Post By : Syeda Kulsum Ali.
Many teens enjoy keeping in touch with their friends on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, but using such sites to
excess can be unhealthy and has even been linked to depression, researchers say.
A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics describes a new phenomenon known as " Facebook depression," in which children and teenagers spend an inordinate amount of time on social networking sites, then develop symptoms of depression.
The phenomenon is not common, and most children benefit from the site because they are able to maintain ties with friends and feel a connection with their community, said Scott Campbell, an assistant professor of communication studies at the University of Michigan.
But heavy use of Facebook, as well as other risks of the online world such as cyberbullying and sexting, can have serious consequences, so it's critical for parents to stay involved in their children's lives.
"As kids have increasingly open lines of communication with their peers online, it is extremely important that parents keep the lines of communication with their kids just as open so they can have a sense of what is going on in their social lives ... both online and offline,"
Campbell said.
Many teens enjoy keeping in touch with their friends on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, but using such sites to
excess can be unhealthy and has even been linked to depression, researchers say.
A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics describes a new phenomenon known as " Facebook depression," in which children and teenagers spend an inordinate amount of time on social networking sites, then develop symptoms of depression.
The phenomenon is not common, and most children benefit from the site because they are able to maintain ties with friends and feel a connection with their community, said Scott Campbell, an assistant professor of communication studies at the University of Michigan.
But heavy use of Facebook, as well as other risks of the online world such as cyberbullying and sexting, can have serious consequences, so it's critical for parents to stay involved in their children's lives.
"As kids have increasingly open lines of communication with their peers online, it is extremely important that parents keep the lines of communication with their kids just as open so they can have a sense of what is going on in their social lives ... both online and offline,"
Campbell said.
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