does social media cause depression argumentative essay

Social media is not to blame for depression in young people

Lecturer in Mental Health, King's College London

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For all we hear about an escalation in mental health problems in adolescence, there is no persuasive evidence that the internet is to blame. My colleagues and I recently conducted a systematic review of the evidence and found only a weak correlation between teenagers’ use of social media and depression.

After its launch in 2004, the social networking website Facebook rapidly expanded to global coverage. Since the advent of smartphones, instant messaging sites such as WhatsApp have become the most popular means of communication for younger people, who spend much of their lives fixated on digital devices, oblivious to everything around them. Some experts believe that this immersion in cyberspace has negative psychological and social effects, and news reports and opinion pieces in newspapers often portray the internet as a danger to the young.

We examined research measuring social media use and depression in young people up to 18 years of age. Eleven studies, with a total of 12,646 participants, were included. Overall, we found a small but statistically significant relationship between online social interaction and depressed mood.

A weakness of the reviewed studies was reliance on the participants’ self-reporting of internet use. Although symptoms were measured by validated psychological questionnaires, depression was not formally diagnosed in any of the studies. More fundamentally, the studies could not determine whether the mood problem was cause or effect. Data from some studies indicated that psychologically vulnerable young people are more likely to turn to the internet for social support. So depression may be a contributory factor rather than a consequence of social media use.

The results of our review neither negate the concerns of sociologists, psychologists and neuroscientists on the impact of the internet on social and cognitive development, nor do we disregard problematic use. Previous research has found that young people who display impulsive and addictive behaviour are more likely to share sexual images of themselves and are at greater risk of being bullied online.

The internet offers tremendous opportunities for social interaction, but constant connection, superficial exchange and a perpetual quest for “likes” do not nurture deep thinking, creativity and empathy. Parents should be alert to excessive internet use by a son or daughter, as this could be a sign of distress . A teenager with low self-esteem needs emotional support and won’t necessarily get this from online contacts.

New technology, new panic

There are hints of moral panic in the notion of a mental health epidemic in young people, and the supposed harmfulness of the internet. Reactions to transformative new technology are understandable but often exaggerated. In the 19th century many people were diagnosed with “railway sickness” , a type of neurosis attributed to the unnatural motions of train travel. Adolescence has always been a challenging stage of life, but the rising incidence of depression may be due to greater mental health awareness and changes in diagnostic practice . Our findings do not show that young people become depressed as a direct result of engaging in social media.

For further research, we recommend studies that follow younger people over a long period of time (longitudinal cohort studies). Intensive long-term observation would reveal changing patterns of social media use from childhood to adolescence. Repeated measurement of stress and mental health is crucial, but researchers should not rely on numerical data alone. We suggest integration of quantitative and qualitative methods, with interviews enabling young people to describe their experiences in their own words, potentially revealing links between social media activity and mental state.

Social media seems destined to dominate people’s lives for the foreseeable future. Yet the popularity of Facebook is declining among teenagers . There are also signs of people reverting from digital to analogue media (such as books and vinyl records). The internet is constantly evolving, and young people are adaptable to technological change. Social network and instant messaging sites are the medium, but not the message.

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Does Social Media Cause Depression?

The answer’s not black-and-white

By Jade Wu Savvy Psychologist

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Is there a link between social media and depression? Do Facebook and Instagram have a negative impact on your mental health? It’s complicated.

Sometimes, scrolling through Instagram just makes you feel bad. You try not to envy your friends, but they always seem to be traveling somewhere cool, eating something fancy, or looking cute in perfect just-rolled-out-of-bed hair.

On the other hand, there are times when you laugh at funny memes, catch up with old friends, and feel happy to belong to fun social media communities. Clearly, social media isn’t all bad.

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Does social media cause depression? Is it bad for your mental health?

People are increasingly opinionated about the potential problems of social media. Things like cyberbullying, screen addiction, and being exposed to endless filtered images that make it impossible not to make comparisons between yourself and others often make the news.

