SR0882 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0882 LRB103 39723 ECR 70173 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Research demonstrates that social media use has detrimental effects on children and adolescents; often, social media use has been found to exacerbate existing mental health disorders and even cause mental health problems in children, adolescents, and young adults; and

WHEREAS, The National Center for Health Statistics found suicide rates among youth aged 10 to 24 in the United States increased by 57% between 2017 and 2018, and early estimates suggest there were tragically more than 6,600 deaths by suicide among the 10 to 24 age group in 2020; and

WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported suicide as the second leading cause of death for people aged 10 to 14 and 20 to 34; and

WHEREAS, Since the COVID-19 pandemic, these trends have escalated with emergency room visits for suicide attempts specifically among girls between the ages of 12 and 17 increasing by 26% during the summer of 2020 and 50% during the winter of 2021; and

WHEREAS, According to the Pew Research Center, most adolescents and young adults use social media, with 35% reporting they use at least one social media platform almost constantly, 54% saying it is difficult to give up social media, and 36% admitting to spending excessive time on it; and

WHEREAS, The 2023 U.S. Surgeon General Advisory found, during crucial periods of adolescent brain development, social media use is predictive of decreases in life satisfaction as well as additional concerns around body image, problems with sleep, and other issues; and

WHEREAS, One study found that the users who spend the most time on social media are 1.66 times more likely to be depressed in comparison to those who use it the least; and

WHEREAS, Too much time spent on social media apps can lead to an increase in body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and low self-esteem, and these negative effects are not limited to teenage girls; reports reveal that 46% of all teenagers aged 13 to 17 expressed that social media made them feel worse about their bodies; and

WHEREAS, Social media users may also fall victim to cyberbullying; those who have experienced cybervictimization were 2.35 times more likely to self-harm, 2.10 times more likely to exhibit suicidal behaviors, 2.57 times more likely to attempt suicide, and 2.15 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts; and

WHEREAS, A recent study from the American Psychological Association found that young adults who reduced their social media screen time by 50% for just a few weeks saw significant improvements in how they viewed their weight and overall appearance; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 17, 2024 as Take A Break From Social Media Day in the State of Illinois.