The Impact of Social Media & Friendships on Your Teen

The Impact of Social Media & Friendships on Your Teen

Navigating social media and friendships can be challenging for teens, especially when it comes to self-esteem. The pressures of likes, follows, and peer influence can deeply impact how they see themselves. For teens, acceptance from peers feels like everything, and social media only amplifies that pressure. One negative comment or feeling left out of a group chat can shatter their self-worth.

Peer influence plays a huge role in how teens form their identity and self-esteem. They constantly compare themselves to others, seeking validation and acceptance from friends and followers. It’s a natural part of growing up, but it also makes them vulnerable to self-doubt, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

To help you support your teen, I’ve included powerful tools and resources that focus on building internal confidence and self-worth - no matter what’s happening online or in their social circles. These resources not only help your teen recognise the impact of social media but also empower them to resist negative peer pressure and stand strong in their own identity.

These downloads are designed to empower your teen with positive affirmations, tools to understand validation, and practical activities to strengthen their self-esteem from the inside out.

Signs Social Media or Friends Might Be Negatively Affecting Your Teen:

✔️ Sudden changes in confidence or self-worth
✔️ Anxiety about checking their phone or missing notifications
✔️ Comparing themselves constantly to others online
✔️ Mood changes after using social media
✔️ Withdrawing from real-life friendships in favour of online interactions
✔️ Feeling pressured to post certain types of content

As parents, we can’t control their online world—but we CAN guide them through it.

How to Support Your Teen:

✔️ Ask open-ended questions. (“What’s your feed like today? Who do you love following?”)
✔️ Model healthy social media use. (Take breaks, talk about your own online habits.)
✔️ Encourage real-life friendships. (Help them balance online and offline interactions.)
✔️ Help them set digital boundaries. (Nighttime phone cut-off, mindful scrolling.)
✔️ Reassure them that social media isn’t real life. (Teach them how content is curated and filtered.)