Self-Esteem

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Mental Health Issues Involving Teenage Social Media Use

Parents need to develop strong relationships with their children before their children create social media accounts!  Helping them establish healthy self-esteem beginning at a young age, guiding them, and reinforcing a good conscience can help pave the way in their becoming positive users of social media.  When parents are communicating with them and demonstrating what positive role models are, it can help reduce potential negative experiences children would have encountered, at least in the sense of how they view themselves.   To expand further, societal mores and societal pressures are mutually exclusive.

Several articles about the experiences of young people on social media can be found at the Pew Research Center.  “Teens’ Experiences on TikTok, Instagram And Snapchat,” (Faverio, Park, & Gottfried, 2026) and “Why Many Parents And Teens Think It’s Harder Being A Teen Today” (Faverio, Gottfried, Radde, Baronavski, & Atske, 2024) are two of the items available for examination. 

The responses are from various demographics, and the conclusions are nuanced, especially between parents and teenagers.  One of the disturbing comments from teens is that they believe (falsely) that they are supposed to live up to the expectations of people they have met on social media.

Nagata, Huang, Hur, Li, Helmer, Weinstein, and Moreno (2025) discussed “Health Benefits Of Social Media Use in Adolescents And Young Adults,” which is reported from a clinical perspective.  The authors stated that while there can be negative consequences associated with social media use, there are variables that could make the experiences more enjoyable and fulfilling for young people.

Social media can be a sophisticated universe with various platforms, offering different information.  Also, young people have to understand that real life exists in the present and with people they actually know.  These are people they can call up on the phone or walk up to in person.  Social media can be a valuable communication tool, but they shouldn’t neglect their studies, extracurricular activities, and hobbies.

As an aside, positive opportunities exist if allowed to come into fruition!  Now, more than ever, parents can have a closer relationship with their children in the off chance an unpleasant situation develops from social media use.  The social media angle can be a springboard because the parent is the first line of defense when they tell their children and reiterate that they are there for them, regardless of what they’re going through.

Vikki

References

Faverio, M., Gottfried, J., Radde, K., Baronavski, C., & Atske, S.  (2024).  Why Many Parents And Teens Think It’s Harder Being A Teen Today.  Retrieved From https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/feature/why-many-parents-and-teens-think-its-harder-being-a-teen-today/

Faverio, M., Park, E., & Gottfried, J. (2026).  Teens’ Experiences on TikTok, Instagram And Snapchat.  Retrieved From https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/04/15/teens-experiences-on-tiktok-instagram-and-snapchat/

Nagata, J. M., Huang, O., Hur, J. O., Li, E. J., Helmer, C. K., Weinstein, E., & Moreno, M. A.  (2025, August).  Health Benefits Of Social Media Use In Adolescents And Young Adults.  National Library of Medicine. National Center for Biotechnology Information. 14;13(1):22

10.1007/s40124-025-00357-7. Retrieved From https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12356748/

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Developing And Reinforcing Healthy Self-Esteem (And The Operative Word Is “Healthy”)

Reconfiguring one’s thinking can go a long way in creating a better relationship with oneself, and others.  Don’t ever fall into a negative mindset.  Think positively about yourself, and allow those corresponding behaviors to travel forward.

Vikki

Reference

BrainyQuote. (2024).  Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes.  Retrieved From https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/eleanor_roosevelt_161321

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September is Self-Awareness Month

“Self awareness is having a clear perception of your personality, including strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and emotions” (Pathway to Happiness, 2017).  Also, the concept provides us the ability to gain comprehension about others, their perceptions of us, our dispositions and interactions with them (Pathway to Happiness).

The following is an excellent resource on self awareness:

[Video] Roy Baumeister – What is Self Awareness?

 

Vikki

 

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Delicate Subject Series – Youth Population: Alcohol, Rape, Social Media

How many times have we heard about underage females becoming intoxicated at social functions, passing out, and then being raped, videotaped by the perpetrators, with those images placed out on social media which further humiliate them?  Too often.  No one has the right to take advantage of them, and they have no right placing themselves in dangerous situations.

Parents have to speak to their children beginning at a young age (five) regarding appropriate behaviors, and those which aren’t.  Girls cannot afford to walk around with an ignorance about opportunities where someone can rob them of their dignity.  Boys have to learn to respect females and not even consider violating them in any manner whatsoever. Conversations have to be ongoing throughout before, and after, they enter university.  The authoritarian parental approach may be required for this purpose to scare them into understanding they will not shame themselves, nor the family.

