Family therapist weighs in on social media warning labels – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

There are rising concerns about the effects of social media on mental health, especially for young people.

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy is leaning toward a tobacco-style warning applied to social media platforms and told NBC News Congress may need to require it.

Murthy said immediate action is needed to protect kids and said we are in a mental health crisis.

According to Murthy, a label would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proven safe.

A North Texas family therapist, Dr. Jay Barnett, agreed that something must be done.

“I think it’s necessary that they have a warning label. And particularly for those teens in the early years who are still in the development stage and still in their formative stage when it comes to their brain,” Barnett said. “In my mind, I’m kind of thinking to myself, what took you so long? But I think with the increasing rate of suicide, increasing rate of so many mental health issues, I think it’s about time that they add that warning label.”

“Yale just did a study about the impact of students who are on social media for three or more hours,” Barnett added. “They are twice as likely to have negative thoughts and a negative impact on their mental health.”