Social media can help people stay connected, but heavy use is linked to anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and unhealthy comparison, especially in teens. Effects vary by person and how it is used.
Possible benefits
Staying in touch with friends, finding communities and support, access to information.
Risks
- Studies link heavy use (over 3 hours a day) to double the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms in teens (JAMA Psychiatry, 2019).
- Sleep disruption.
- Social comparison and body image issues.
- Cyberbullying.
US Surgeon General
In 2023, the Surgeon General issued an advisory saying social media can pose a risk of harm to youth and called for more research.
Correlation
Research shows association, not always causation.
Tips
- Set time limits.
- Turn off notifications.
- Follow accounts that make you feel good.
- Take breaks.
Get help
If social media harms your mood, talk to a professional.
Possible benefits
Social media can help people stay connected with friends and family, find support communities (especially for isolated or marginalized groups), learn, and express themselves. Studies show some teens report that social media helps them feel more accepted and supported. About 58% of teens in a Pew Research survey said it makes them feel more connected to friends’ lives.
Risks
- Time and sleep: heavy use displaces sleep. Teens who use screens at night sleep less.
- Social comparison and body image: Instagram internal research reported in 2021 found that about one in three teen girls said the app made body image issues worse.
- Cyberbullying: about 46% of US teens aged 13 to 17 have experienced online harassment, according to Pew in 2022.
- Fear of missing out and anxious checking.
- Links to depression and anxiety, especially with heavy use of 3 hours or more a day. A 2019 JAMA Psychiatry study of adolescents found that those using social media more than 3 hours a day had double the risk of poor mental health outcomes.
- Exposure to harmful content about self-harm and eating disorders.
- Addictive design, such as infinite scroll and notifications.
US Surgeon General
In May 2023, the US Surgeon General issued an advisory saying that there is not enough evidence to show that social media is safe for children and teens, and calling for action by policymakers and tech companies. He noted that up to 95% of youth aged 13 to 17 use social media and over a third say they use it “almost constantly.”
Correlation and cause
Many studies show a link between heavy use and poor mental health, but cause and effect are not clear. Struggling teens may turn to social media more. Experimental studies, such as one at the University of Pennsylvania in 2018, found that limiting use to 30 minutes a day reduced loneliness and depression in undergraduates over three weeks. Effects differ by person, content and type of use, with passive scrolling linked to worse outcomes than active communication.
Tips
- Set daily time limits and use app timers.
- Turn off notifications and keep phones out of the bedroom at night.
- Curate your feed, unfollow accounts that make you feel bad.
- Schedule phone-free time, such as during meals.
- Talk openly with children, and use parental controls.
- Take breaks, and notice how you feel after using each app.
Get help
If social media use is harming your mood, sleep or relationships, talk to a doctor or counselor. In the US, call or text 988 for crisis support.
Research findings and numbers
A 2023 US Surgeon General advisory said that while social media can offer benefits, there is not enough evidence to conclude that it is safe for children and adolescents. It noted that teens who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, and that nearly 95 percent of teens aged 13 to 17 use social media, with about a third using it almost constantly. The Pew Research Center found 46 percent of teens say they are online almost constantly. Studies link heavy use to poor sleep, body image concerns and cyberbullying. Positive effects include social connection and support communities. Experts suggest keeping phones out of bedrooms, setting daily limits and turning off notifications. Research is mostly correlational, so it is hard to prove causation. In the US, the 988 Lifeline offers free support by call or text at any time.
Based on data from the US Surgeon General and Pew Research Center
