Yes, social media is making children depressed
Use of increased social media may increase symptoms of depression in children between 9 and 13 years of age. Researchers warn about mental health risks and suggest balanced screen time for children.
In short
- The use of social media can increase symptoms of depression in children
- Symptoms of depression increased by 35%
- Cyberbulling and interrupted sleep are potential causes
As depression and suicidal thoughts among young people become a dangerous global concern, doctors and scientists are trying to understand what role social media can play in this mental health crisis.
A new study by researchers at the University of California adds significant insights into this ongoing question.
The study published at Jama Network Open followed around 12,000 children from the age of 9 to 13. Researchers tracked how much time they spent on social media and also recorded signs of depression during that time.
What they found was clear: When the use of social media increased, were there symptoms of childrenās depression.
But the opposite was not true. Children who were already feeling less or depressed were not more likely to start using social media than others.
On average, the amount of time spent on social media lasted from 7 minutes to 73 minutes a day in three years.
At the same time, the symptoms of their depression, including feelings of sadness, disappointment, or lack of interest, increased by 35%.
Dr. Dr., a prominent writer and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF. Jason Nagata said that this study is one of the first people to track the same children over time.
āThese conclusions provide evidence that social media can contribute to the development of symptoms of depression,ā he said.
The study did not find out accurate reasons why social media causes these emotional changes, but previous research indicates many possibilities. There is a cyberbulling, which means to be tight online.
Another sleep is interrupted, especially when teenagers live late using the phone and miss comfortably.
Dr. Nagataās team recently published another study that shows that children who are cyberbullized are more than double the possibility of suicide ideas and are more likely to try substances such as alcohol, marijuana or nicotine.
Even though social media can cause losses, it also plays a big role that children today connect with friends and express themselves. This is why experts recommend children to help use it in healthy ways instead of completely restricting it.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that the family make a family media plan: when and how to use a guide to help children and parents.
Dr. Nagata advises parents to have open conversations and set screen-free time, such as during meals or before bedtime, for the whole family.
