Social Media and Anxiety

Yes, research suggests a strong link between social media use and severe mental health risks in adolescents. 

Studies have found that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media are at higher risk of having mental health issues. They have about twice the risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, body image issues and eating disorders compared to teens who spend less time on social media.

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a Social Media and Youth Mental Health Advisory after reviewing available research on how social media affects children and adolescents. 

The Advisory concluded that social media may pose a risk to youth mental health and called for stronger safety measures, additional research and greater protections for young users.

Many social media platforms are designed to capture and hold users’ attention. Personalized recommendations, notifications, autoplay features and endless scrolling increase exposure to experiences that researchers have linked to social media anxiety.

Social comparison and unrealistic expectations

One reason researchers believe social media causes anxiety is that social media encourages constant comparison. Teens and young adults are regularly exposed to carefully edited photos, highlight reels and idealized lifestyles that do not reflect everyday life. Comparing themselves to these unrealistic standards can affect self-esteem, increase fear of missing out (FOMO) and contribute to anxiety symptoms.

Cyberbullying and online harassment

Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying can happen at any time and reach large audiences almost instantly. Research suggests that social media causes anxiety in teens through hurtful comments, harassment and public embarrassment. This leaves young people feeling isolated, fearful or overwhelmed.

Addictive platform design

Social media mental health lawsuits allege that companies intentionally designed platforms to maximize user engagement through attention-grabbing features. These design choices may encourage frequent checking and longer screen time and result in repeated exposure to harmful content. 

Sleep disruption

Poor sleep is yet another social media impact associated with anxiety. Late-night social media use can interfere with healthy sleep habits. Notifications, screen time before bed and the urge to keep scrolling may delay sleep or reduce sleep quality.

Some behaviors may suggest that social media is affecting a young person’s mental health. Parents and caregivers should look for patterns rather than a single symptom, especially if changes begin after their child has increased social media use.

Common signs of social media anxiety may include:

• Feeling worried or stressed after using social media
• Constantly checking notifications or social media feeds
• Having a fear of missing out (FOMO) when not online
• Comparing themselves to others and feeling “less than”
• Avoiding friends, family or activities they once enjoyed
• Having trouble sleeping after using social media
• Becoming irritable or upset when unable to access social media

If your child is showing these signs, consider talking with a healthcare provider or mental health professional. Early support may help prevent anxiety symptoms from becoming more severe.

School districts, individuals and families across the country have filed lawsuits alleging that social media companies knowingly designed platforms to keep young people engaged. The lawsuits allege that these companies continued harmful practices despite growing evidence that excessive use could contribute to mental health harms, including anxiety.

Complaints point to algorithm design, personalized recommendations, notifications and other engagement tools companies use to encourage prolonged use. They also claim the companies didn’t adequately warn users or protect children from the foreseeable risks of increasing their use of social media.

Many of the claims in the current social media litigation have been consolidated into one federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) docket, MDL No. 3047 - In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation. Companies named in the lawsuits are:

• Meta Platforms (Instagram, Facebook)
• Alphabet/Google (YouTube, YouTube Shorts)
• ByteDance (TikTok)
• Snap Inc. (Snapchat)

To read more about the evidence being used in social media harm lawsuits connecting the platforms with anxiety and other harms, visit our Social Media Evidence Library. You can filter the documents by type and harm, including anxiety.

Who may qualify to file a social media anxiety lawsuit?

Eligibility depends on the specific facts of each situation. In general, families may wish to speak with a lawyer if their loved one:

• Used one or more major social media platforms as a minor
• Developed significant anxiety or another serious mental health injury after prolonged social media use
• Required counseling, therapy, hospitalization or other treatment related to those injuries
• Experienced substantial educational, social or emotional impacts associated with their condition

Motley Rice attorneys have worked for decades seeking justice for young people and families affected by toxic and dangerous exposures, including social media mental health harms.

Our attorneys hold leadership roles in the federal social media multidistrict litigation (MDL), including attorney Previn Warren serving in court-appointed leadership on behalf of plaintiffs. If you or your child developed anxiety or another serious mental health condition after using social media as a minor, our attorneys can review your situation and explore whether you may qualify to pursue a social media lawsuit.

Read more about our social media litigation experience.