In July, a big study came out in the uber-prestigious journal JAMA. It was titled “ Association of Screen Time and Depression in Adolescence .” This big headline seemed to confirm what a lot of people have been saying—that screen time is horrible for young people.

The study followed over 3800 adolescents over four years as part of a drug and alcohol prevention program. Part of what the investigators measured was the teens’ amount of screen time, including time spent on social media, as well as their levels of depression symptoms. One of their main findings was that higher amounts of social media use were associated with higher levels of depression. That was true both when the researches compared between people and compared each person against their own mental health over time.

Case closed? Not so fast. Before we end the debate once and for all, let’s take a closer look at this and other studies. Let’s ask ourselves: What exactly is the relationship between social media use and depression? It turns out there are several caveats.

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How Does Social Media Play a Role in Depression?

Nadra Nittle is a journalist who has written articles in publications including NBC News, The Guardian, Vox, and Civil Eats.

Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

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What to Know About Clinical Depression

Causation or correlation.

• Less Social Media, Less FOMO

Why Young People Are at Risk

• Bad News and ‘Doomscrolling’

Safely Using Social Media

By some estimates, roughly 4 billion people across the world use networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This usage has prompted mental health experts to investigate whether the enormous popularity of social media plays a role in depression.

Research suggests that people who limit their time on social media tend to be happier than those who don’t. Studies also indicate that social media may trigger an array of negative emotions in users that contribute to or worsen their depression symptoms.

U.S. Surgeon General Warning

In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory to call attention to the effects of social media on youth mental health. He notes that at crucial periods of adolescent brain development, social media use is predictive of decreases in life satisfaction, as well as additional concerns around body image, sleep issues, and much more.

Given that essentially all adolescents are now using social media in some form, he stresses the importance of further research.

Clinical depression or major depressive disorder is a mood disorder characterized by ongoing feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities that an individual once enjoyed.

Depression can be mild or severe and make it difficult for those with the condition to concentrate, sleep or eat well, make decisions, or complete their normal routines.

People with depression may contemplate death or suicide, feel worthless, develop anxiety or have physical symptoms such as fatigue or headaches. Psychotherapy and medication are some of the treatments for depression. Limiting time on social media and prioritizing real-world connections can be beneficial to mental health.

The Facts on Social Media and Depression

• Social media has never been more popular, with more than half of the world's population active on these networking sites that roll out nonstop news, much of it negative.
• A Lancet study publbished in 2018 found that people who check Facebook late at night were more likely to feel depressed and unhappy.
• Another 2018 study found that the less time people spend on social media, the less symptoms of depression and loneliness they felt.
• A 2015 study found that Facebook users who felt envy while on the networking site were more likely to develop symptoms of depression.

Some studies about social media and mental health reveal that there’s a correlation between networking sites and depression. Other research goes a step further, finding that social media may very well cause depression. A landmark study—“No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression”—was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology in 2018.

The study found that the less people used social media, the less depressed and lonely they felt.

This indicates a relationship between lower social media use and emotional wellbeing. According to the researchers, the study marked the first time scientific research established a causal link between these variables.

“Prior to this, all we could say was that there is an association between using social media and having poor outcomes with wellbeing,” said study coauthor Jordyn Young in a statement.

To establish the link between social media and depression, the researchers assigned 143 University of Pennsylvania students to two groups: one could use social media with no restrictions, while the second group had their social media access limited to just 30 minutes on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat combined over a three-week period.

Each study participant used iPhones to access social media and the researchers monitored their phone data to ensure compliance. The group with restricted social media access reported lower severity of depression and loneliness than they had at the beginning of the study.

Both groups reported a drop in anxiety and fear of missing out (FOMO), apparently because joining the study made even the group with unrestricted access to social media more cognizant of how much time they were spending on it.

Less Social Media, Less FOMO 

It’s not certain why participants who only spent 30 minutes daily on social media experienced less depression, but researchers suggest that these young people were spared from looking at content—such as a friend’s beach vacation, grad school acceptance letter, or happy family—that might make them feel bad about themselves.

