lead to anxiety or depression when they can’t meet the unattainable standards they see online.

Hughes said parents can look out for warning signs something is wrong.

“Isolation, withdrawing, even getting sucked into social media where they’re spending more and more of their time on it,” Hughes said.

One Quincy Public Schools administrator said they see the problems social media can cause.

Quincy Senior High School freshman dean Kelley Lawson said social media can drive instances of bullying and harassment.

The dean said with apps including Snapchat, incidents and conversations outside of school can lead to bullying inside the classroom.

“If they won’t tell us then they will wear it on their shoulder like ‘I don’t want to go to class with that person,’ so they’ll skip or their grades are low because they are being harassed and they tired of it honestly,” Lawson said.

The report has a number of tips for teens and parents when it comes to social media use. They include reach out for help, create boundaries and watch careful what you share online.

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