Depression is on the rise in kids—but the signs are hard to recognize

In another study, Twenge reported teens who used devices in excess of three hours a day were 35 percent more likely to have at least one suicide risk factor. There’s a dearth of research on kids under 12. But the average child receives their first cellphone at age 10, nearly half of kids under nine have their own tablet and most toddlers know how to navigate their parents’ devices—it’s likely issues could be developing earlier.

Twenge theorizes the problem isn’t technology itself but the decrease in in-person interactions that occur when kids communicate via texts or Snapchat. The lack of face-to-face communication could be affecting the core connections that used to protect kids’ mental health. Miller agrees. “Both kids and parents are spending a lot of individual time on their devices and less time with each other,” she says. “Parents can do so much to help their kids, and it’s not fancy—it’s just the basic connections.”

There are also biological reasons screens may be affecting kids’ moods. “Having a device in your bedroom at night that interrupts your sleep can really wreak havoc on moods,” Miller says. “Sleep deprivation can cause depression, and most kids and teens need much more sleep than we think.” (Six- to 12-year-olds need nine to 12 hours a day, while teens need eight to 10.) What’s more, the apps they’re using could be creating the unhealthy habits of continually comparing their lives to the perfect ones they see on Instagram. “There’s this constant social world of their friends texting each other, and they don’t want to miss out,” says Miller.

Suzi has tried to ease the burden of social media in Nicholas’s life by monitoring his accounts and ensuring his Facebook “friends” are actually friends. “He had a situation where a kid sent him a rude message. So we went through Facebook with him and we took off everyone who wasn’t really his friend.” When Amy is going through a crisis, her mom says taking away her phone just sends her further down the spiral of despair. “So I don’t take her phone away, but I’ve said to her, ‘Why don’t you put it on airplane mode, just for a couple of hours?’” says Sarah.