Social media has transformed how teens interact with the world, offering platforms for self-expression, connection, and learning. Yet, alongside its benefits, it quietly infiltrates young lives in ways that can harm both physical and mental health. What begins as harmless scrolling can evolve into sleepless nights, overwhelming pressure, and a distorted sense of reality. These effects ripple not just through their lives but also through the family dynamic, as teens look to their parents for guidance in a digital world.
The Price of Endless Scrolling
For many teens, the glow of their phones doesn’t fade when the lights go out. Social media is designed to keep users engaged, drawing teens into a cycle of checking notifications, scrolling through posts, or responding to messages long after bedtime. Sleep, a foundation of both mental and physical health, becomes a casualty.
The lack of sleep caused by late-night scrolling can have immediate effects, such as difficulty concentrating in class, irritability, and fatigue. Over time, this sleep deprivation leads to more serious issues, including weakened immunity, heightened anxiety, and poor academic performance. The pressure to stay “connected” and up-to-date with their peers often leaves teens feeling that logging off—even just to rest—is not an option.
The Anxiety of Perfectionism
Social media creates a digital mirror that often reflects an unrealistic standard of perfection. Teens compare themselves to carefully curated images of their peers and influencers, leading to feelings of inadequacy. This constant exposure to unattainable ideals fosters self-doubt and anxiety, as young people struggle to measure up to a life that may not even be real.
For some, the pressure to present a flawless version of themselves online can lead to obsessive behavior. The quest for the perfect selfie or the need to monitor how many likes a post receives becomes all-consuming. Over time, this focus on external validation erodes self-esteem, leaving teens more vulnerable to mental health struggles such as depression.
Parents as Role Models
Teens are not the only ones pulled into the vortex of social media. Parents, too, often fall victim to “doom scrolling,” endlessly consuming negative news or social media updates. What parents may not realize is that their behavior serves as a blueprint for their children.
When teens see their parents glued to their screens, it normalizes a cycle of distraction and disengagement. This shared habit can create a divide within the family, as moments of connection are replaced by parallel scrolling sessions. For teens, the message is clear: if their parents are absorbed in their devices, it must be okay for them to be as well.
Physical Health at Risk
The effects of social media extend beyond the mental realm. Hours spent scrolling lead to physical inactivity, which contributes to a sedentary lifestyle. Teens who spend more time online are less likely to engage in physical activities, missing out on the benefits of exercise, such as improved mood and better sleep quality.
Moreover, excessive screen time can strain the eyes, cause headaches, and lead to poor posture. The physical toll of social media may seem minor at first but can accumulate over time, affecting teens’ overall well-being.
Building Healthy Digital Habits
Addressing the impact of social media on teens requires awareness, communication, and deliberate action. Here are some steps to help guide young people—and their families—toward a healthier balance:
Set Boundaries Together: Work with teens to establish screen-free times, especially before bed. Create a family rule to keep phones out of bedrooms at night, promoting better sleep for everyone.
Model Mindful Behavior: Parents can set an example by limiting their own screen time. Show teens that it’s possible to disconnect and prioritize real-world interactions.
Encourage Offline Activities: Help teens find hobbies and interests that take them away from their screens, whether it’s joining a sports team, exploring a creative outlet, or spending time outdoors.
Have Open Conversations: Create a space where teens can share their feelings about social media, including how it makes them feel about themselves. Listen without judgment and offer support.
Empowering Teens in a Digital World
Social media isn’t going away, and it’s unrealistic to ask teens to abandon it entirely. Instead, the goal should be to equip them with the tools to navigate it mindfully. By fostering balance, encouraging self-care, and being a role model for healthy habits, parents can help teens embrace the positives of social media while protecting their physical and mental health.
Social media has revolutionized how kids and teens connect, opening up new spaces for friendship, creativity, and community. Yet, alongside these benefits, challenges have arisen: social media can amplify bullying, making it a constant presence in young people’s lives. This ongoing form of harassment blurs the boundaries between online interactions and real life, often leaving kids struggling to find relief from the pressures of the digital age.
