Posted on 3rd Sep 2011 @ 6:47 PM

Your teen's Facebook habit might be making you sick, but is it affecting his or her health, too? According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association, it very well might be.

Dr. Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University, cites several adverse effects from over-use of Facebook, including:

1. Psychological disorders, including narcissism, mania, aggressive tendencies, and antisocial behaviors.
2. Insomnia, depression, anxiety, and alcoholism.
3. Lower test scores and decreased concentration on studies.
4. Lower attendance.
5. Carpal tunnel syndrome.

All of these side effects directly correlate with the amount of time a teen spends on social networking sites. Carpal tunnel in particular seems skyrocket with increased use -- a fact that will surprise no one who has had to type for ten hours a day at a job.

The trouble is, many teens use Facebook (and Twitter, and whatever social networks you and I are not cool enough to know about) as if it were their jobs. The average teen, according to Dr. Rosen, sends 2000 texts a month. This amount of texting would probably induce repetitive stress injuries in robots.

To help your teen avoid carpal tunnel, encourage them to use desktop computers whenever possible. Laptops, iPads, and, especially, smartphones are tougher on the joints and make proper ergonomic setups more difficult, if not impossible.

Of course, the best cure is prevention: Minimizing the number of hours on the computer. And using Facebook less will reduce other negative effects, such as increased feelings of isolation, emotional problems, and social issues.

For concerned parents, Dr. Rosen advises against putting all your faith in computer monitoring programs:

"If you feel that you have to use some sort of computer program to surreptitiously monitor your child's social networking, you are wasting your time. Your child will find a workaround in a matter of minutes," he says.

His suggestion? More listening, less lecturing. After all, if you want to convince your kids to spend less time in cyberspace, it makes sense to provide a real environment where actual communication takes place.