Adolescents diagnosed with mental health conditions spend nearly an hour more on social media daily than their peers and are twice as likely to compare themselves negatively with others online, according to new research.
The study, involving adolescents in the UK, suggests troubling patterns for teens with anxiety and depression, who report having less control over their social media use and greater mood fluctuations depending on the comments and likes they receive online.
“Our study doesn’t establish a causal link, but it does show that young people with mental health conditions use social media differently than young people without a condition,” said lead author Luisa Fassi, a researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, in a statement.
She said the differences between children with and without mental health conditions may stem from the way these conditions influence how adolescents interact with online platforms—or possibly from social media use contributing to their symptoms.
“At this stage, we can’t say which comes first—only that these differences exist,” Fassi said.
Differences by Condition Type
The study, published on May 5 in Nature Human Behavior, analyzed data from a 2017 survey of 3,340 UK adolescents between the ages of 11 and 19. Professional clinicians interviewed the teenagers and, in some cases, their parents and teachers.
Researchers distinguished between conditions affecting internal feelings—such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder—and those involving outward behaviors like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder.
Social comparison—meaning comparing themselves with others online—was twice as prevalent among adolescents with anxiety and depression as it was among those without mental health conditions: 48 percent and 24 percent, respectively.
These teens were also significantly more likely to report mood changes in response to social media feedback—28 percent versus 13 percent—and felt less in control of their time spent on these platforms.
This pattern was not seen in children with ADHD, ODD, and conduct disorders.
Dr. Ritu Goel, a board-certified integrative psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult mental health, told The Epoch Times that the pattern makes clinical sense.
Teens dealing with anxiety or depression are often more emotionally sensitive and vulnerable to criticism or rejection, she said.
“Social media amplifies these feelings because it’s filled with unrealistic portrayals of happiness and success,” she said. “They might feel left out or not good enough, significantly deepening their emotional struggles.”
The researchers also found that teens with diagnosed conditions spend approximately 50 minutes more on social media than those without.
Beyond time spent online, all adolescents with mental health conditions also tended to report greater dissatisfaction with the number of online friends they had.
“Social media platforms assign a concrete number to friendships, making social comparisons more conspicuous. For young people struggling with mental health conditions, this may increase existing feelings of rejection or inadequacy,” Fassi said.
She noted that friendships play a key role in shaping adolescents’ sense of identity.
Why Social Media May Worsen Symptoms
Teens with mental health conditions often use social media in ways that can reinforce or worsen their symptoms, Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend the Mind in New York City, said.
When people passively scroll through social media, they encounter idealized images that lead to negative social comparisons.
“Many people develop an obsession with checking likes, comments, or messages, which leads them to base their self-esteem on online reactions,” Hafeez said. “People who post online to confirm their worth experience disappointment when their posts don’t receive the positive feedback they expected.”
The constant exposure to idealized images, peer conflicts, and subtle exclusion can heighten feelings of anxiety and rejection. Nighttime social media use can also disrupt sleep, which plays a key role in emotional health. Together, these patterns can deepen the cycle of depression and anxiety.
Interestingly, aside from the time spent on social media, researchers found few differences in social media behavior among teens with externalizing conditions like ADHD or conduct disorders.
How Parents and Doctors Can Help
Parents and mental health professionals should collaborate to guide teens toward healthier social media use, Goel said.
“Mental health professionals can teach teens critical thinking skills about online content and emotional self-regulation strategies,” she said. “Parents can support these efforts by actively monitoring social media usage, setting clear boundaries for online and offline activities, ensuring a balanced daily routine, and promoting open conversations about online experiences.”
Goel emphasized that encouraging regular offline interactions and hobbies can further help teens build resilience and maintain a healthy emotional balance.
Hafeez recommended establishing tech-free times and encouraging offline social connections, emphasizing that teens should “feel supported rather than controlled,” making it easier for them to develop lasting, healthy digital habits.