Social media algorithms are promoting increasingly negatively-charged content, leaving many teenagers exposed to toxic online culture, unrealistic gender standards and distressing material.
Content on social media platforms takes advantage of children's normal curiosities, child and adolescent psychologist Breanna Jayne Sada told AAP.
"It's developmentally appropriate to be curious … but the way the social media algorithm works is that there is extreme content being presented around toxic masculinity culture," she said.
"Boys in particular may not be looking for this kind of content but it is often served to them and if children are rapidly exposed to this it becomes normalised."
Melbourne mum-of-two Deb, who preferred not to provide her last name for privacy reasons, said she and her husband had tried to minimise their sons' exposure to social media.
"We tell the kids it's poison for their brains and have pointed out changes in their behaviour to them after screen time," she told AAP.
"It's about being mindful of what they are exposed to and how long they are exposed for and it's really important for us to have open communication with our sons.
"They need to feel safe with us so that if they see something distressing they can discuss it with us, without feeling they will get in trouble."
Deb models emotional regulation by journalling and encourages her boys, aged 11 and 8, to pick up the habit for their own mental health.
"It's important to try and lead by example as parents and make sure we try to regulate ourselves so they can understand better ways to cope with situations when they arise," she said.
"If (the boys) are stuck to find the words to explain something out loud, I encourage them to write it down."
In December, Australia's world-leading under-16s social media ban will come into force and require social media companies to take reasonable steps to ensure underage users aren't able to access their platforms.
Companies will face fines of up to $50 million if they don't comply.
The age restrictions are likely to apply to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, among other platforms.
But Dr Sada said the ban was rather a delay, as teenagers would ultimately have access to social media platforms from 16 years and would still need to be taught the skills to navigate them.
"The delay is a positive step, but it has to be backed by impulse control and emotional regulation tools and the platforms also need to be held responsible for the content accessible because that's not going to change even with the ban," she said.
"Emotions and mental health shouldn't be taboo topics and parents of boys can often be dismissive and teach them to sweep things under the rug."
Dr Sada is an ambassador for Jumble & Co, a company that has created a journal collection in collaboration with Lifeline to support youth mental health.
"A great way to get kids off tech is through journalling, writing things down and getting it out of our conscious and looking at it from a different perspective," she said.
"Reflective practice through journalling about what is going on in your life is really helpful for mental health."
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Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
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