Social media apps on phone

Is Depression Caused by Social Media?

If you own a smart phone or computer, there’s a pretty good chance that you use some form of social media at least once a day. Whether it’s Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok, social media has become a fairly integral part of many people’s daily lives. According to Statista, 77% of Americans have some type of social media presence, and the frequency of social media use has gone up significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2024, the average American spent around 65 minutes on social media per day. This is a 20% increase from the previous year. During this time, Facebook was the most commonly used social media platform for news and updates on the pandemic, per Everyday Health. As it happens, rates of depression and anxiety also went up during this time period — but can the use of social media actually cause harm to your mental health?

Social media use is linked to depression

Woman holding face in front of laptop

According to NBC News, recent research suggests that there is a link between increased social media use and depression. A 2024 study published in JAMA Open Network found that adults who used social media platforms were more likely to experience depression. Researchers surveyed 5,395 adults between May 2024 and May 2024, asking them whether or not they noticed changes in their mental health after increasing their social media use.

“People who were using Facebook, people who were using TikTok, and people who were using Snapchat were substantially more likely to come back and tell us they felt depressed the next time they filled out the survey,” Dr. Roy Perlis, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School co-author of the study, told NBC News. Accounting for certain external factors, like isolation and loneliness during the pandemic, Perlis found that participants under the age of 35 were more likely to report experiencing symptoms of depression after using Facebook, while people over 35 were more likely to report depressive symptoms after using TikTok and Snapchat.

See Also:  Study Reveals the Impact of a Single Dose of Synthetic Magic Mushroom on Treatment-Resistant Depression

The reason for these findings is unclear. While the study establishes a plausible link between depression and social media, there is no evidence that social media directly causes depression. Further research is still needed to determine whether or not there is a direct connection between the two.

Lesa O'Leary
Lesa O'Leary

Lesa is a dynamic member of OzHelp’s Service Delivery Team as the Service Delivery Team Leader and Nurse. She has been with OzHelp for five years and believes in leading by example. Lesa has experience in the not-for-profit sector, as well as many roles throughout different industries and sectors, including as a contractor to the Department of Defence. She has expertise in delivering OzHelp’s health and wellbeing programs and engaging with clients in a relaxed and comfortable manner that aligns with the organisation’s vision and objectives.

Lesa has a Certificate 4 in Nursing from Wodonga Tafe, Certificate 4 in Mental Health from Open Colleges, and is currently undertaking a Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment from Tafe NSW. For the past few months Lesa has been an Education and Memberships committee member of the ACT Branch of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).