Taking in the photos or posts of people with seemingly “perfect” lives can make social media users feel like they just don’t measure up. A 2015 University of Missouri study found that regular Facebook users were more likely to develop depression if they felt feelings of envy on the networking site.

Social media can also give users a case of FOMO, for example, if they were invited on their friend’s beach vacation but couldn’t go for some reason. Or if the friend didn’t ask them on the trip at all, users might feel hurt and left out to see that others in their social circle were. It can lead them to question their friendships or their own self-worth.

Social media users who visit an ex’s social media page and see pictures of their former partner wining and dining a new love interest can also experience FOMO. They might wonder why their ex never took them to such fancy restaurants or lavished them with gifts.

Ultimately, limiting one’s time on social media can mean less time spent comparing oneself to others. This can extend to not thinking badly of oneself and developing the symptoms that contribute to depression.

Prior to social media and the internet, children only had to worry about bullying on school grounds, for the most part. But social media has given bullies a new way to torment their victims.

With just one click, bullies can circulate a video of their target being ridiculed, beaten up, or otherwise humiliated. People can swarm a peer’s social media page, leaving negative comments or spreading misinformation. In some cases, victims of bullying have committed suicide.

While many schools have anti-bullying policies and rules about online student conduct, it can still be difficult for educators and parents to monitor abusive behavior on social media.

Worsening matters is that the victims of bullies often fear that the bullying will increase if they speak to a parent, teacher, or administrator about their mistreatment. This can make a child feel even more isolated and go without the emotional support they need to handle a toxic and potentially volatile situation. 

If you or someone you care about is having suicidal thoughts, contact the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see our  National Helpline Database .

Bad News and ‘Doomscrolling’ 

One in five Americans now get their news from social media—a larger proportion than those who get their news from traditional print media.

For heavy social media users, people who log in for multiple hours at a time or multiple times a day, this means frequent exposure news, including bad news. Headlines related to natural disasters, terrorist attacks, political strife, and celebrity deaths frequently top lists of social media trends.

Before the advent of social media and the internet generally, one’s exposure to bad news was limited. The public got news from broadcasts that aired at certain times of the day or from newspapers.

The habit of binging bad news on social media sites or elsewhere online is known as “doomscrolling,” and it can adversely affect one’s mental health, leading to development or heightening of anxiety or depression symptoms. 

A 2018 Lancet Psychiatry study of 91,005 people found that those who logged onto Facebook before bedtime were 6% likelier to have major depressive disorder and rated their happiness level 9% lower than those with better sleep hygiene did.

Psychologist Amelia Aldao told NPR that doomscrolling locks the public into a “vicious cycle of negativity.” The cycle continues because “our minds are wired to look out for threats,” she said. “The more time we spend scrolling, the more we find those dangers, the more we get sucked into them, the more anxious we get.” Before long, the world appears to be an altogether gloomy place, making doomscrollers feel increasingly hopeless.

Press Play for Advice On Limiting Social Media Use

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Using social media comes with mental health risks, but that doesn’t mean it should be completely avoided. Experts recommend using these networking websites in moderation.

Set a timer when you’re on social media or install an app on your phone or computer that tracks how long you’ve spent on a networking site.

Without these timers or apps, it’s easy to spend hours on social media before you know it. To limit your time on social media, you can also plan real-world activities that help you focus on your immediate surroundings and circumstances. Read a book, watch a movie, go for a stroll, play a game, bake some bread, or have a phone conversation with a friend. Make the time to enjoy life offline.  

Kemp S. More than half of the people on Earth now use social media .

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Garcia-Navarro L. National Public Radio. Your 'doomscrolling' breeds anxiety. Here's how to stop the cycle .

By Nadra Nittle Nadra Nittle is a Los Angeles-based journalist and author. She has covered a wide range of topics, including health, education, race, consumerism, food, and public policy, throughout her career.  

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• Published: 06 July 2023

Pros & cons: impacts of social media on mental health

• Ágnes Zsila 1 , 2 &
• Marc Eric S. Reyes   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5280-1315 3  

BMC Psychology volume  11 , Article number:  201 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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The use of social media significantly impacts mental health. It can enhance connection, increase self-esteem, and improve a sense of belonging. But it can also lead to tremendous stress, pressure to compare oneself to others, and increased sadness and isolation. Mindful use is essential to social media consumption.

