Social Media and Mental Health Among Adolescents, an Important Public Health Concern

by Jared T. Stokes, EdD, MA, MPH, CHES

April 6 – 12, 2020 is National Public Health Week in the United States.

Social media use is ever-increasing with no signs of decreasing, given the importance of technology in today’s society. Specifically, social media is defined as “an electronic method of [. . .] social interaction where users can both create and consume content.” Adolescents are the principal users of social media. Most adolescents use some form of social media, with 97% or more regularly engaging in online communication. Additionally, social media is an important element of adolescent development. Adolescents are constantly interacting with each other and showcasing their developing identities online. Such interactions reflect notable psychologist Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development in which the adolescent forms his or her sense of self.

However, much of today’s public discussion about social media’s impact on youth implies that mere exposure can result in a mental health disturbance. Mental health problems stemming from social media use can include both internalizing behaviors (eg, depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem) and externalizing behaviors (eg, hyperactivity). Social media use among adolescents can lead to such problems as Internet addiction, cyberbullying — inflicting willful and constant harm to others through electronic means, or a fear of missing out — a pervasive apprehension that one is missing out on desirable experiences others are having. Emerging evidence supports the idea that social media use does not necessarily cause poor mental health outcomes; however, adolescence can be a developmental stage in which youth are particularly susceptible to social media’s negative effects because they are in an early stage of identity formation.

Youth mental health is an important public health concern because many mental disorders are first detected during this life stage. Therefore, causes of poor mental health outcomes among adolescents need to be addressed. Regarding social media, the transition from normal to problematic use occurs when social media becomes an important or even exclusive method of relieving stress, loneliness, or depression. That means that the quality of use can influence an adolescent’s mental health more than quantity of use. Still, this form of communication has proven highly beneficial for many adolescents because social media can help give adolescents a way to connect or reconnect with others. Such connections expand and strengthen offline networks and interactions. Moreover, these connections can lead to better self-esteem and well-being by creating a virtual supportive community, which persons who feel marginalized especially need.

With social media’s complexities, one way to address adolescent use and its potential for negative mental health outcomes is to develop programs that teach techniques for successfully navigating its use. We should also consider the possible cultural, social, or personal factors that can cause certain adolescents to experience negative mental health outcomes caused by social media use.

Additional Reading

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Berryman C, Ferguson CJ, Negy C. Social media use and mental health among young adults. Psychiatric Quarterly 2018; 89(2):307-314.

Cain J. It’s time to confront student mental health issues associated with smartphones and social media. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2018; 82(7):6862.

de Calheiros Velozo J, Stauder JE. Exploring social media use as a composite construct to understand its relation to mental health: a pilot study on adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review 2018; 91:398-402.

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Knight ZG. A proposed model of psychodynamic psychotherapy linked to Erik Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 2017; 24(5):1047-1058.

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