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Does Social Media Cause Depression?What Teens Need to Know

Author:
Jemma Strain
Jemma Strain
B.S. Psychology
Editor:
Emma Loker
Emma Loker
B.S.
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Is social media making teenagers depressed? While it’s difficult to say that social media causes depression, evidence is mounting to suggest that it at least contributes to it.

Social media use is universal. Around 95% of teenagers aged between 13-17 in the U.S. use at least one form of social media.1 Yet, despite this huge number of young people who use social media, there are very few safety regulations around how it’s used. What’s more, in addition to this lack of regulations, studies are showing that social media may be damaging teenagers’ mental health in a variety of ways – including acting as a risk factor for depression. 

If you’re concerned about social media use on a teenager’s mental health, support and advice are available. One of the first steps towards better well-being is often increasing understanding. This article can help by discussing:

  • The impact of social media on teen mental health
  • Social media’s effects on adolescent depression
  • How to prevent social media’s effects on teenage depression
  • Treatment options for depression in teenagers
  • When to seek support for teen depression
Does social media cause depression in teens?

Social Media Impact on Teen Mental Health

A quick Google search demonstrates how much attention social media’s effects on well-being are getting. But the story about social media impact on teen mental health isn’t all bad. To help give an accurate picture of how social media affects mental health, let’s first discuss its potential benefits.

Benefits of Social Media on Teen Mental Health:

  • It’s a source of connection: Social media allows us to connect with others, such as family, friends, and online communities. Through online platforms, teenagers can keep in touch with people who might not live close by and find like-minded people with similar interests. In this way, social media can promote a sense of belonging in teenagers.2
  • It can increase a sense of support: As social media provides opportunities for connection, it increases the amount of social and peer support a teen has. Online communities can even facilitate open discussions around mental health, negative life events, and everyday challenges. What’s more, such open discussions help break down barriers and stigmas around mental health.2
  • It may help reduce stress: Because social media permits open discussions around challenges and mental health, it can help reduce stress in teenagers – and could even be protective against depression. It also promotes rewarding social interactions, such as humor, which can ease negative emotions. In fact, social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic was shown to lower the stress associated with isolation.3

Clearly, when used in healthy ways, social media can benefit a teen’s mental health. However, on the other hand, there are some clear concerns about how it can affect a teenager’s well-being, which we’ll dive into in detail next. 

Depression can affect all aspects of a teenager’s life, including their ability to think, sleep, eat, and learn. It also impacts their beliefs about themselves, often causing them to see themselves as “worthless” or “unloveable.”2

Additionally, depression is one of the most widespread mental health conditions in the United States – and it commonly starts in the teenage years.3 Therefore, targeting the early signs and symptoms of depression can help offset long-term effects on a teen’s emotional and physical health. 

Social Media Effects on Adolescent Depression

Evidence suggests that depression in teenagers is on the rise, and, perhaps not coincidentally, so is the use of social media in teens.4 While it’s difficult to say that social media causes depression, there clearly is a connection between both. 

The following are examples of how social media can lead to depression in teens:

Body Image Dissatisfaction

Social media platforms, such as Instagram, are never-ending sources of idealized models. Many of these images are filtered or photoshopped, and portray the “perfect” male and female body types. This can affect and shape teenagers’ perceptions of what their bodies should look like and contribute to body dissatisfaction. 

One study showed that, based on the effects of social media, adolescent females reported that they didn’t feel “thin enough” or  “attractive enough” – and they disliked their body shapes as a result. Adolescent males felt similarly, saying they also didn’t feel thin or attractive enough. They also stated that they didn’t like their face and hair as a consequence of comparing themselves to social media images.5,6

Low Self-Esteem

Because of the impact of social media on body image dissatisfaction, teens who spend a lot of time on their smartphones may also be at risk of low self-esteem. Carefully curated images of an ideal lifestyle and body can affect teenagers’ perceptions of their own lives, causing a negative comparison and potentially leading to anxiety, low self-esteem, and symptoms of depression.7

Cyberbullying

Unfortunately, many teens have experienced cyberbullying on social media. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, hurtful, or false content about someone else. As a consequence of cyberbullying, teens have reported emotional distress, physical complaints, and anxious and depressive symptoms. Additionally, cyberbullying has reduced the quality of life of teenagers and even led to thoughts about death.8

Low Mood

Social media use could trigger low moods in teenagers. If used in positive ways, social media can boost mood. However, if teenagers encounter “triggering” posts, feel like they overshare, or compare themselves to others on social media, they can experience low moods such as sadness and worthlessness.9,10

Social Media Addiction

Evidence shows that many teenagers believe that social media use is the most important activity they take part in. In fact, when feeling down, teenagers may use social media to give them boosts in positive mood. This can trigger the same reaction in the “reward pathways” of the brain as physical addiction, leading to an addiction to social media. 