Social media has become integral to our daily routines: we interact with family members and friends, accept invitations to public events, and join online communities to meet people who share similar preferences using these platforms. Social media has opened a new avenue for social experiences since the early 2000s, extending the possibilities for communication. According to recent research [ 1 ], people spend 2.3 h daily on social media. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have become increasingly popular among youth in 2022, and one-third think they spend too much time on these platforms [ 2 ]. The considerable time people spend on social media worldwide has directed researchers’ attention toward the potential benefits and risks. Research shows excessive use is mainly associated with lower psychological well-being [ 3 ]. However, findings also suggest that the quality rather than the quantity of social media use can determine whether the experience will enhance or deteriorate the user’s mental health [ 4 ]. In this collection, we will explore the impact of social media use on mental health by providing comprehensive research perspectives on positive and negative effects.

Social media can provide opportunities to enhance the mental health of users by facilitating social connections and peer support [ 5 ]. Indeed, online communities can provide a space for discussions regarding health conditions, adverse life events, or everyday challenges, which may decrease the sense of stigmatization and increase belongingness and perceived emotional support. Mutual friendships, rewarding social interactions, and humor on social media also reduced stress during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 4 ].

On the other hand, several studies have pointed out the potentially detrimental effects of social media use on mental health. Concerns have been raised that social media may lead to body image dissatisfaction [ 6 ], increase the risk of addiction and cyberbullying involvement [ 5 ], contribute to phubbing behaviors [ 7 ], and negatively affects mood [ 8 ]. Excessive use has increased loneliness, fear of missing out, and decreased subjective well-being and life satisfaction [ 8 ]. Users at risk of social media addiction often report depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem [ 9 ].

Overall, findings regarding the impact of social media on mental health pointed out some essential resources for psychological well-being through rewarding online social interactions. However, there is a need to raise awareness about the possible risks associated with excessive use, which can negatively affect mental health and everyday functioning [ 9 ]. There is neither a negative nor positive consensus regarding the effects of social media on people. However, by teaching people social media literacy, we can maximize their chances of having balanced, safe, and meaningful experiences on these platforms [ 10 ].

We encourage researchers to submit their research articles and contribute to a more differentiated overview of the impact of social media on mental health. BMC Psychology welcomes submissions to its new collection, which promises to present the latest findings in the emerging field of social media research. We seek research papers using qualitative and quantitative methods, focusing on social media users’ positive and negative aspects. We believe this collection will provide a more comprehensive picture of social media’s positive and negative effects on users’ mental health.

Data Availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

Ágnes Zsila was supported by the ÚNKP-22-4 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund.

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Loyola University > Center for Digital Ethics & Policy > Research & Initiatives > Essays > Archive > 2018 > The Role of Social Media in Adolescent/Teen Depression and Anxiety

The role of social media in adolescent/teen depression and anxiety, april 3, 2018.

The adolescent and teen years have always been a challenging time. Peer pressure, insecurity and hormones are just some of the issues facing those in these age groups. But does social media exacerbate these problems?

For example, researchers from the Alberta Teachers’ Association, the University of Alberta, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School released a  study  that found significant changes in students at every grade level as a result of digital technology. In the past three to five years, 90 percent of teachers at the University of Alberta saw increases in emotional challenges, 85 percent saw social challenges and 77 percent observed cognitive challenges. Also, 56 percent of teachers report an increase in the number of kids sharing stories about online harassment and/or cyberbullying. There are increases in other areas as well. The majority of teachers say there has been an increase in students diagnosed with the following conditions: anxiety disorders (85 percent), ADD and ADHD (75 percent), and such mood disorders as depression (73 percent).

