The Impact of Social Media on Youth Mental Health

Written by: Lena Navas, 4th Year B.B.A.LL.B, Lovely Professional University

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Introduction 

The influx of new digital technologies into everyday life has fundamentally changed how  adolescents interact with one another, learn, express themselves, and develop socially. One of  the most pivotal aspects of this digital shift is the explosive growth of social media. With  platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) becoming  integrated into adolescent identity, emotion, and socialization, these spaces have developed  into something much more than just a place to socialize. A 2025 Pew Research Center report  states that over 95% of teens, ages 13-18, use social media, and about half say they are online  "almost constantly." It is clear that we must better understand how these social media  platforms affect the mental health of adolescents experiencing one of the most emotionally  charged times of their lives.  

Today's teens, unlike their predecessors, are growing up in a world where digital validation  (likes, comments, followers) are sometimes valued just as much as in-person socializing.  Social media reflects on everything they do: from taking photos and engaging in trends, to  consuming content produced by their peers, to seeking affirmation through likes, shares, and  comments. Social media is not only shaping what adolescents do; it's influencing how they  feel and think, impacts on their beliefs, their perceptions of body image, their relationships,  their politics, their emotional regulation, and their self-worth. For some youth, social media is  a lifeline, fostering connection, belonging, and information. In other youth, social media is a  poison, inciting emotional exhaustion, feelings of low self-worth, and anxiety. 

The social, cognitive, and emotional vulnerabilities of adolescence—including social  sensitivity to peer opinion, immature impulse control, and the construction of identity—may  make adolescents particularly susceptible to the advantages and disadvantages of social  media. The adolescent's brain is uniquely wired to seek social reward, novelty, and  affirmation, and furthermore the adolescent brain is neurobiologically wired to seek social  belonging, which encourages the use of social media through its algorithm or design features. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted yet another level of reliance on digital  communication, especially amongst youth who utilized screens both as a place for learning  and socialization and to a lesser extent for emotional support from their peers during the  isolation of the lockdowns. While virtual spaces became potentially comfortable or safe  spaces to connect for many, they also exacerbated digital fatigue, digital burnout, or  overexposure—creating a new psychological burden that has established itself even today. 

As society continues to address the ongoing repercussions of total immersion in technology, it  is essential to move forward beyond binary descriptions of "good" and "bad" and to  appreciate the complex, contextual, and personalized nature of social media's impact on  individuals. This paper aims to address some of the complexity involved in social media's  impact by looking through the lens of empirical studies, public policy, and trends between  social media platforms. There is no value nor meaning in shaming or blaming social media— rather, this paper seeks to assess the impact, look toward the future, and recommend ways  that youth can use social media in safer and more encouraging ways in the digital age. 

Literature Review 

Throughout various fields (psychology, media studies, sociology, neuroscience), research has  demonstrated an unequivocal association between social media use and adolescent mental  health consequences. (Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2025) The use of high social  media (more than 3 hours/day) was related to low mood, social anxiety and emotional  dysregulation. 

Negative effect  

As it has been consistently reported, social comparison is a noted negative effect of social  media, especially with respect to appearance, lifestyle, and popularity. Because adolescents  succour to peer validation neurologically, social media can exacerbate this response due to  exposure to curated perfection. In particular, the highlight reel format prevalent on Instagram  has been linked to the rise of body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms, with an  increased incidence in girls. Cyberbullying presents another serious risk. Unlike bullying,  cyberbullying is constant, nameless, often not seen by adults, and complex. Victims suffer  from stress, trauma, social isolation, and in extreme cases, suicidal thinking. According to a  report released by the WHO in 2024, cyberbullying is the second most common cause of teen  suicide in the world. 

Another insidious consequence is the interruption of sleep. Many teens have reported looking  at their phones well into the night, disrupting their circadian rhythms and causing  disappointing performance, fluctuations in mood, and attention problems. Blue light and  constant notifications also block melatonin production that contributes to difficulty sleeping. We are now aware of indications of addictive behaviours too. Social media apps purposefully  use persuasive technology, which is designed for likes, comments, notifications, and an 

infinite scrolling experience that is streams of dopamine for users. Over time, users develop  compulsive checking, withdrawal symptoms, and poor impulse control. 

Positive Dimensions 

While social media may have risks, there are also important support systems—particularly  for youth with marginalized identities such as sexual/gender orientation, race, disability, and  mental illness. For example, LGBTQ+ teens may discover non-threatening online  communities where they experience safety and affirmation. Mental health awareness-related  material (for example, coping strategies or awareness campaigns, and peer-led  recommendations) is becoming more prominent, and shown to reduce stigma.  

