By Nicki Francis, Program Coordinator of Monmouth County
Social media continues to dominate national conversations in 2025. Lawmakers are debating new safety standards, major platforms are facing renewed scrutiny over their impact on youth, and parents are left wondering how all of this translates to their own children’s daily lives.
What remains clear is that research consistently shows a strong link between heavy social media use and negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. While social media can offer connection and creativity, too much time online can leave young people feeling isolated, inadequate, or overwhelmed.
How Social Media Influences Mood, Comparison, and Self-Esteem
I am sure many of you are aware that content on Instagram or Facebook is highly coordinated content. This includes ads and posts that are specifically targeted and designed to appeal to users based on their interests. Users may see others’ postings about their great jobs, exceptional partners, or beautiful homes and feel happy or inspired as a result. Others, however, may see these posts and feel jealous, depressed, or even suicidal due to the fact that their own life is not as “perfect” as those that they see on Facebook or Instagram.
I am choosing this time to bring this to everyone’s attention because “adolescents who spent more than 3 hours per day on social media faced double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression and anxiety,” according to The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Surgeon General’s Advisory.
Why Teens Are Especially Vulnerable to Social Media Effects
What we know is that the overuse of social networking sites is much more problematic in children and young adults because their brains and social skills are still developing. Research has shown that adolescents who habitually use social media from a young age have severely stunted social interaction skills. Despite the fact that users are interacting with each other on these platforms, many of these types of interactions don’t necessarily translate well to the real world.
Studies have found that these individuals have worsened social anxiety in groups, higher rates of depression, negative body image, and lowered levels of empathy and compassion toward others when surveyed.
Social Media, Isolation, and Depression in Young People
Another study, this one through the California State University, found that individuals who visited any social media site at least 58 times per week were three times more likely to feel socially isolated and depressed compared to those who used social media fewer than nine times per week.
Body Image, Self-Esteem, and Eating Concerns
The constant barrage of perfectly filtered photos that appear on social network sites can also cause low self-esteem and disordered eating in young adults. Though many teens know that their peers share only their best pictures and moments on social media, it’s very difficult to avoid making comparisons. The ongoing exposure to unrealistic beauty standards through social networking sites can affect how teenagers perceive their own bodies.
Research from Johns Hopkins Medicine shows that teens who spend more time on social media are more likely to experience symptoms of depression, which can contribute to negative body image and unhealthy eating behaviors. Everything from physical appearance to life circumstances to perceived successes is scrutinized and processed by users. The need to gain likes on social media can cause teens to not only alter their appearance but also to make choices they would otherwise not make, including accepting risky social media challenges and engaging in negative behaviors.
Online Bullying, Harassment, and Safety Risks
Unfortunately, competition for attention and likes can even lead to online bullying. Name-calling, rumor-spreading, and harassment among adolescents have always happened, but social media presents young users with more opportunities to do so than ever before. This is especially true for teenage girls who are at particular risk for cyberbullying through the use of social media; and by the way, boys are not immune.
And by the way, did you know that 25% of teens say they have been sent explicit images they didn’t ask for, while seven percent say someone has shared explicit images of them without their consent? This type of abuse, along with other forms of cyberbullying, has unfortunately led to increased suicide rates among young adults. And, these factors have also contributed to the development of increased levels of anxiety in teens and adolescents. So how can you recognize social media addiction in your own family?
Signs of Social Media Addiction in Teens
Six Questions to Ask About Social Media Use
So how can you recognize social media addiction in your own family?
Although many people habitually use social media, very few are genuinely addicted. To determine if someone is at risk of developing an addiction to social media, ask these six questions:
- Do they spend a lot of time thinking about social media or planning to use social media?
- Do they feel urges to use social media more and more?
- Do they use social media to forget about personal problems?
- Do they often try to reduce use of social media without success?
- Do they become restless or troubled if unable to use social media?
- Do they use social media so much that it has had a negative impact on their job or studies?
A “yes” to more than three of these questions may indicate the presence of social media addiction.
How Parents Can Support Healthier Digital Habits
Digital Detox Strategies That Help Teens Rebalance
What’s the solution?
A digital detox, a period of time during which someone significantly reduces the time spent using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers, could be a wise precaution. This can include simple steps, such as turning off sound notifications and only checking social media sites once an hour. Other changes can include having periods in the day where there is self-imposed non-screen time, such as during meal times, or leaving the phone in a separate room at night so as not to disturb sleep. This allows for a restored focus on social interaction in the physical world and reduces dependency on networking sites.
Wellspring Resources for Parents, Educators, and Youth
Wellspring offers presentations targeted to youth, educators and parents. If you are interested in having someone speak to your audience, please reach out to Nicki Frances, Program Coordinator of Monmouth County, at nicki.francis@wellspringprevention.org.