A New Kind of Bullying: No Safe Space to Retreat
Cyberbullying is uniquely invasive. Traditional bullying might stop at the school door, but social media follows kids into every corner of their lives. Comments, threats, or rumors can be posted around the clock, creating an unending source of stress for the victim. For a bullied child, the screen becomes a window to relentless torment, and there is no “off” switch. The feelings of powerlessness grow with every post, message, and share, leaving kids exhausted and anxious.
The Hidden Mask of Anonymity
Social media can allow bullies to hide behind anonymous accounts, giving them a mask to say things they would never dare to say face-to-face. This anonymity emboldens bullies to act without restraint and makes it harder for victims to identify or confront their harassers. Knowing that someone, perhaps even someone they once called a friend, is targeting them without revealing their identity can be deeply unsettling for young people, adding confusion and isolation to the pain. This “hidden” side of bullying traps victims in a lonely battle, often keeping them from reaching out for help.
The Spread of Rumors and Public Shaming
Social media is built for sharing, and unfortunately, that often means sharing hurtful rumors or embarrassing moments. In seconds, a private message, an awkward photo, or a rumor can be seen by countless others, creating a cycle of public humiliation that feels impossible to control. For kids and teens still developing their sense of self, seeing a rumor or mean comment spread across their school or peer group can feel devastating. The emotional impact is profound, as each like, share, or comment is a reminder of just how far the ridicule has spread.
The Lasting Emotional Toll
The effects of online bullying extend beyond the screen, sinking into the mental health of young people. Cyberbullying can lead to anxiety, depression, and a lingering sense of unworthiness. Unlike traditional bullying, which might be observed by teachers or parents, social media harassment often goes unnoticed, leaving kids alone with their pain. The fear of judgment can keep them from speaking up, creating a dangerous cycle of isolation.
How We Can Support Our Kids
Addressing social media bullying requires open conversation, digital education, and constant support. Here are some simple but impactful ways to help:
Open Conversations: Create a safe space where kids can share what’s happening online without fear of punishment or blame.
Encourage Kindness and Boundaries: Teach kids about the power of their words and the importance of respectful behavior online.
Foster Offline Friendships: Strong, offline relationships can create a support system that helps kids cope with any challenges they face online.
By providing a listening ear and tools for resilience, we can help young people navigate the digital world with awareness, confidence, and compassion.
The holidays are here! And while this season brings so much joy, there is often a tremendous level of stress, not only for our clients, but also their loved ones. Here at Ethos Treatment, we believe in treating the entire family, as addiction has held a seat at the kitchen table, and everyone has felt its presence. But the upcoming holidays do not have to hold the same confusion, pain, and frustration of years past. In an effort to change your holiday experiences, you may have difficult-to-answer questions, so we are here to help.
Our weekly family program includes a 6-week rotating schedule of topics that examines how addiction has been experienced in your home and how recovery foundations can be built in that same environment. Acknowledging that the family is now in recovery is the steppingstone to building meaningful change in family patterns that were impacted severely by the presence of active substance use. Arming the family with accurate, reliable information, while learning how to take care of ourselves so that we can heal as a family, is the goal we work towards weekly as we help families achieve wellness as a unit.
The questions you have today will change over time. We want to understand all of your questions, such as “What is IOP and how long does my loved one want to continue in treatment?” and help guide you through the decisions your family is making in recovery. We can discuss at-home drug testing or use of a breathalyzer—hard conversations for all of us. We will help with the often asked, “Do I serve alcohol at this holiday party?”
You are welcome to join us each Wednesday from 6:00-8:00 PM. This meeting is facilitated by Pat Brown, LCSW, a licensed clinician and is a charged event through insurance. We think you will find the community to be welcoming and the conversations helpful in navigating the many trap doors of recovery, especially during the holiday season. Please contact our team for more information: 267-669-0300.