Many creative platforms like YouTube or TikTok allow young people a greater potential  space for self-expression, self-confidence, and exploration of possible career paths. There are  also an increasing number of young people with a variety of goals and identities utilizing  social media to advocate for social issues, increasingly learn different skills, and find  mentors. This sense of purpose and voice is protective, offering some form of protection  against depression and loneliness. 

Methodology 

This article presents a qualitative narrative review method that synthesizes and represents  existing literature and information about adolescent mental health regarding social media  from 2020-2025. The review covers a range of credible sources, including peer-reviewed  academic literature, global health reports, agency policy documents, and clinical  

observations. 

Data Sources and Inclusion Criteria: 

• Peer-Reviewed Journals, including but not limited to the Journal of Adolescent  Health, Behavioural Sciences, Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking  to ensure quality and scientific rigor. 

• Large-scale surveys from well-known sources, such as the Pew Research Center and  the World Health Organization (WHO), which provide quantitative data on trends in  adolescent behaviours and mental health. 

• Institutional and governmental reports from bodies such as the American Academy of  Pediatrics and UNICEF that offer policy insights and population-level analyses.

• Mental health initiatives and educational materials to understand intervention  strategies and public awareness efforts.  

Inclusion criteria focused on studies published between 2020 and 2025 in order to keep a  relevant perspective on these fast-changing social media landscapes and adolescent  experiences. Studies also included cross sectional studies which provided increased  interpretation of states of mental health and longitudinal studies which track changes over a  period of time, which would shed a broader dynamic understanding of trends and causal  relationships. 

Study Population and Subgroup Focus: 

The review is focused on the group of adolescents aged 10–19 years because this group  represents an important developmental stage. In this group, analyses were separated by a  number of important demographic and psychosocial categories such as: 

• Gender identity (male, female, non-binary) to explore differential impacts and  vulnerabilities.  

• Socioeconomic status to examine disproportion and disparity factors related to access,  exposure and resilience.  

• Clinical history of mental health diagnosis to explore how preexisting conditions such  as anxiety, personality disorders etc. interact with social media. 

• Sexual orientation, especially for LGBTQ+ youth and the special challenges or  vulnerabilities, and protective factors of these marginalized communities 

Analytical Framework and Thematic Coding:  

Data from the studies of interest were systematically coded and synthesized into five thematic  categories, which were structured to capture the different dimensions of the issue: 

• Emotional Impact: The effects of social media use on emotions, anxiety, depression,  and self-esteem. 

• Changes in Behaviour: Changes in behaviours related to sleep, physical activity,  socialisation, or risk-taking behaviours, etc. 

• Support Systems: The role of family, peers, schools, and online peer groups in  promoting and buffering mental health outcomes.

• Risk Factors: Identification of vulnerabilities such as cyberbullying, online  harassment, and use/addiction patterns. 

• Legal and Policy Considerations: An analysis of the relevant laws, guidelines and  ethical standards, that relate to adolescent safety online and mental health. 

Ethical Considerations: 

As the focus population is considered to be a vulnerable population, ethical standards were a  top priority. The studies that adhered to protocols that secured informed consent,  confidentiality, and data protection were preferred. Studies that used participatory approaches  and involved a youth perspective were more preferred for being ethically sound and relevant. 

Results 

The results provide a complex and at times conflicting way to understand how social media  interacts with the emotional life and daily experience of contemporary adolescents. A large  percentage of adolescents, over 70%, reported that spending time on social media leaves  them feeling insecure or sad. However, the basis for these feelings is multi-faceted. For most  of the girls, exposure to appearance-related content, socially curated images and videos that  promote appearances associated with aspirational beauty and social well being, was a  prominent factor generating feelings of insecurity, self-doubt, and body dissatisfaction.  Consequently, many boys said that they feel pressured to compare their gaming abilities or  their digital achievements to their friends, leading to feelings of frustration or diminished  self-esteem. 

In addition to the emotional effects, their increased screen time appeared to materially alter  the ways they behave and their routines. Many teens said they were spending less time in  real-world interactions because it was easier to talk and communicate using social media.  Many adolescents shared that, although they used social media for communication with  others, their academic performance suffered as a result of being distracted by social media  and as a consequence had a more difficult time concentrating on school work. Physical  activity also declined, with an increasing tendency toward more sedentary living. 

