Yes, social media is making kids depressed
As depression and suicidal thoughts among young people become an alarming global concern, doctors and scientists are trying to understand what role social media might play in this mental health crisis.A new study by researchers at the University of California adds important insights to this ongoing question.The study, published in JAMA Network Open, followed nearly 12,000 children from the ages of 9 to 13. Researchers tracked how much time they spent on social media and also recorded signs of depression during that time.advertisement
What they found was clear: when social media use increased, so did the children's depressive symptoms.But the opposite wasn't true. Children who were already feeling low or depressed were not more likely to start using social media than others.On average, the amount of time pre-teens spent on social media went from 7 minutes a day to 73 minutes a day over the three years.At the same time, their depressive symptoms, which include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or lack of interest, rose by 35%.
Mobile phone use increasing depression symptoms in teenagers. ()
Dr. Jason Nagata, the lead author and associate professor of paediatrics at UCSF, explained that this study is one of the first to track the same children over time.advertisement"These findings provide evidence that social media may be contributing to the development of depressive symptoms,' he said.The study didn't explore the exact reasons why social media causes these emotional changes, but past research points to several possibilities. One is cyberbullying, which means being bullied online. Another is disrupted sleep, especially when teenagers stay up late using phones and miss out on rest.Dr. Nagata's team recently published another study showing that kids who are cyberbullied are more than twice as likely to have thoughts of suicide and also more likely to try substances like alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine.Even though social media can cause harm, it also plays a big part in how children today connect with friends and express themselves. That's why experts recommend helping kids use it in healthier ways rather than banning it completely.The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests families create a Family Media Plan: a guide to help kids and parents decide when and how to use screens.Dr. Nagata advises parents to have open conversations and set screen-free times, like during meals or before bedtime, for the whole family.Must Watch
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