The project selfCTRL – Digital wellness for youth was implemented to respond to a growing need among young people: learning how to use social media and digital platforms in a healthier, more conscious and more balanced way. Social media is deeply connected to young people’s everyday lives and influences how they communicate, learn, relax, compare themselves with others, express their identity and build relationships. At the same time, many young people experience digital stress, emotional overload, pressure to be constantly available online, fear of missing out, cyberbullying, unhealthy comparison, reduced attention and difficulties in setting boundaries with digital platforms. The main objective of the project was to promote balanced and healthy use of social media among young people by strengthening their digital well-being skills. Through a six-day Erasmus+ youth exchange in Krushevo, North Macedonia, the project brought together young people from North Macedonia, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria to explore the connection between social media, mental health, self-image, emotions, relationships and everyday routines. The project was designed not only to provide information, but also to create a safe and youth-friendly learning space where participants could reflect on their own digital habits, share personal experiences, learn from peers and develop practical strategies for improving their digital well-being. A key objective was to help participants better understand how the digital environment affects their mental well-being. During the exchange, participants discussed how social media can influence mood, confidence, sleep, concentration, communication, social comparison and the feeling of belonging. Through non-formal education methods, group discussions, personal reflection and interactive activities, they explored both the positive and negative effects of digital platforms. In this way, the project encouraged critical thinking and helped participants understand that digital well-being is an important part of overall mental health. Another objective was to support young people in moving from awareness to practical change. Participants reflected on their own online routines, automatic phone use, emotional triggers connected to scrolling, posting, checking notifications or comparing themselves with others, and the moments when online activity stops being useful or healthy. They explored practical strategies such as taking intentional digital breaks, setting time boundaries, reducing exposure to harmful content, curating their online environment, protecting sleep from excessive screen use and creating healthier digital routines. The project promoted balance rather than restriction and encouraged participants to build a more mindful relationship with technology. The project also aimed to develop participants’ facilitation and peer education skills, so they could become multipliers of digital well-being in their communities. This objective was implemented in a very practical way. After learning about social media and mental health, participants worked in international teams to prepare educational workshops on digital well-being. They developed workshop concepts, selected key messages, divided roles and planned interactive activities suitable for high school students. Afterwards, the group was divided into two: half of the participants went to a high school in Krushevo, while the other half went to a high school in Prilep, where they implemented the prepared workshops with local students. This gave participants the opportunity to test their facilitation skills in a real school setting and to directly share what they had learned with other young people. The project also had an important intercultural objective. By bringing together young people from five countries, selfCTRL created a space for participants to compare experiences, learn from different realities and recognise that many challenges related to digital life are shared by young people across Europe. From the first day, the exchange focused on building trust, respect, inclusion, confidentiality and openness, which was especially important because the topic included sensitive issues such as anxiety, pressure, comparison and emotional overload.