Since the rise of the internet and social media over the last twenty years, parents have been concerned about their effects on our children. The increasing popularity of video social media and picture-sharing apps has led to an insurgence of problems among its most used population: teens.

It has been reported that nearly two-thirds of teens use social media daily. While these apps may seem fun and harmless at first glance, that is a far cry from the truth. Underlying the dancing, singing, and silly-faced antics lie cyber predators, bullies, and serious mental health consequences.

As parents of teens, my husband and I now find ourselves entering the murky area of social media navigation. We require account passwords, set time limits, and check accounts at will. But how do we know when to be concerned or when enough is enough? If you find yourself slogging through the same parental struggle as us, hopefully, this article can help give you some knowledge and insight into current research.

According to Yale Medicine, the brain grows dramatically between the ages of 10 to 19. Yale states that continual use of social media can alter the adolescent brain, “affecting such functions as emotional learning and behavior, impulse control, and emotional regulation.”

It has also been found in some research that excessive use of social media overstimulates the brain’s rewards center and “trigger pathways comparable to addiction.” These changes are extra worrisome as teens’ brains are in the developmental stages of not fully understanding actions and consequences and are not capable of seeing all outcomes.

Since everyone is sharing for all to see, teens are recognizing what they have – and don’t have. Influencers, filters and opening sessions all make life seem perfect on social media.

Specially crafted and filtered highlight reels lead teens to believe that the lives of their peers or favorite artists are always perfect. Teens inevitably end up comparing themselves to others and can “feel inadequate or pressured to meet unrealistic expectations. ”

Time spent ‘doom scrolling’ or posting on social media is time spent not hanging out with friends, participating in sports, or spending time with family. With the ever-changing technology, kids are losing the ability to communicate with a person, not a screen.

According to the Child Mind Institute, children are missing out on learning social cues such as facial expressions, body language, and vocal changes.

Excessive screen time can also negatively impact sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that “phone use may also lead to psychological, emotional, or physiological arousal,” which decreases REM sleep and delays sleep onset.

Other studies have confirmed that for everyone, the blue light from the screen also disrupts sleep rhythms. FOMO (fear of missing out)negatively affects sleep, as teens feel online societal pressure to respond to groups and messages immediately no matter the time.

According to a review of several studies across 17 countries, constant exposure to images online of unrealistic and unattainable physical physiques “may trigger a distorted sense of self and can lead to eating disorders.”

Trends of restrictive eating, purging and cleansing lead teens to have poor body image and self-esteem and can negatively affect their overall health. Confirming that exposure to certain types of social media, especially those around body shapes, can be extremely damaging for teens.

Social media gives another opportunity for adolescents to share their views and to be cruel. Stopbullying.gov defines cyberbullying as “bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets.”

It often includes mean, harmful, negative, and false information about someone intending to cause humiliation or embarrassment. Sometimes, bullies sexually harass or try to blackmail their victims with photo content that is real or manipulated with AI.

Unfortunately, it is well known at this point that online predators use social media forums to target children and adolescents online. “According to the F.B.I., over 50 percent of the victims of online sexual exploitation are between the ages of 12 and 15. An estimated 89 percent of sexual advances directed at children occur in Internet chatrooms or through instant messaging.”

Predators often pretend to be someone they are not; they then manipulate and groom kids into taking and sharing explicit photos or videos or, worse, coercing the child into meeting them in person.

With unrealistic expectations of lifestyle, body image, possible lack of sleep, and decrease in human interactions and physical activity, it’s not surprising that teens are struggling with their mental health. Studies have proven that heavy social media usage negatively affects teens’ mental health.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Children and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.”

It has been said in football (and parenting) that the best defense is a good offense. Don’t wait until your adolescent is wading into the depths of the internet and social media to come up with a plan.

Be proactive by setting expectations, limits, boundaries, and ground rules long before they can access social media.