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Social media can connect — but it can also consume. We help children and teens break free from digital dependence and reclaim balance, focus, and real-life connection.
Dr Sathiya Ganesan’s
From Scrolling to Thriving — Helping Young Minds Reclaim Focus, Confidence, and Calm.
Guiding Young Minds Toward Balance, Confidence, and Healthy Digital Habits
Social media has become an inseparable part of modern childhood and adolescence — a tool for connection, creativity, and expression. But for many young people, it can also become an unhealthy compulsion that affects mood, self-worth, attention, sleep, and mental health.
Social Media usage disorder is a growing concern, especially when it begins to interfere with school, relationships, emotional stability, or real-life engagement.
Dr. Sathiya Ganesan, Consultant Psychiatrist in Child & Adolescent Mental Health, offers specialized, compassionate care for children struggling with compulsive digital behavior — helping them reclaim focus, confidence, and emotional balance.
Understanding Social Media Usage Disorder
When Likes, Scrolls, and Screens Take Control
Social media Usage Disorder refers to the compulsive use of platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and others, often driven by fear of missing out (FOMO), social comparison, validation-seeking, or emotional escape.
Key factors include:
- Endless scrolling or obsession with likes and comments
- Anxiety when disconnected
- Difficulty focusing on offline tasks
- Mood changes based on digital interactions
- Disrupted sleep and eating patterns
- Decline in academics or real-life social interaction
This isn’t just “too much screen time” — it’s a behavioral disorder that hijacks a child’s ability to self-regulate.
Signs of Social Media Usage Disorder in Children and Teens
- Restlessness or irritability when not using devices
- Constant checking of notifications and feeds
- Prioritizing social media over school, family, or sleep
- Emotional dependence on likes, comments, or followers
- Withdrawing from real-life friendships
- Decline in self-esteem due to online comparison
- Using social media to cope with stress, boredom, or sadness
If left unaddressed, this Disorder can contribute to anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, and loneliness.
Holistic, In-Depth Evaluation
Dr. Ganesan starts with a comprehensive evaluation that covers:
- Digital behavior history and emotional dependency
- Co-occurring issues like anxiety, ADHD, or mood disorders
- Family environment, peer dynamics, and daily routines
- Sleep, appetite, and school performance review
- Parent-child relationship and home screen practices
This creates a personalized recovery roadmap for balanced tech use and emotional wellness.
Compassionate Communication and Digital Awareness
Teens often resist help when they feel misunderstood. Dr. Ganesan uses:
- Empathetic dialogue to explore motivations behind excessive use
- Education on brain science, habit loops, and dopamine regulation
- Gentle awareness-building around self-image and emotional impact
- Trust-based therapy to replace shame with insight and cooperation
Healing begins not with restriction — but with understanding.
Expert Psychotherapeutic Interventions
Social media Usage Disorder is treated using evidence-based therapies such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – to reshape thought patterns and screen behaviors
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy – to boost internal drive for change
- Digital Detox Planning – with structured, realistic screen reduction
- Self-esteem and body image therapy – especially for adolescents
- Emotional regulation and stress management training
- Family-based behavioral planning and parental coaching
The goal is not to eliminate social media entirely — but to help children use it consciously and in balance.
Careful, Judicious Use of Medications
If social media overuse is linked to:
- Severe anxiety
- Depression or sleep disturbances
- Impulse control issues (e.g., ADHD)
Dr. Ganesan may recommend short-term medication support, always combined with therapy and close monitoring.
Lifestyle Coaching and Digital Well-being
Children are guided to:
- Rebuild daily routines without constant device access
- Engage in offline hobbies, friendships, and physical activity
- Learn relaxation techniques like mindfulness and journaling
- Balance screen use with creativity, movement, and rest
- Build digital literacy and self-worth beyond screens
Recovery empowers children to use technology — without letting it use them.
Supporting Families and Schools
Parents and caregivers are supported with:
- Screen-time boundary setting
- Tech-free routines and reward systems
- Managing digital conflict or withdrawal reactions
- Communication strategies that avoid control struggles
Dr. Ganesan also coordinates with schools to support:
- Screen regulation during classes
- Emotional safety in online peer dynamics
- Addressing cyberbullying and online peer pressure
Why Choose Dr. Sathiya Ganesan for Social Media Disorder Recovery?
With deep experience in child psychiatry and behavioral technology use, Dr. Sathiya Ganesan offers care that is:
- Developmentally sensitive and non-shaming
- Focused on connection, not control
- Integrated with therapy, family coaching, and digital literacy
- Designed to restore emotional balance, real-life focus, and self-worth
He helps children and families move from digital distraction to meaningful reconnection.
Take Back Control From the Scroll
If your child feels consumed by social media, there is help. Contact Dr. Sathiya Ganesan today to begin a recovery plan that restores focus, confidence, and connection beyond the screen.
How is social media Usage Disorder different from regular use?
The Social media Usage Disorder involves loss of control, emotional dependence, and harm to school, sleep, or mental health — not just high usage.
Will I need to completely ban social media?
No. Dr. Ganesan promotes mindful, balanced use — not total elimination — based on age and readiness.
Can therapy really change social media habits?
Yes. With consistent therapy, habit loops can be broken, and healthier coping mechanisms can replace compulsive behaviors.
What age is most affected by social media Usage Disorder?
Tweens and teens (ages 10–18) are most vulnerable due to emotional sensitivity, peer influence, and brain development.
What if my child gets angry when I limit their screen time?
That’s common. Dr. Ganesan helps parents manage resistance calmly, build routines, and restore tech harmony at home.
