- Irritability, lack of acceptance, empathy problems or sadness, feelings derived from the use of social networks.
- 14 years, the recommended age to start using these channels.
- Setting limits, controlling in moderation, setting an example or encouraging other forms of leisure are some of the tips for educating children in the correct use of social networks
Barcelona, May 9, 2018.- The latest incidents of influencer suicides have opened the debate on the use that young people make of social networks and the image they project on them. Those who go on to become social idols ‘work’ on their profiles the image of a life based on a psychosocial well-being that, mismanaged, can have consequences in two directions. The first affects the influencers themselves, as the feeling of being continuously exposed can develop in them the need to lead a ‘real’ life, falsified and based on appearance. And the second affects their fans, who receive a distorted image far removed from reality, which, however, they make idyllic and which, when they try to imitate it, generates in them feelings of frustration and sadness with their own lives. Top Doctors® (TibHealth.com), with the help of the psychologist Raquel García Zubiaga, from the INAE center, review the symptoms of poor self-image management in young people and how family members can talk about it and deal with it with them.
Irritability, lack of acceptance, empathy problems… When life depends on a ‘like’…
No teenager is exempt from being a victim of self-image mismanagement. “There does not necessarily have to be a hidden psychological problem behind this action,” the doctor assures. The search for models in which to identify oneself is a common behavior throughout history, derived from living in society. “The problem arises when the need to show intimacy on social networks and to overexpose yourself to feel good increases continuously, making your happiness depend on others following you or liking what you have posted. It’s like another addiction.” According to the doctor, this can trigger distortion between the personal ‘self’ and the ‘self’ that one chooses to show, and can lead the teenager to post inappropriate and riskier content that captures the attention of more followers. The consequences: irritability, lack of acceptance, lack of empathy, sadness or even behavioral or relational problems.
According to experts, it is important to have an active role in the education in the use of RRSS of children from an early age. To this end, the experts at Top Doctors give 6 tips:
- Set limits from dialogue. ‘Always’, ‘never’, ‘everything’ or ‘nothing’, are expressions that are too blunt that we should avoid when setting certain limits on the use of these channels if we want to prevent the youngest from feeling attacked. Consensus with them when setting limits is also fundamental, and will allow parents to find out and analyze what their most immediate demands and needs are.
- Moderate control. Once the limits have been agreed, it is important to keep track of the photos posted, the followers and the people they follow, as well as the time they spend online, since these parameters are the main indicators of the management and use they make of the networks.
- Teach by example. Parents are a mirror in which children look at themselves, so it is important that they see in them what is the correct management of social networks. If parents spend hours on the Internet, or overexpose their lives and those of their children, they will repeat the behavior.
- Encourage leisure outside of technology. We must prevent children from substituting certain aspects of their daily lives with the use of social networks. It is important that parents control that they do not leave aside areas such as studies to be with the cell phone, that they stop losing interest in activities that they previously liked, etc. Therefore, experts recommend encouraging hobbies and other technology-free activities in their education from a very young age.
- Do not neglect fundamental values. The family is the source of values such as tolerance, honesty and empathy. If we instill this teaching, it will be easier to avoid and address the problems arising from the use of social networks.
- Continuously work on self-esteem. Reinforcing self-esteem and self-confidence is essential for people who expose their lives on the networks to know how to better cope with possible swings of influence or criticism.
The most important thing is for parents to guide their children in the correct use of these channels through communication between both parties based on respect, empathy, love and understanding.