A combined approach of cognitive behavior therapy and solution focused brief therapy for compensatory problematic social media usage among adolescents

Social media is widely used among adolescents today. There are ample evidence of problematic social media usage and its effects on relationships and socio-emotional well-being. Early smartphone and social media exposure have led to deficits in social and emotional skills necessary for social adjustments and interpersonal relationships at later stages, especially in adolescents. This paper through a literature review firstly, attempts to map out the compounding effectsof how early exposure and environmental factors becomefertile grounds for developing compensatory use of social media. Ultimately leading to problematic social media usage. Early exposure is linked to deficits in social and emotional skills necessary for establishing and maintaining relationships in childhood and adolescence. This leads to loneliness and social anxiety among adolescents, leading towards increasing dependence on social media solely for social connections. These experiences lead to formations of maladaptive thoughts, dysfunctional attitudes about face-to-face interactions, further deepening their dependenceand problematic use. Secondly, this article tries to lay out how Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) can be used in combination to help adolescents move towards balanced online and offline relationships. CBT can help in understanding the context and internal working of the individual, helping them deal with the cognitions behind their behavior of dependence on social media. While SFBT can help in moving towards goal and solution-oriented approach for handling offline social interactions and balanced use for social media. Both CBT and SFBT are shown to be helpful in managing interpersonal relationships. While understanding the background, SFBT with its brief solution focused approach can be used providing practical solutions. The framework can be especially useful for therapists and school counsellors to help manage problematic social media usage among adolescents.