Social media has become an integral part of life for many teenagers and kids, offering opportunities for self-expression, creativity, and connection. However, alongside these benefits lie hidden pitfalls—especially for young, impressionable minds still forming their sense of self-worth and identity as they learn how to navigate an increasingly complex world.
1. The Trap of Unfair Comparisons
With social media, comparison becomes easy and constant. Kids and teens scroll through photos of others’ “perfect” lives and often end up feeling inadequate. The carefully curated snapshots create an illusion that everyone else is living a more exciting, fulfilled, and ideal life. Comparing themselves to these images can lead to self-doubt, low self-esteem, and feelings of worthlessness.
The reality is that social media is more about presentation than reality, but young people may not see this nuance. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and an impossible bar to reach, one that few, if anycan genuinely maintain.
2. The Rise of “Body Checking” and the Filter Effect
“Body checking”—repeatedly scrutinizing or measuring parts of one’s body—is a behavior often reinforced by social media, where looks and appearances are constantly on display.
Influencers weigh themselves on camera, check outfits from every angle, and share what they eat.
Kids and teens may start hyper-focusing on their physical features, looking for any “flaws” and measuring themselves against others. This relentless scrutiny is exacerbated by the easy availability of free and paid filters that enhance or drastically change one’s appearance with the swipe of a finger.
These filters set a dangerous precedent, subtly suggesting that natural appearances are not good enough. Children and teens internalize these standards, leading to frustration and distress when their real selves don’t measure up to their digitally enhanced images. Constant exposure to body checking (often disguised as a fit check to see how cute an outfit looks) can also lead to disordered eating and body dysmorphia.
3. Socioeconomic Pressures to Keep Up with Appearances
For some, access to certain technology, like high-quality cameras or advanced photo-editing software, is financially out of reach. These resources often influence how teens present themselves online, and those without access may feel left behind or “less than.” The inability to keep up with these tech-fueled beauty standards creates a sense of exclusion, as they see peers using tools to fit social media’s idealized “norm.”
These same financial limitations extend to other aspects of social comparison, such as vacations, wardrobe, and college tours. While some teens post photos from elaborate trips or campuses, others may not have the same means, leading to a heightened sense of inadequacy or lack of belonging.
4. The Pressure for Perfection and Unrealistic Skin Standards
Social media has also influenced the way kids and teens perceive skin health. Images on Instagram or TikTok often show flawless, airbrushed skin, fostering unrealistic expectations about skin texture and appearance. Some young people are so affected by this pressure that they turn to medical interventions like Accutane, a strong acne medication, even when their skin issues may be mild or even completely normal and expected for adolescents.
By presenting smooth, poreless skin as the norm, social media encourages teenagers to believe that any minor imperfection is unacceptable. This mindset can lead to risky decisions regarding health and body image, potentially impacting their self-worth in the long run.
5. The Impact of FOMO and Exclusion
One of the most potent emotions triggered by social media is the fear of missing out (FOMO). Kids and teens see pictures from events, parties, or gatherings where they weren’t invited, leading to feelings of exclusion. This constant reminder of not being included can be distressing and isolating, fostering resentment, jealousy, and loneliness.
Imagine seeing a photo of your peers enjoying a fun party while you’re at home—an event you weren’t even aware of or invited to. This experience can be particularly painful, feeding into insecurities and leading some teens to believe that they aren’t liked or valued.
6. Why This Matters: Taking Steps to Protect Mental Health
The emotional impact of these pressures can be profound, leading to issues such as anxiety, depression, and body image disorders. For parents, educators, and mental health professionals, awareness of these social media-related pressures is essential. Here are some ways to help:
Open Conversations: Encourage kids and teens to talk about what they see online, how it makes them feel, and how much time they’re spending on social media.
