Have you ever looked at your phone and realized two hours just went by? Most teens in the US spend about 5 hours a day on apps like TikTok and YouTube. While it is fun to see what your friends are doing, it can also be a lot of pressure. Scientists say that kids who use social media for more than 3 hours a day are way more likely to feel sad or worried. Even the US Surgeon General thinks these apps should have warning labels on them just like a pack of cigarettes. Doctor Vivek Murthy says, “It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.”

Scrolling late at night is a big problem because it makes you tired for school the next morning. It is also hard not to compare yourself to everyone else’s perfect photos. One big problem is that we talk through screens so much that we forget how to talk in person. When you don’t see someone’s face while you talk, it makes real life conversations feel much more scary and intimidating. Almost half of all teens now think that social media is actually bad for people their age.

Social media isn’t all bad because it helps people find cool groups and safe spaces to be themselves, but we have to be careful about how much we use it. Some kids are even switching to dumb phones that don’t have apps so they can focus better. You don’t have to delete everything to feel better, but taking a break from scrolling can help your brain feel less stressed. Finding a balance between the digital world and the real world is the best way to stay happy.