Social media addiction can lead to increasing amounts of time online and withdrawal from “real” life.  It has been shown that teenagers who develop an addiction to social media show strong negative reactions similar to emotional withdrawal if social media use is discontinued, such as irritability, anger, and anxiety. They also may experience FOMO (fear of missing out) when not on social media, which can lead to lower happiness with life and well-being, as well as symptoms of depression.11

Damage to Relationships

“Phubbing” is a behavior in which people neglect their relationships with others to pay attention to their smartphone or device. Social media use and FOMO increase the chance that a teenager will pay more attention to a screen than interact with family members and friends. However, such behaviors can damage relationships and negatively affect mental health – especially if a teen has a social media addiction. As a result of phubbing, teens may experience increased stress, lower self-worth, and conflict in relationships, all of which are risk factors for depression.12

Disrupted Sleep

Using social media, especially close to bedtime, can disrupt a teenager’s sleep. It can do so in several ways. First, blue light from screens causes our brains to release a chemical called “melatonin” which triggers the feeling that we should be awake. Second, it can delay sleep if a teenager stays up late to post photos or look at content. Lastly, it can promote mental arousal and distress, especially if a teen encounters upsetting content. Sleep is vital for a teenager’s well-being, so a lack of sleep due to social media use can contribute to feelings of depression.13

Based on these findings from studies, it is clear that social media use could contribute to feelings of depression. If you’re concerned about your own mental health or that of a loved one, there are steps you can take. Mental health professionals can provide practical advice on how to manage social media use for better well-being, however, there are things that you can do in the here and now.

How to Prevent Social Media Effects on Adolescent Depression

While there may not be conclusive evidence that social media use causes depression, there are warning signs which suggest that it could impact teenager’s well-being – potentially worsening symptoms of depression. If you’re worried about a teen’s mental health, it may be a good idea to monitor their social media use to make sure that it’s healthy rather than negative. You can do so in the following ways.

1. Check In on Their Well-being

If you notice that a teen is seeming particularly down, it may be a good idea to limit social media use. Social media can be particularly negatively impactful during times when a teenager’s self-confidence and mood are low, so a “digital detox” might help them balance their emotions.

2. Aim for Balance

Completely banning social media could increase a teenager’s anxiety levels and symptoms of depression, so achieving balance is key. You could consider setting them a daily time limit, and not allowing phones to be present during meaningful family time, such as at the dinner table.

3. Focus on Quality Rather Than Quantity

“Doomscrolling” is when someone compulsively scrolls through social media for long periods of time and is negatively linked to mental health. Aiming for quality time online instead of quantity could actually improve a teenager’s mental health. For example, encourage time spent on community groups or activity pages instead of mindlessly scrolling through content. 

4. Encourage Hobbies and Interests

Promoting time spent offline by encouraging focus on hobbies and interests could give a teenager a sense of achievement, as well as a boost in confidence. This way, they can naturally trigger the reward pathway in the brain and improve their mood.

5. Turn Off Notifications

Hearing a phone constantly “ping” can distract a teen from offline time – plus, it can cause FOMO. Turning off notifications means they can’t feel like they’re missing out on something they don’t know about.

6. Set an Example

It could be difficult to encourage healthy social media use if parents are also constantly scrolling through apps. As Einstein said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means.” Perhaps set down your phone during quality family time, turn off your own notifications, and aim for mindful social media use.  

7. Make a "No Phone Before Bed" Rule

Phones, in general, can disturb sleep due to how they trigger melatonin production and trick the brain into thinking it’s time to be awake. Plus, social media could cause a teen to spiral into negative thoughts when they should be relaxing. To improve or prevent signs of depression, it’s important that they don’t use their phone at bedtime. Instead, you could either invest in an alarm clock or decide to wake them up in the morning.

Taking these actions to reduce and improve social media use can benefit a teenager’s mental health. However, if you’re concerned about the signs of depression in a teen, these actions may not be enough. Professional mental health treatment is the best step someone can take for their well-being. 

