Social Media and Mental Health

Social Media and Mental Health

As a society, we know that social media and technology use is rapidly growing and becoming more and more accessible to many individuals. But, what does this mean for youth? This blog post will provide insights as to how much time youth are spending on social media, how this may impact them, and what parents, caregivers, and families can do to help navigate social media use.

Are Children and Adolescents Using Social Media Often?

Yes, although statistics tend to vary! For instance, one source found that 90% of teens between the ages of 13-17 reported using social media, with 75% having at least one active social media profile [1]. Further, two thirds of adolescents reported having their own mobile device that has access to the internet [1]. Another source reported that 7/10 youth between the ages of 7 - 17 reported using social media [2]. 

In addition, 51% of youth reported using a social media site at least once in a day [1], while another source found that 82% of teens access social media daily [2]. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), teens in the United States spend an average of 4.8 hours per day on social media apps [3]. 37% of teens reported spending more than 5 hours a day on social media [3]. As we can see, children and adolescents are spending a lot of time using social media each day! So, what does this mean?

How Does Social Media Impact Mental Health in Children and Teens?

Various studies have been conducted exploring the effects that social media has on the mental health of youth. Overall, results appear to be inconsistent!

For example, one study found that prolonged use of social media may be associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress [4]. However, although there is a stronger association between social media use and depression, results have varied [5]. Specifically, time spent on social media can certainly increase the risk of self-harm and loneliness; other studies have found that there is little increase in harm with more social media use [6]. Other studies have found that social media use is connected with poorer mental health [7] and an increased risk of internalizing (i.e., anxiety) and externalizing (i.e., aggression) difficulties [8]. Social media has also been found to be associated with body image issues and disordered eating [9]. Using social media at bedtime tends to be associated with poor sleep quality and not feeling well-rested during the day [11]. 

Conversely, those who are socially isolated or marginalized may even benefit from using social media [6]. Although social media use is associated with symptoms of depression, it can also be associated with greater perceived social support [10]. As we can see, there appear to be pros and cons to social media and technology use!

So….Now What?

Given that social media use certainly has benefits and drawbacks, it is important to figure out what works best for you and your family in terms of social media and technology use. It is crucial to have a balance between using social media and connecting digitally with others while also ensuring in-person connection and time spent away from devices. As a family, try setting a consistent technology routine and set clear expectations and boundaries around social media and technology use. Families can also try limiting time spent on phones/apps in the settings on each phone/device. Parents can model positive social media use and a healthy balance between using technology and spending time away from all devices.

Some tips to manage social media use in the family include [12]:

Conclusion

Overall, social media can be both beneficial for our mental health (e.g., social support) but it can also hinder it (e.g., comparison, loneliness). What is important is to maintain balance when using social media and technology. We want to ensure our youth feel connected to those around them, but we want to ensure that this connection is not purely digital. It is crucial to spend time away from screens so we can encourage our youth to be independent, creative, and not rely on technology everyday. Consider talking with your children about the benefits and drawbacks of social media and the importance of being careful and taking precautions when using social media and technology. 

If you have concerns about your child’s mental health and social media use or screentime, please don’t hesitate to contact info@highpointpsychology.com to be connected with one of our clinicians.

References

[1] American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2018). Social media and teens. Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Social-Media-and-Teens-100.aspx#:~:text=Surveys%20show%20that%20ninety%20percent,mobile%20devices%20with%20internet%20capabilities

[2] Summerfield, P. (2023). How Canada’s youth are using social media. Media in Canada. Retrieved from https://mediaincanada.com/2023/07/14/how-canadas-youth-are-using-social-media/

[3] DeAngelis, T. (2024). Teens are spending nearly 5 hours daily on social media. Here are the mental health outcomes. American Psychological Association, 55(3), 80. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/04/teen-social-use-mental-health

[4] O’Reilly, M., Dogra, N., Whiteman, N., Hughes, J., Eruyar, S., & Reilly, P. (2018). Is social media bad for mental health and wellbeing? Exploring the perspectives of adolescents. 

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 23(4), 601–613. doi: 10.1177/1359104518775154

[5] Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukophadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox: a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53(9), 1017–1031. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.53.9.1017

[6] Berryman, C., Ferguson, C. J., & Negy, C. (2018). Social media use and mental health among young adults. The Psychiatric Quarterly, 89(2):307–314. doi: 10.1007/s11126-017-9535-6

[7] Przybylski, A. K., Orben, A., & Weinstein, N. (2020). How much is too much? Examining the relationship between digital screen engagement and psychosocial functioning in a confirmatory cohort study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(9), 1080–1088. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.06.017

[8] Riehm, K. E., Feder, K. A., Tormohlen, K. N., Crum, R. M., Young, A. S., Green, K. M., Pacek, L. R., La Flair, L. N., & Mojtabai, R. (2019). Associations Between Time Spent Using Social Media and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among US Youth. JAMA psychiatry, 76(12), 1266–1273.doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.2325

[9] Holland, G., & Tiggemann, M. (2016). A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes. Body image, 17, 100–110. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.02.008

[10] Nesi, J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2015). Using Social Media for Social Comparison and Feedback-Seeking: Gender and Popularity Moderate Associations with Depressive Symptoms. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 43(8), 1427–1438. doi: 10.1007/s10802-015-0020-0.

[11] Carter, B., Rees, P., Hale, L., Bhattacharjee, D., & Paradkar, M. S. (2016). Association Between Portable Screen-Based Media Device Access or Use and Sleep Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA pediatrics, 170(12), 1202–1208. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.2341

[12] American Academy of Pediatrics. (2025). Tips to manage social media use for teens. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/qa-portal/qa-portal-library/qa-portal-library-questions/tips-to-manage-social-media-use-for-teens/?srsltid=AfmBOop6aSgyTbh-XbXgppk67FdxocOwx41CFOSofJMAJ9whBBEbQnKd

Blog post written by Kassandra Burk and reviewed by Dr. Andrea Stelnicki.

The information contained in this blog post is based on a narrative review of available literature. Some studies may have been unintentionally omitted. You are advised to speak with a healthcare professional to determine if the information is appropriate to your specific circumstances.