TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News)— New numbers from CVS show that mental health concerns have continued to rise dramatically since 2020.

The latest numbers show that two-thirds of adults have mental health concerns for themselves, their friends and their family. That’s up 6% from 2022 and 15% since 2020.

There are several reasons why most people are struggling even more right now, but probably the biggest is social media. With a lot going on in the world right now, those sites can be tough to get away from.

If you find social media affects your mental health, then here are some ways you don’t do what’s called doom-scrolling or spending a lot of time on your phone.

Set a timer and stick to it. When that alarm goes off, you should go outside or do something else to give your mind a break. Turn off your notifications, and pay attention to how these sites make you feel.

It’s also really important to teach your kids these steps while young. Psychiatrists suggest having difficult conversations with them about what they view and how it impacts them.

”It is really important to be that good example for your children so they see what healthy social media use looks like,” Associate Vice President and Deputy Chief Psychiatric Officer for CVS Health Deborah Fernandez-Turner said. “One of the best skills we can give our children at this point is exactly that, how do you engage with social media in a healthy way and how do you have it serve you rather than letting it take over, which is a really common thing that can happen, especially for kids.”

It’s not all bad, though; social media also has a lot of resources to help you. This is a time when mental health is being talked about more than ever before. There are therapists and psychiatrists to help you and apps on your phone if that works better for you.

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