Teen boy struggling with depression

Mental Health Resources for Teens With Depression

If you’re worried about a teenager’s mental health, there is support and guidance available to you. The vast majority of teenagers with depression can recover with the right treatment – and a mental health professional can talk to a teen about the best options for them. 

Treatment for depression often depends on the type of depression a teen has, however the following are some effective therapy options for depression: 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT can help teens with depression to identify and understand their negative thoughts. It can also target how to challenge these thoughts, build effective ways of coping with them, and transition these skills into the world outside of therapy. CBT can also help teenagers manage their social media use, promoting healthier patterns of behavior. 

Interpersonal Therapy

Sometimes, problems in relationships can contribute to feelings of depression. Interpersonal therapy helps teens and families work through these issues and figure out how to manage conflict for better mental health.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Previous experiences, such as trauma, can be a cause of depression. EMDR can help a teen process these experiences in a safe, supportive environment – changing how trauma is stored in the brain. EMDR can also help a teen build positive self-beliefs and cope better with challenges.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

TMS can be effective in treating treatment-resistant depression. It’s a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to activate nerve cells in targeted areas of the brain – improving outlook and mood.

Each of these therapies can be offered as a part of a residential mental health treatment program or outpatient program, depending on a teen’s needs. 

With consideration of a teen’s depression symptoms, a doctor may also discuss the option of medication, such as antidepressants. While antidepressants often have an important place in the treatment of depression, their use needs to be carefully monitored – and they’re most effective when combined with therapy.

Teen girl in therapy due to social media causing depression

When to Seek Help for Depression in Teens

If you’re concerned about teenage depression, it’s important to seek support. Untreated depression can have serious long-term effects on a teenager’s emotional and physical well-being – but it doesn’t have to. Professional mental health treatment can help a teenager understand where their depression comes from, what factors contribute to it, and how to cope in healthy ways. 

Depression can make it difficult to seek support, but Mission Prep can help. Our team of trained mental health professionals offers depression treatment for teens in caring, empathetic ways. We understand the importance of a teen’s voice in their own care and create treatment packages based on each one’s specific needs. Contact us today for support and advice.  

References

  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Social media and youth mental health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf
  2. Zsila, Á., & Reyes, M. E. S. (2023). Pros & cons: Impacts of social media on mental health. BMC Psychology, 11, 201. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01243-x
  3. Marciano, L., Ostroumova, M., Schulz, P. J., & Camerini, A. L. (2022). Digital media use and adolescents’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 2208. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.641831
  4. Wilson, S., & Dumornay, N. M. (2022). Rising Rates of Adolescent Depression in the United States: Challenges and Opportunities in the 2020s. The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 70(3), 354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.12.003
  5. Franchina, V., & Lo Coco, G. (2018). The influence of social media use on body image concerns. International Journal of Psychoanalysis and Education, 10(1).
  6. Charmaraman, L., Richer, A. M., Liu, C., Lynch, A. D., & Moreno, M. A. (2021). Early adolescent social media-related body dissatisfaction: Associations with depressive symptoms, social anxiety, peers, and celebrities. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP, 42(5), 401. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000911
  7. Colak, M., Bingol, O. S., & Dayi, A. (2023). Self-esteem and social media addiction level in adolescents: The mediating role of body image. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 65(5), 595. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_306_22
  8. Giumetti, G. W., & Kowalski, R. M. (2022). Cyberbullying via social media and well-being. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101314
  9. ​​Berry, N., Emsley, R., Lobban, F., & Bucci, S. (2018). Social media and its relationship with mood, self-esteem and paranoia in psychosis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 138(6), 558-570. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.12953
  10. Radovic, A., Gmelin, T., Stein, B. D., & Miller, E. (2017). Depressed adolescents’ positive and negative use of social media. Journal of Adolescence, 55, 5-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.12.002
  11. Griffiths, M. D., & Kuss, D. J. (2017). Adolescent social media addiction (revisited). Education and Health, 35(3), 82-88.
  12. Chi, L.-C., Tang, T.-C., & Tang, E. (2022). The phubbing phenomenon: A cross-sectional study on the relationships among social media addiction, fear of missing out, personality traits, and phubbing behavior. Current Psychology, 41, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02468-y
  13. Levenson, J. C., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., & Primack, B. A. (2016). The association between social media use and sleep disturbance among young adults. Preventive Medicine, 85, 36-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.01.001

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