Digital Literacy Education: Teaching kids and teens about the artifice behind social media—filters, curation, and marketing—can help them better understand that not everything they see is as it seems.
Set Realistic Standards: Remind young people that it’s okay to look like themselves, and that real life is more important than curated feeds.
Encourage Offline Activities: Help them find meaningful, offline activities that boost confidence and provide a sense of belonging.
By guiding young people to view social media with a healthy level of skepticism and awareness, we can support them in navigating the digital world more safely.
We live in a world full of superficial pleasures. We’re surrounded with opportunities to buy things, consume short-form media, eat sugar, and stimulate our dopamine reward systems in a hundred different ways through gambling, substance use, and risky behaviors. Some “cheap” thrills can end up costing us a lot in the long run.
These quick, little hits of satisfaction leave us empty and start us on a cycle of craving more, more, more. If we focus our energy on short-term pleasures, we are doomed to find only superficial, short-lived happiness.
So, how do we find the deep soul-nourishing fulfillment that helps us push forward in times of adversity and allows us to truly thrive in the long run?
As humans, we have a fundamental need for connection and purpose. Working to connect with ourselves, with other people, and with the universe around us helps us feel secure, valued, and part of something larger than ourselves. We are hardwired to seek connections — from an evolutionary standpoint, our survival depended on forming collaborative groups, and that inherent need still calls to us.
Likewise, we require a sense of purpose. Finding a purpose doesn’t necessarily mean finding our vocation — our life’s work — though that would be nice. In difficult times, we just need a positive reason to get out of bed in the morning. If we are open and aware, we can find opportunities to be purposeful every day. One beautiful example of living with purpose is setting our intention to evolve into our most authentic selves. Some of us choose to do this on our own, while others utilize the structure offered in therapy, recovery programs, or religious communities.
Group Therapy’s Role in Addiction Recovery, Mental Health Healing
People struggling with addiction and mental health issues often feel disconnected from friends and family, and may have self-isolated or strained important relationships. Their jobs and other situations that gave them a sense of purpose may have been affected — or lost. It’s no wonder that loneliness and feelings of paralysis are nearly universal.
Group therapy can be incredibly effective for people grappling with substance abuse and mental health issues because it offers both connection and purpose through:
Peer Support: Connecting with others who are facing similar challenges creates a sense of camaraderie and understanding that can reduce feelings of isolation and shame
Shared Experiences: Hearing others’ stories can help participants realize they are not alone in their struggles. Shared experiences can provide new perspectives and coping strategies, helping individuals learn from each other.
Accountability: Knowing that others are depending on their progress can motivate individuals to stay committed to their goals.
Feedback: Members can gain insights into their behavior from the perspectives of others, which can be crucial for self-improvement and growth.
Skill Development: Group settings allow individuals to practice new behaviors and coping skills in a safe environment. This can help them build confidence in using these skills in real-life situations.
Reduced Stigma: Being in a group where others understand can reduce the stigma associated with seeking help. This can make it easier for individuals to open up and engage fully in the therapeutic process.
Supportive Environment: The group setting provides a structured environment where individuals can feel supported and understood, which is crucial for healing and recovery.
Picture yourself entering a room where a group of people welcomes you. They are grappling with similar feelings. They are intentional in their desire to heal and grow. Imagine that they are attentive and genuinely invested in your experience and your journey. Instead of judgment, they celebrate your bold willingness to be completely honest.
Many humans do not have access to a space where they feel inspired to be vulnerable, where they feel secure to share their Truth. Group therapy can provide the necessary connection and sense of purpose that allows you to begin and continue your journey of healing, growth, and fulfillment.
A Comprehensive Approach to Recovery
ETHOS Treatment LLC’s holistic care and personalized treatment plans combine individual counseling, small group therapy, and family therapy to maximize the potential for long-term, sustainable recovery. To learn more about ETHOS’s 33 programs tailored to diverse needs, visit: https://www.ethostreatment.com/contact.
