FORT WORTH – Dr. W. Brian Byrd acknowledges that a lot has changed since kids had cell phones at school. He says research now backs up his theory that the device may be less rewarding than fun.
“As the Surgeon General, I have a very strong interest in what the mental health of our children looks like,” Bird said.
In a letter to parents, teachers and community members, Byrd, the head of the Tarrant County Health Department, said, “Increased exposure to social media is causing anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia in children. , suicides are on the rise.”
The health official said he supports Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s recommendation to issue a warning on social media in a New York Times op-ed. Bird also recommends taking smartphones out of students’ hands.
“My recommendation to administrators and elected officials is that we’re not going to put smartphones in the classroom,” he said.
Bird said that since smartphones began to soar in popularity in 2013, there is ample data to prove mental health issues among teens who connect to social media on smartphones.
“We’re seeing rates of depression and anxiety rising by more than 140%. It’s worse for girls and it’s worse for people of lower economic status,” Bird said.
The potential for physical harm from sex offenders also exists, especially for young girls. He said these were not alarming assumptions for a 54-year-old man.
“It sounds a bit like the cry of a wolf boy, doesn’t it? Oh, it’s just another alert wolf cry, right?” Bird said. “Well, the thing to remember in the wolf story is that the wolf finally came at last, and I think that’s where we are.”
According to Addictionhelp.com, data from Common Sense shows that teens spend 7 hours and 22 minutes on mobile devices every day. They also said that even children as young as 8 years old spend nearly 5 hours of screen time.
Tarrant County health officials said giving children a basic cell phone for calling and texting is sufficient for most age groups.
“From what we know right now, I think it’s a good idea to wait until your child is at least 12 years old to get a smartphone,” he said. “It’s a good idea to wait until you’re 16 before using social media.”
Byrd said he doesn’t have local data showing the impact in Tarrant County, but the youth suicide rate is compelling. This has been documented as a result of social media behaviors related to fear of being left out, online validation, and cyberbullying.
