Research suggests that people who limit their time on social media tend to be happier than those who dont.

Surgeon General Warning

In May 2023, U.S. 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

Causation or Correlation?

Some studies about social media and mental health reveal that theres a correlation between networking sites and depression.

Other research goes a step further, finding that social media may very well cause depression.

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.

Each study participant used iPhones to access social media and the researchers monitored their phone data to ensure compliance.

It can lead them to question their friendships or their own self-worth.

They might wonder why their ex never took them to such fancy restaurants or lavished them with gifts.

Ultimately, limiting ones 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.

But social media has given bullies a new way to torment their victims.

If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Before the advent of social media and the internet generally, ones exposure to bad news was limited.

The public got news from broadcasts that aired at certain times of the day or from newspapers.

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.

Before long, the world gives the impression of an altogether gloomy place, making doomscrollers feel increasingly hopeless.

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Experts recommend using these networking websites in moderation.

Without these timers or apps, its easy to spend hours on social media before you know it.

Make the time to enjoy life offline.

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

“Social Media and Youth Mental Health,” The US Surgeon General’s Advisory, May 2023.

2020;12(8).

doi:10.7759/cureus.9691

Shearer E.Social media outpaces print newspapers in the U.S. as a news source.

Garcia-Navarro L. National Public Radio.Your ‘doomscrolling’ breeds anxiety.

Here’s how to stop the cycle.