And yet, while there were difficulties, social media has, in some ways, also been an unlikely  force for good as well. Many adolescents found mental health content—different ways of  explaining what anxiety symptoms are, coping mechanisms, and examples of recovery  itself—that helped them better understand their own mental health experiences. This 

increased mental health literacy allowed teens, at the very least, to recognize when they may  need some support, which made it easier for teens to seek that support. Many adolescents,  particularly on platforms such as TikTok, have been influenced by mental health advocates  using more creative and novel content to engage with audiences to address and destigmatize  trauma, when we talk about depression, when we talk about healing, these are things that are  normalized more and less taboo. 

The experiences of using social media were certainly not homogeneous, with gender identity  and sexual orientation impacting how young people used and were impacted by digital  spaces. Non-binary and LGBTQ+ adolescents often spoke of online communities as key  emotional lifelines—places where they could find acceptance, advice, and solidarity lacking  in their offline lives. If these groups were already being harassed or discriminated against  online at higher levels than their peers, these communities provided affirmation and support,  while also helping them build resilience. 

Looking at specific platforms also indicated specific themes. Instagram was a major  contributor to body image issues and social comparison, with significant pressure to self represent in ideals. TikTok was both thrilling and dangerous: the creativity and humor of the  videos attracted people’s attention, while the algorithmic recommendation process sometimes  kept teens in cycles of anxiety-inducing or harmful videos. Snapchat was both exciting  because one talked directly with peers (the immediacy) but also because it created exclusion  and “fear of missing out”, particularly when there was social events involved. YouTube  presented a calmer environment where teens could explore educational content, or therapeutic  videos, and when done in the right way, avoid some of the peer comparison that is prevalent  platform on other platforms. 

Discussion 

The findings point to a paradox. The same platforms that can harm adolescents can also heal  them. This duality has much to do with how and why we use the platforms at hand. Passive  scrolling and validation-seeking tends to harm; while active engagement, creating and  connecting tends to heal. We are also clear that teens are not passive consumers. They are  using social media to express themselves, learn, and even self-disclose. Without guidance, it  is clear that adolescents can get into unintended harmful spirals though—anorexia or bulimia  content, trauma-dumping, or misinformation regarding self-diagnosis.

Digital Literacy Is Mandatory 

One key takeaway is the pressing need for some sort of systematic instruction in digital  literacy. Teaching youth to recognize triggers that elicit emotional responses in their feed, develop healthy consumption boundaries, and identify harmful content as compared to  potentially helpful content, and understand how their attention is influenced by algorithms, 

Parents and school’s roles 

Parents need to move from noticing their kids’ actions to discussing their kids’ actions.  Collaborating discussed rules, co-viewing and developing a digital mentoring approach will  help create trust and better behavior in our kids. Educators’ roles should be to provide  instruction with certified counselors, support realisation within mental health education of the  realities of student’s digital lives. 

The Role of Technology Companies 

Tech companies no longer escape accountability. They're impressed, we're glad of it. An  ethical design should promote broad safety and accountability. This include age-appropriate  content curation, mental health precautions, nudges for breaks, e.g. "you have been scrolling  for 30 minutes, time to take a break?" and better system for harassment and abusive content. 

Conclusion 

Social media is a central aspect of adolescent identity in the 21st century. It is neither the only  source of a mental health crisis nor a harmless communication channel. It is a platform— fluid, addictive, expressive, and affect-laden—that contains both risk and reward. 

To advance adolescent mental health, we need to embrace complexity. Simple bans or  alarmist messaging won't be enough. Instead, we should: 

• Provide youth with critical digital literacy 

• Creating inclusive & safe online spaces 

• Creating collaborative spaces with an emphasis on emotional wellness • Invest in education & policy change rooted in research 

Then, and only then, can social media transform from a psychological battlefield to a place of  creativity, connection, and healing for the next generation.

References 

1. Pew Research Center. (2025). Teens and the Digital Divide: Mental Health Insights. 2. WHO. (2024). Digital Technology and Adolescent Mental Health: Global Review. 3. Journal of Adolescent Health. (2023). Social Media Use and Self-Image Among Youth. 4. American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023). Cyberbullying and Digital Trauma in Teens. 

5. UT Southwestern Medical Center. (2025). Adolescent Sleep Patterns and Night-Time  Device Use. 

6. Behavioral Sciences. (2025). Digital Behaviors and Emotional Dysregulation in  Teens. 

7. CNN Reports. (2025). Mental Health Experts Warn of Teen Social Media Overload. 

8. Nature Human Behaviour. (2025). How Algorithms Shape Adolescent Emotion  Online. 

9. UNICEF. (2023). Children and Digital Rights: Balancing Access with Safety. 

10. U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. (2024). Protecting Youth Mental Health in the  Digital Era.