Also, a recent  study  by researchers at the Royal Society for Public Health and Young Health Movement found that 91 percent of those between the ages of 16 and 24 said Instagram was the worst social media platform as it relates to mental health. Instagram was most likely to cause negative effects such as poor body image, fear of missing out and sleep deprivation. Snapchat came in second place, followed by Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The researchers theorize that Instagram and Snapchat are image-focused platforms and users compare themselves to others.

A  review  of 36 social media studies, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found that 23 percent of kids are victims of cyberbullying. The review also found that cyberbullying results in low self-esteem, depression, self-harm and behavioral problems — in both the victims and the bullies. In addition, cyberbullying was more likely to produce suicidal thoughts than traditional bullying.

Another  study , conducted by researchers at Glasgow University found that kids (some of whom were pre-teens) were on social media until the wee morning hours, and some were on more than one device (for example, a phone and a tablet) so they could simultaneously view multiple sites. These individuals reported lower sleep quality rates in addition to higher levels of depression and anxiety.

In a  survey  by the National Campaign to Support Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, almost 20 percent of teens admitted to participating in "sexting" or sending nude photos.

The pressure these adolescents and teens feel can be intensified by the time they get to college. Stanford University coined the phrase “ Duck syndrome ” to describe the erroneous attitude of incoming freshmen that they’re struggling while everyone else is gliding along smoothly — but in reality, the gliders are also “paddling furiously under the water just to keep up.” Adolescents and teens become accustomed to creating the impression that everything is perfect to match the equally perfect posts of their friends. But it becomes too difficult to maintain this façade, resulting in  suicide  among college students who appear to be well-adjusted, but are actually experiencing mental and emotional problems.

Another  report , published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, reveals that among young adults between the ages of 19 and 32, those with high social media usage (those logging on for more than 2 hours a day and checking their accounts 58 times a week) were more likely to deal with feelings of isolation than those with low social media use (they logged on for 30 minutes and checked their accounts 9 times a week). 

In light of these studies, who is responsible for the role of social media in adolescent/teen depression and anxiety?

Many tech leaders seem to understand the unhealthy, addictive nature of technology in general and social media in particular. As far back as 2010, New York Times reporter Nick Bilton  interviewed  the late Steve Jobs of Apple. Jobs told Bilton that he limited the amount of technology that his kids use. Bill Gates  shared  that he didn’t let his kids have mobile devices until they were 14 years old, and he sets a time for them to turn off the devices at night.  

Evan Williams, one of the founders of Twitter, Medium and Blogger, told Bilton that his kids read physical books instead of using iPads. Dick Costolo, former CEO of Twitter, told Bilton that his teenagers had to be in the living room when they used their tech devices.

But, perhaps the most shocking revelation came from Sean Parker, former president of Facebook, in an  interview  with Axios. Referring to Facebook, Parker said, “God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains.”

But there’s more. Parker also said, “ . . . How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible? . . . And that means that we need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while, because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever . . . And that's going to get you to contribute more content, and that's going to get you ... more likes and comments . . . It's a social-validation feedback loop ... exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you're exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology . . . The inventors, creators — it's me, it's Mark [Zuckerberg], it's Kevin Systrom on Instagram, it's all of these people — understood this consciously . . . And we did it anyway.”

So, if Parker confessed that social media was designed to be addictive, should social media companies be responsible for depression, anxiety, bullying and other issues among adolescents and teens?

Donna Shea, director of  The Peter Pan Center  for Social and Emotional Growth, and Nadine Briggs, director of  Simply Social Kids , are passionate about helping kids make and keep friends, and together have formed How to Make and Keep Friends, LLC. Shea and Briggs both lead community-based social groups at their centers in Massachusetts and have also formed the Social Success in School initiative. The two have also written several books for kids and teens, including, “Tips for Teens on Life and Social Success” .

Both Shea and Briggs believe that it is the job of parents to monitor their kid’s social media activity. “You wouldn’t allow your teen to put a lock on their bedroom door, but your teen is not only now interacting with peers at school or in your neighborhood, they are interacting with the entire world,” Shea said. “It is a parent’s job to be as involved in their teen’s online life as they are in their offline life.”

In fact, she is not in favor of giving adolescents and teens a phone as a gift. “Mobile devices belong to the parent and the teen is being  allowed  to use it,” Shea said. “A contract can be a useful tool before putting a device in the hands of your teen which would allow parents to have access to the phone.”

She believes that parents should monitor their adolescent/teen’s activity — and teens should know this is being done. “Parents do not need to be sneaky about that — tell your child to hand over the phone,” she said. Shea also recommends that parents use subscription services to view all of their teens’ activities. “Teens should be prepared to be monitored until they are of legal adult age,” she said.

However, Briggs admits that apps change so quickly that it’s almost impossible to keep up with them. “Other than doing your best to monitor your teen’s activity —  and it won’t be 100% effective - it’s important from the very beginning that you teach your child and teen to be good consumers of what is available to them,” Briggs said. “This is the new norm, and we think it’s the parent’s responsibility to be involved in their teen’s online life.”

She compares giving kids a phone or device to putting them behind the wheel of a car. “Both can be dangerous in their own way, but teens can learn the responsibilities that go along with these more adult activities.”

But, do parents bear sole responsibility? For example, everyone knows that tobacco is bad for your health, and people consume it willingly; however, they continue to sue and win lawsuits against tobacco companies. In 2014, one plaintiff was  awarded $23.6 billion  when her husband died of lung cancer as a result of smoking up to three packs of cigarettes a day. He started smoking at the age of 13 and died at the age of 36. The plaintiff (his widow) argued that the tobacco company willfully deceived consumers with addictive products.

How is this scenario different from what social media companies are doing? And speaking of willful deception, what about companies that make  secretive apps  that allow teens to hide their sexting?

If someone trips and falls on your property, you could be sued. If someone gets harmed at your nightclub, you could be held liable for not having “adequate security.” If one of your employees sexually harasses a colleague, you would be held responsible — even if you didn’t know about it. If you sell alcohol, you’re responsible for making sure it doesn’t get into the hands of a minor. In fact, according to the Dram Shop Law, if you let an adult have too many drinks and this individual is involved in an accident, you could be responsible.

However, if kids become addicted to a communication platform that was designed to be addictive, if they’re bullied online, if there are no safeguards to stop them from utilizing the types of secretive apps that encourage risky behavior, shouldn’t these companies be held responsible?

I think they should be, but this is not likely to happen until society holds them responsible. Since most adults are also addicted to social media — and some of them are internet bullies and engage in sexting, it seems unlikely that they would advocate for changes.

In the aforementioned study by the Royal Society for Public Health and Young Health Movement, researchers offered several ways to reduce some of the problems adolescents and teens face online. For example, one of the reasons kids feel so much pressure to look perfect is because of the doctored photos they see. The researchers recommend that social media companies include some sort of notification, such as a watermark, when photos have been digitally manipulated (68 percent of surveyed students support this action).

Another suggestion is to create a social media cap. Users would be logged out if they went over a pre-determined usage level (30 percent of surveyed students agree with this suggestion).

The majority of surveyed students (84 percent) approve of schools having classes on safe social media. 

Another suggestion by the researchers (which did not include student responses) was to use social media posts to identify kids and teens who might be at risk for mental health problems. However, problems have already been identified with  using Facebook to identity potential problem drinkers .

In addition, it was suggested that youth workers be trained in digital media. 

These are nice Band-Aid solutions. But they don’t address the addictive nature of social media and the incredible amount of peer pressure that it involves. Parents can provide guidance, but history has shown that their values rarely outweigh the pressure of peers.

Albert Einstein once said, “We can’t solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them.” But in this situation, the social media giants can solve these problems with the exact same thinking they used to create them. Just as they figured out what it would take to make these platforms addictive, they can figure out what it would take to make the platforms less addictive. But don’t hold your breath because the person who creates the problem and profits from the problem has no incentive to solve the problem.

Terri Williams  writes for a variety of clients including USA Today , Yahoo , U.S. News & World Report , The Houston Chronicle , Investopedia , and Robert Half . She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Follow her on Twitter @Territoryone .

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