Under 18s with mental health problems should be asked about their use of social media | Society

Children and youth with mental health issues will be regularly asked about their use of social media, according to new guidelines given to NHS psychiatrists.

Under-18s seeking help for issues such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders will be queried to find out if using Facebook, Instagram, or other platforms cause or aggravate their disease.

As a result, when they first meet with young people, psychiatrists will question whether access to these sites has an impact on their sleep, school performance, mood or eating habits.

For example, they will try to determine if troubled youth have spent time at sites that promote self-harm or that promote anorexia.

Parents will also be asked which devices are at home, which their child uses and how often, and if their offspring look at screens during meals or while adults are doing housework.

These recommendations were published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, while the long hours spent on social networks, and some of its content, have negative consequences for the psychological health of young people.

This is the first time that the CPR, which represents psychiatrists in a professional manner and sets standards for the profession, advises members to examine the extent to which social media has contributed to the challenges of young patients.

The government was expected to publish a white paper next week outlining plans to make social media consumption safer, including imposing a new duty of vigilance on the platforms for their users. But it was postponed because of fears of receiving only a little Brexit-focused media coverage.

Dr. Bernadka Dubicka, CPR Chair of Children and Youth, said, "While we recognize that social media and technology are not the main drivers of mental illness among young people, we know that it's a good thing. they are an important part of their lives and can be harmful in some situations.

"As a front-line clinician, I regularly see young people who deliberately hurt themselves after discussing online self-injury techniques."

The guidelines make it clear to child psychiatrists that, in the future, "technology issues should become a central element of all new badessments and rebadessments".

"It's helpful to ask children and youth about the areas of concern in their digital lives, while controlling their use and disrupting healthy or necessary activities."

Parents will also be asked if their child uses a type of screen before bedtime and if he has a computer or TV in his room. The college advises parents to ensure that their children do not use any devices at least one hour before bedtime.

Emma Thomas, executive director of the charity YoungMinds, said: "The young people we work with rarely say that social media is the" cause "of mental health problems, but that they can worsen problems with which they are already struggling. anxiety or make them feel worse when they compare their lives to those of others.

"Some young people say that sharing their experiences of self-destruction, eating disorders or committing suicide on social media is an important way to find support. But if they are part of a community that introduces them to new ways of self-harm or encourages eating disorders, it can have a devastating impact.

Claire Murdoch, NHS National Director of Mental Health England, said the guidelines should highlight the technology's ability to harm young people.

"Social media plays an important role in the daily lives of most children and youth, but it should serve as an alarm bell when leading psychiatrists believe that online activities should now be taken into account when badessing the mental health and well-being of young people, "she said.

NHS England has called on social media companies to pay a fee to fund the mental health care of people who become addicted to using their services or who are damaged by material on their platforms.

• The Mind Mental Charity Association can be contacted at 0300 123 3393. Concerned parents for their child can call YoungMinds at 0808 802 5544. If you are a youth with a mental health crisis, send YM to 85258.