社交媒體與青少年焦慮大綱

From cyberbullying to FOMO to cruel comments, social media can be a land mine for kids. Issues we parents never had to worry about, such as an intimate photo texted to the entire school or Instagram videos of a birthday party we weren't invited to, are now a risk for many tweens and teens. With kids' digital well-being a concern, researchers are exploring potential links between social media and the rise in teen suicide rates, tech addiction, and loss of real-life social skills. And many parents are wondering: Is social media causing my kid to have anxiety?
從網絡霸凌到錯失恐懼症到扎心的評論，社交媒體可能是埋在青少年身邊的地雷。以前，父母從來不用操心這些問題--比如，向全校師生發親密照、或在Ins上看到未被受邀的生日派對的視頻--現在卻成爲年輕人羣體的一個風險因素。隨着青少年的數字健康成爲父母關注的焦點，研究人員試圖探索社交媒體與青少年自殺率、科技成癮以及缺失現實社交技能之間的潛在聯繫。許多家長不禁思考：社交媒體會讓我的孩子變得焦慮嗎？

It's an important question - and one that makes for compelling headlines for worried parents. While it's too early to say with certainty (this is, after all, the first generation of "digital natives"), the reality is somewhat nuanced. Some research has observed a relationship between social media use and anxiety in kids, but it's difficult to know if and when social media is causing anxiety or whether kids who are anxious are turning to social media as a way to soothe themselves or seek support. How kids use social media matters, too: Social comparison and feedback-seeking behaviors have been associated with depressive symptoms, which often co-occur with anxiety.
這是一個關鍵問題--也是吸引憂心忡忡的家長的頭條新聞。雖然現在言之鑿鑿還爲時過早（畢竟，現在是"數字原住民"第一代），但現實情況的確微妙。有些研究已觀察到社交媒體使用與青少年焦慮之間存在關係，但尚不清楚究竟是社交媒體導致焦慮，還是患有焦慮的青少年爲了尋求撫慰或支持而使用社交媒體。青少年使用社交媒體的方式也很重要：社交攀比和希冀反饋等行爲與抑鬱症狀相關，這些症狀通常伴隨着焦慮。

Here are some more tips for keeping social media a positive for kids:
下面，我們將爲您提供一些建議，讓社交媒體成爲積極影響：

Encourage self-care. Seeing photos of a trip to the beach your friends didn't invite you to can really sting. If your kid is super bummed or tired of digital drama, suggest they take a break from social media for a while. In fact, if they post a status update that they're taking a break, their friends might be very accepting because they've had similar feelings.
鼓勵自我關愛。看到好朋友去沙灘旅行的照片，而你卻未曾受到邀請，是不是很難受？如果你的孩子對數字鬧劇感到沮喪或厭倦，父母可建議孩子暫時遠離社交媒體。事實上，如果他們更新了狀態表示要暫別社交媒體，他們的朋友可能非常贊同，因爲他們也有相同的感受。

Help kids put social media in perspective. People post stuff that makes their lives look perfect - not the homework struggles, or the fight they had with their dad. Remind kids that social media leaves the messy stuff out - and that everyone has ups and downs.
幫助孩子正視社交媒體。很多人會發一些照片，營造一種完美生活的'假象'--而不是受家庭作業困擾，或與父親吵架。讓孩子知道，社交媒體拋開了生活中的雜亂面--要記住，人生都是起起伏伏的。

Encourage offline activities. In a world where kids could spend their days lying around looking at Instagram, it's doubly important for them to feel as though they're cultivating their inner lives. Prompt them to balance social media with soul-nourishing activities such as hobbies, exercise, reading, and helping others. Otherwise, what are they going to brag about on social media?
鼓勵線下活動。現在這個世界，青少年可以躺一整天刷Ins，但讓他們培養內心世界也萬分重要。鼓勵他們在社交媒體和滋養靈魂的活動（比如愛好、鍛鍊、閱讀和幫助別人）之間取得平衡。否則，他們哪有在社交媒體上吹噓的點呢？