Addiction is often discussed in terms of environment, genetics, and chemical dependency, but the role of trauma in the development of addiction cannot be overstated.
Trauma and addiction can be deeply interconnected, creating a complex web that can be difficult to untangle. For individuals recovering from substance use disorder (SUD), it’s often impossible to address addiction without acknowledging the trauma that underpins it. At the same time, it’s impossible to heal from trauma while in active addiction.
“In many cases, substance use functions as a coping mechanism to deal with the emotional and psychological scars left by traumatic experiences,” explains Kelly Kulp, MA, a clinician who leads trauma-informed SUD group therapy sessions in ETHOS’s Wyomissing location.
Many who struggle with addiction describe the need to “numb the pain” or escape from the overwhelming emotions and memories triggered by past trauma. Substances like alcohol, opioids, or stimulants provide an illusion of control, comfort, or euphoria. Over time, however, the reliance on these substances to cope with trauma becomes a cycle of dependency, where the original trauma remains unresolved, and addiction creates new layers of emotional and physical suffering.
“Unfortunately, excessive or compulsive substance use itself often leads to risky behaviors that can end up traumatizing and retraumatizing the user while also worsening feelings of guilt and shame. Untreated, this mix of addiction and trauma will continue to spiral.”
What Qualifies as Trauma?
There are some types of trauma that everyone immediately recognizes as damaging to one’s sense of security and safety, such as sexual assault, physical abuse, neglect, a near-death experience, natural disaster, sexual abuse, domestic violence, combat, surviving war, a severe accident, kidnapping, being threatened with weapons and violence, psychological abuse, and the death of a parent, sibling, or child.
But there are many other traumatic situations that can cause significant, lasting emotional harm, including bullying, sexual harassment, a bad breakup, caregiving for a dying loved one, witnessing violence or death, divorce, community and school violence, loss of a job, religious abuse, loss of a close friendship, expulsion or alienation from a community or peer group, infidelity, and acute and chronic illness.
“It’s very common for people not to recognize the profound traumas in their lives,” says Kulp. “They may have normalized it, underestimated its impact, or simply feel that it wasn’t ‘big enough’ to qualify as trauma. Everyone places different weight on different experiences and being affected by trauma is in no way a sign of weakness. In fact, reaching out for help is one of the strongest, bravest things you can do.”
The Harm of Treating Symptoms Instead of Causes
Traditional addiction treatment models often focus on addressing the immediate symptoms of addiction, such as detoxification and abstinence. While these approaches are critical early in the recovery process, they frequently fail to address the underlying trauma that fuels addiction in the first place. Without dealing with the root cause, individuals are more likely to relapse or develop new addictive behaviors to manage unresolved trauma.
The Power of Group Therapy
ETHOS’s effective Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) uses a proven combination of individual therapy, family therapy, and group therapy.
“Group therapy can be especially effective for processing trauma,” says Kulp. “It can be a safe, supportive environment to share experiences and emotions with others who can empathize. This can help people feel less isolated and more understood. They also learn a lot from each other — hearing about others’ coping mechanisms and progress can provide new perspectives and strategies for managing trauma. It can be empowering to witness others’ recovery, which can inspire hope and motivation in one’s own healing journey. It can also be incredibly illuminating and validating to make the connections between others’ experiences, reactions, and struggles, and your own.”
Both SUD and trauma can lead to isolation or withdrawal from social relationships. Group therapy helps participants reconnect with others, fostering the sense of community, belonging, and purpose that humans require in order to heal and thrive. The act of collaboration and helping others can also be very healing and confidence-boosting.
A Trauma-Informed Model of Treatment
Healing trauma and SUD concurrently maximizes the potential for long-term success and sustainable sobriety.
To start or continue your journey to recovery or to learn more about ETHOS’s substance use disorder program, visit www.ethostreatment.com/contact.
