Social media overuse blamed for big increase in teenage anxiety

If you'd mentioned Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp or Facebook to a teenager 10 years ago, you'd probably have been met with a blank look. But for many of today's teenagers, and some younger children, these sites have become an essential part of daily life.

Abby is typical of a generation in which most teenagers - and many younger children - own a smartphone, and most use social media sites frequently.

But what happens if young people become addicted to these sites?

In 2015, the Office for National Statistics found that children who spend three or more hours per school day on social media sites are more than twice as likely to suffer from poor mental health.

ITV News spoke to 'Sarah' (not her real name). From the age of 12, social media slowly began to take over her life:

Sarah eventually overcome her addiction with the aid of one-to-one counselling. According to Teens in Crisis, the Forest of Dean charity that helped Sarah, hers is not an unusual case:

If your teenager is struggling to manage their social media use, Teens in Crisis has put together five top tips.

Watch them here:

ITV West Country has spoken to local school pupils aged 11-15 to find out about their experiences of social media.

Watch the full report below, including our interview with Sarah: