Social Media And The Rise Of Mental Health Problems

Posted June 26, 2025 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan Much has been said about rises in mental health problems reported by younger people over the past 20 years. It is estimated that the prevalence of anxiety for 18-to-25-year-olds was about 8% in 2008, compared with 15% in 20181, and it is now around 17%2. These figures certainly imply an increase in psychological problems for this age group. Many explanations have been put forth concerning factors responsible – such as living in a more uncertain world3, lack of resilience among the young4, or copycat reporting5. However, a suggestion that has not been explored in detail is that there is an increase in the experience of anxiety symptoms – not anxiety in the strict sense but as a result of...

It is certainly the case that the rise in reporting of anxiety by younger people over the last 20 years has been paralleled by a rise in social media use. Twenty years ago (in 2008, when the iPhone/smartphone was launched), the prevalence of social media usage among 18-to-25 year-olds was 65%6, and now is around 99%7. This increase of 50% mirrors the rise in anxiety (although, is less pronounced). Of course, this correlation fits several of the above explanations, and, although it sounds harsh, copycat reporting of psychological problems from videos posted by others on social media – for either attention or identity... However, another factor accompanying high social media use is social media withdrawal8 – which can sometimes (indeed often) present like symptoms of anxiety9. Excessive social media use can happen for any number of reasons.

I am not speaking about the personal reasons of the individual – which are of clinical importance – but of the underlying psychological processes. At least three such processes have been noted as important in this context: habit, addiction, and adjunct behaviours10,11. The latter are produced when there is a gap between the delivery of important reinforcers (events) in an organism’s environment, and behaviour emerges during this interval. Schedule-induced polydipsia is an example of this effect, where food is delivered to a rat at fixed intervals, and the rat comes to emit excessive drinking in between times – an effect linked with... This is an interesting suggestion in the context of social media use – is it just filling time between more important things?11 However, habit and addiction are better studied – both produce high levels... Broadly speaking, addiction is accompanied by several issues for the person in its grip.

It clearly has a major disruptive influence on that person’s life, and on the lives of people around them (who often notice this first, or care about it more). This is also true of a bad habit. However, addiction has two things that a habit does not – it leads to increasing usage over time to gain the same effects (tolerance); and, when the person is not using, they experience withdrawal... The latter is of interest in explaining part of the rise of anxiety-reporting by young people. (Social media addiction is not a current diagnosis in the DSM-5.) Correspondence to: Elia Gabarron Department of Education, ICT and Learning, Østfold University College, B R A Veien 4, 1757 Halden, Norway, Email: elia.gabarron@hiof.no

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License, which permits unrestricted reproduction and distribution, for non-commercial purposes only; and use and reproduction, but not distribution, of adapted... Background : With the rise of social media, social media use for delivering mental health interventions has become increasingly popular. However, there is no comprehensive overview available on how this field developed over time. Objectives : The objective of this paper is to provide an overview over time of the use of social media for delivering mental health interventions. Specifically, we examine which mental health conditions and target groups have been targeted, and which social media channels or tools have been used since this topic first appeared in research. Methods : To provide an overview of the use of social media for mental health interventions, we conducted a search for studies in four databases (PubMed; ACM Digital Library; PsycInfo; and CINAHL) and two...

A sample of representative keywords related to mental health and social media was used for that search. Automatic text analysis methods (e.g., BERTopic analysis, word clouds) were applied to identify topics, and to extract target groups and types of social media. In the last two decades, social media has transformed from a niche experiment in digital communication into a global force shaping nearly every aspect of our lives. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and countless others have rewired the way humans interact, share information, and perceive themselves. For billions of people across the globe, social media is the first thing they check in the morning and the last thing they glance at before sleep. But as powerful as social media has been in creating connections, it has also stirred deep questions: What is it doing to our minds?

How does scrolling through curated images, endless videos, and streams of comments affect our sense of identity, belonging, and well-being? Is social media an empowering tool for self-expression, or is it an invisible thief of mental peace? To understand this, we must explore how social media impacts mental health across all ages—children, adolescents, adults, and older generations—through both the promises it holds and the pitfalls it presents. At its core, social media is engineered to capture attention. Every notification, like, or comment triggers a surge of dopamine—a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This creates a cycle of craving and reward, similar to how the brain responds to food, gambling, or addictive substances.

For children and adolescents, whose brains are still developing, these constant hits of stimulation can shape neural pathways in ways that affect focus, self-control, and emotional regulation. For adults, the cycle can fuel habits of distraction, procrastination, and even compulsive checking. The Growing Mental Health Crisis and Social Media Mental health problems have become a major public health issue in the United States, affecting a significant portion of the population. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly one in five U.S. adults is living with a mental illness, and the prevalence of mental health problems among youth is even more alarming (NIMH, 2023).

The widespread use of social networking sites has been identified as a contributing factor to the growing mental health crisis, especially among younger generations. The Link Between Social Media and Mental Health Issues The link between social media and mental health issues has been well documented in numerous studies and research papers. A systematic review found that the use of social networking sites is associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress (Keles, et al., 2020). The associations, though not by itself proof of causation, at least some reason for concern. Additionally, this association is particularly strong in adolescents compared to younger children (Twenge & Campbell, 2018).

Moreover, in the United States, the 12-month prevalence of major depressive episodes among adolescents increased from 8.7% in 2005 to 11.3% in 2014 (Mojtabai, et al., 2016). The new media screen activities have been suggested as one of the causes of the increase in adolescent depression and suicide (Twenge, et al., 2017). Although research has not necessarily shown that the use of social media has a causal relationship with poorer mental health in young people, health professionals and policy makers are becoming increasingly wary of the... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is calling for increased transparency and for companies to prioritize user wellbeing over revenue, as various studies have shown negative effects on social media use, especially on the... (Surgeon General, 2021).

In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that “media use and screen time are associated with increased risks for children and adolescents, such as attention deficits, increased aggression, low self-esteem, and depression” (American... The American Psychological Association (APA) also highlights the correlation between high social media use and poor mental health among adolescents (APA, 2024). Social media has transformed the way we connect, communicate, and consume information. It can foster community, amplify voices, and provide support — but it also poses risks to mental health. As research continues to explore this complex relationship, it’s clear that understanding and mitigating the negative impacts of social media is a growing public health priority. “Social media can be a great way to stay connected, but it’s important to notice how it makes you feel,” said Dr.

Jeffrey Borenstein, President and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and host of the public television show Healthy Minds. “If you find it’s affecting your mood or sleep, take a break — your mental health comes first.” While people of all ages use social media, young people — whose brains and coping mechanisms are still developing — appear particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects. But adults, too, are at risk of developing unhealthy patterns of social media use that can negatively affect mood and relationships. Understanding how, why, and for whom social media affects mental health remains an active area of scientific inquiry. Researchers are exploring:

As an organization that funds mental health research, we are committed to advancing knowledge in this area and supporting evidence-based interventions that promote mental well-being in a digital world. Social media has become part of everyday life. We log in for networking, learning new skills, or finding inspiration. With all the likes, posts, and comments, social media affects our mental health in various ways. While it’s easy to criticize social media as a detriment to mental health, this critique may not fully capture the bigger picture. Through personal and professional development, I’ve realized that social media’s potential for supporting mental health can be more in our control than we recognize, and opportunities to flourish may become more attainable with healthier...

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our five positive psychology tools for free. These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees. Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. She's also the former editor of Columbus Parent and has countless years of experience writing and researching health and social issues. Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in social media use.

According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of Americans in the U.S. use social media. People use social networking tools to stay in touch with family and friends, get their news, and share their political views. This has some researchers wondering about the long-term effects of social media use. Because social media use is still relatively new, there are no long-term studies documenting its effects. But several studies indicate that social media impacts mental health in a number of ways.

The increasing reliance on and use of social media puts a large number of Americans at an increased risk for feeling anxious, depressed, lonely, envious, and even ill over social media use. For many of us, checking Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and other social media is a part of our normal routine. In 2023, there was an estimated 4.9 billion social media users worldwide. The average person spends 145 minutes on social media every day. Viewing posts from friends and family across the world can be a way to make you feel more connected. However, social media use has a dark side.

Social media can negatively impact our overall wellbeing by fueling anxiety, depression, loneliness and FOMO (fear or missing out). These issues are especially prevalent in teens and young adults. Social media is here to stay and will continue to evolve and become more invasive. If you're spending a lot of time on social media and feeling sadness, dissatisfaction, frustration, or loneliness, it may be time to re-examine your relationship with your online presence. Understanding how social media impacts our mental health and overall wellbeing is important for yourself and your loved ones. Explore the different options for supporting NAMI's mission.

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