A brief commentary published in US News & World Report (2024) reminds us that the U.S. surgeon general made a call for mandatory, tobacco-style warnings on social media to raise awareness about its association with significant mental health harms.
We agree with the author who states that we need to go further to ensure young people aren’t addicted to their phones.
What’s the solution?
One answer is to promote non-work creative activities, i.e., hobbies.
Hobbies challenge us to create new, competing responses while pushing us to develop skills and, eventually, confidence.
As the author states, this approach can help balance online and IRL (in real life) activities, offering an opportunity to create the lasting, meaningful social and emotional connections that are proven predictors of happiness.
Read the full article: The Solution for Teen Social Media Addiction Is at Our Fingertips | Healthiest Communities Health News | U.S. News