The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescent Mental Health – Depression and Anxiety – A Review

Both current and past research have revealed a close correlation between the exponential increase in mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety among adolescents, and the increased use of social media. Despite the growing body of research dedicated to studying the effects of social media on adolescent mental health, a lot of research is still underway to exemplify how social media use can be perceived from different perspectives. Studies have constantly shown that an increased number of hours spent on social media has a direct negative impact on adolescents’ social lives, making them a more vulnerable group. Although other risk factors should also be taken into consideration when evaluating an adolescent’s mental health, nowadays social media is among the first ones that shouldn’t be left out of discussion. With the help of existing research, alongside increasing awareness, this paper aims to investigate the intricate connection between social media use and adolescents' mental health wellbeing.


Keywords: adolescents; mental health; social media; depression; anxiety