The Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown has perpetuated a paradigm shift for how we live our lives, work and communicate daily.  Social media has become the mainstream means of interpersonal communication more than ever before.  The number of friends, followers, likes and comments on FB, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikToK and other platforms has increased substantially for most everyone. This increase is a direct result of the lockdown, being cooped up and caged like a dangerous animal. For the majority of 30 and under, social media has become their only outreach mechanism.  Friending, following or liking people and posts by others is something they may not have done it the past. Nonetheless, it has given many a means to become a part of a closed off world.  So, what happens after the lockdown lifts?

It may be a surprise to some that after the lockdown, their number of daily likes, new followers, new friends and random comments may dwindle significantly.  This, especially on teens and pre-teens, could have severe emotional effects on one’s self worth. As people return to their normal or so-called normal lives and, as their lives become filled with more authentic interactions, others may no longer receive the emotional satisfaction of the many likes, new friends and followers that they had grown accustom to during the lockdown.

Parents take heed, for some depression may set in. Do not discount the amount of pleasure that your teens receive from getting likes, new friends and/or followers.  It is important that parents and caregivers alike be aware of this as seemingly small acts and changes in teen behavior could be a sign of bigger and worse things to come.  If you have a social media kid, then you should talk to your children and prepare them by letting them know, and understand, that there may be a severe decrease in the number of their social media interactions (posts, friends, followers, comments etc.). If you see changes in behaviors, emotional ups and downs or blatant outbursts of frustration, no matter how small, you need to be conscious that this could lead to more demonstrative acts.  Physical violence could also surface, hitting siblings harder in the guise of normal playing, cutting one’s self, banging their own head against a wall or just slamming a door are all signs that something is amiss.

All these things are, in a teen’s mind, valid for the pseudo loss or lack of attention that the number of likes, friends, followers or comments falsely portray. Teens have a proclivity to equate their virtual existence as authentic relationships with others, and although a small percentage of their social media contingency may be authentic, most are not. So, be aware, talk to your teens, and help them through the steps back to normalcy as we come to the end of the Coronavirus lockdowns.