Are mental health workers in Nunavut aware of the harmful effects of excessive social-media use by youth?

This is the question posed by Arviat North-Whale Cove MLA John Main in a memberSA国际影视传媒檚 statement and in questions to Health Minister George Hickes in the legislative assembly March 4.

SA国际影视传媒淭here is a developing body of research on the link between mental health issues and social-media use, and I should add that there are some positive benefits to social-media use that have been backed up by research, but specifically I am talking about excessive use of social media and particularly among young people,SA国际影视传媒� said Main to Hickes.

SA国际影视传媒淎re mental health workers Nunavut aware of this matter and the fact that it is developing? Are they being kept current, so to speak, with the developing research in this area?SA国际影视传媒�

Main had previously told the assembly he was becoming disconcerted.

SA国际影视传媒淔acebook, the social media platform is perhaps the most widely used software used for surfing the internet, as some people are becoming habituated with being on-line in Nunavut, obviously, and perhaps more so amongst the younger people,SA国际影视传媒� said Main.

SA国际影视传媒淎pparently, when they need to constantly check their status that means internet addiction, with more researchers finding out the negative effects of this medium, and this is especially concerning for young people here in Nunavut as they already face mental health challenges and in light of the internet becoming widely available in Nunavut.SA国际影视传媒�

Main likened the internet addiction with addiction to cigarettes.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is much like the 1960s and 1970s with cigarettes, when the health impacts were largely unknown about the cancer-causing effects of cigarettes,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Main also said elders are noticing.

SA国际影视传媒淢any elders are starting to complain that many of the youth are not interested in talking with them anymore. They are all hunched in front of their small screens and locked in their own world,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Hickes said, as a father of two teenaged girls, he is aware of how screen time is encroaching on time spent outdoors and active.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat being said, with regard to the professional development of our mental health workers, technology is a topic that comes up frequently on how to use it safely. ISA国际影视传媒檓 not sure if the actual screen time is a part of their training. I know there are resources available that weSA国际影视传媒檝e used to help educate people on how much screen time is safe,SA国际影视传媒� said Hickes.

But Main wanted to know if Health has evidence of a trend relating mental health and excessive social-media use in Nunavut youth.

Hickes did not specifically address social-media use in his reply. He did say there is a trend of people accessing more services.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople being more cognizant and reducing that stigma of approaching health care professionals, mental health workers, to communicate more openly with their friends and family,SA国际影视传媒� Hickes said, adding heSA国际影视传媒檇 be seeking supplementary funding for this budget line.

SA国际影视传媒淲ith regard to social media itself, we all are becoming more and more involved and seeing more and more instances of how social media can be a good thing, like the member says, but it can also create challenges for our youth.SA国际影视传媒�

Noting the British health department is producing guidelines on the maximum amount of time young people should spend on social media, Main suggested that if Nunavut parents and youth had access to similar GN-created guidelines they could better understand how usage affects mental health.

Main sought a commitment from Hickes for such guidelines.

Hickes said there are , which has tips for managing screen time, parenting the digital generation, helping kids deal with cyber bullying, social media and their kids.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have also worked with Facebook on developing a way for users to anonymously report friends that are posting distressing posts and to help with Health Canada resources,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 sure my officials are already listening, but I will follow up with my officials to look at putting out a media campaign or some resources (in) the community so that parents can have some established guidelines of how much is deemed safe by experts in the field.SA国际影视传媒