When Madeline Freeman was in high school, 12 of her classmates died by suicide. Though the experience in Freeman’s community was extreme, it wasn’t isolated. Lightfully’s Nicole Siegfried discusses the link between social media use and depression.

In “No Social Media November,” campaign creator and high school student Alyssa Freeman encourages people to abstain from social media for the month in order to raise awareness of its effects on mental health. Nicole Siegfried, a Lightfully psychologist, says that reducing hours spent on social media can open the door to other experiences that may foster connection. Teens are likely to feel defensive when told they’re spending too much time on their phones, but parents can watch “The Social Dilemma” documentary with them to help start a conversation about social media and mental health. After the month is over, participants are welcome to redownload social media apps, but many might realize they want to change their habits for the long term.

“A social-media break can create a pause to allow teenagers to enhance their relationships and connections in other ways so that social media becomes just one part of their lives and not their entire lives,” Siegfried said.

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