Balance

1Why it matters

Rates of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders among young people have risen sharply since 2010, and heavy social media use appears to be an important part of the story. U.S. youth now spend an average of about eight hours a day on social media, which can take time away from sleep, physical activity, and in-person connection, leading to increased social comparison, body dissatisfaction, and cyberbullying. Most existing programs try to address this through education alone, and they have had limited success.

2How Balance works

Rather than lecturing young people about the downsides of social media, Balance invites them to reach those conclusions themselves. This is the same principle that has made The Body Project the most effective eating disorder prevention program available, now used in more than 140 countries.

Balance is a short program of four one-hour group sessions. Small groups of six to eight participants meet in person, co-led by a trained student peer facilitator and a mental health clinician. Together, participants:

• Explore both the benefits and the real costs of social media, across friendships, relationships, mental and physical health, and time;
• Take part in guided discussions, writing, and role-play exercises;
• Make a voluntary commitment to healthier habits and encourage the same in their friends and communities, such as taking social media breaks or rejecting curated, unrealistic online personas;
• Complete short home exercises between sessions.

3Who it's for

Balance is designed for adolescents and young adults, ages 14 to 24, who feel that social media is negatively affecting their lives. Separate groups are offered for high school and college students.