Vikki

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Delicate Subject Series – Family Violence

Warning: Ted Bundy makes an appearance 

Family Violence can destroy an individual from reaching their potential.  Victims can experience low self-esteem, substance abuse, depression, suicidal tendencies, and wreak havoc on society.

  • Examples of Family Violence
    1. Child Abuse + Neglect
    2. Spousal + Partner Abuse
    3. Elder Abuse
    4. Physical Abuse
    5. Sibling Abuse
    6. Verbal Abuse (name calling, cursing)
    7. Verbal Violence (scorch-the-earth tempers)
    8. Sexual Abuse
    9. Financial Exploitation (ex. identity theft)

Commentary

First, it’s one thing for a parent, or other caregiver, to spank a child** with an open hand showing love and directing the youth to change negative behaviors.  It’s quite another to beat and punch a child out of anger resulting in bodily harm.  Other forms of this type of abuse are getting in the tub with a child and taking a bath or shower with them; leaving pornographic materials around the house*; having sex in front of the child*; walking around in the nude within home environment, or property*; sexually-explicit conversations in front of, or directed towards youth, which provides no proper educational value in their becoming a responsible, well-adjusted individual*; failing to keep them clean, providing a roof over their heads, feeding, sending them to school, and intentional lying about and on child causing dysfunction among siblings.  Also, when a spouse/partner is abused, the child is automatically abused because they witnessed the mistreatment*.  Concerning neglect, to be fair, some of these parents may have mental health, or financial issues, which prevent them from raising their children properly.  Also, perhaps these are abused parents and keep children at home in the belief no additional harm will come towards them from abusive spouse/partner, or some other abusive person in household.

Second, #4, #6 – 9 directed towards a spouse, or partner.

Third, neglect resulting with the elderly suffering nutritionally, grooming, taking necessary medications, and having protected, clean environment; #4, #6 – 9.

Fourth, any physical contact intentionally meant to incur bodily harm.

Fifth, it’s important for parents to resolve negative behavior when a child is harming a sibling.  When there are more than two children, the bully may coax the others in mistreating the target for abuse.

Sixth, name-calling, cursing, mocking with the intention to damage self-worth of others within household.  Also known as psychological abuse.

Seventh, rage from at least one of the adults in the household, even if the behavior isn’t aimed at anyone in particular within that household.

Eighth, inappropriate sexual contact, not necessarily penetration, by a member of the family, and others within the family construct.  Sexual abuse within a family can occur when families double up the household with immediate family members, and extended members.

Finally, family members who open bank accounts and credit cards, purchase insurance, steals tax returns, etc. from a member of the family, or part of family construct.

Commentary

By the time a child turns the age of six, they’ve either developed a conscience, or haven’t. Ted Bundy didn’t.  The household he was raised in until he was six years old with his mother and maternal grandparents can best be described A House of Horror.  He was a child who saw too much:  The grandfather possessed a violent temper, whipped the family pets, left pornographic materials around the home, and was deceptive (Rule, 2000). Whenever family members saw him coming up the walkway, they ran out the backdoor, except his wife who suffered from agoraphobia.   Bundy was at an impressionable age, thus his grandfather “taught” him these behaviors which he would act out on his victims when he became an adult.  “In the beginning he did not kill.  However, once he murdered—once he crossed that boundary, violated that taboo—killing got easier and easier” (Lewis, 1998). Are there other causations besides family violence and substance abuse which led to his murderous behaviors?  Yes, (Lewis) and we may never discover what they were.

Rule was the former police lieutenant whom Bundy became friendly as an adult at the Seattle Crisis Center, and Dr. Lewis the psychiatrist who worked as a member of his defense team.

References

Lewis, M.D., D. O. (1998). Guilty by Reason of Insanity. Ivy Books: New York.

Rule, A. (2000). The Stranger Beside Me. (20th Anniversary Ed.). NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

*This brand of abuse also falls under the category Children Who See Too Much

**Spanking a child is illegal in certain states

Vikki

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Want to Improve a Child’s Social Development? Give Them Shakespeare

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It’s a process:

The child who once thought reading was boring, uninspiring, will develop a fondness for books after they’ve read Shakespeare, or viewed a production.  Reading The Bard’s beautiful language will reinforce in them to enunciate words properly.  If they’re introverted, they’ll stand out in English class reciting lines with enthusiasm.  Parents can incorporate readings on fun nights at home with family members and friends participating. Joining school organizations, gaining friends, will create new socializing opportunities for a child.

Even if they remain a tad shy, it’s an endearing quality.  Their cognition, self-esteem, and confidence will expand, leading to new social skills.  They’ll become more outgoing which they can carry throughout their adult years.

Vikki