Spending too much time on social media is like a rollercoaster ride for your mental health especially for teens and young adults. It can crank up anxiety and make you feel lonely because comparing your real life to everyone else’s highlight reel, the constant fear of missing out, and that can hit from scrolling and can quickly turn into a full blown addiction, so here are some sites that I found to about how social media impacts our ability to deal with stress.

Sometimes, using a lot of social media can make people feel stressed. This can happen when someone has a ton of social media friends and feels jealous of how perfect their lives look online. It can also be stressful to keep up with all the text messages, cool Pinterest ideas, and constant X updates. A big study done from Pewresearch looked at how using technology might actually be linked to stress in a different way. According to their article, Pew Search “These technologies are said to take over people’s lives, creating time and social pressures that put people at risk for the negative physical and psychological health effects that can result from stress.” Therefore, it is important for individuals to find a healthy balance in their use of technology to protect their well being and maintain a positive lifestyle.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X are increasingly linked to rising stress levels among users, often contributing to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. This stress can stem from a variety of factors, including exposure to misinformation and the fear of missing out on events or interactions others are having. However, there’s no need to abandon social media altogether. While it’s important to be aware of the potential downsides, there are also strategies to help manage these effects and even some benefits to staying connected online. Understanding how social media influences your stress levels can help you engage with these platforms in a healthier, more balanced way. According to the article Chester County Hospital “Some benefits of social media sites include staying in touch with friends and family, reconnecting with long-lost acquaintances, building friendships and, sometimes, romantic relationships, taking part in civic and political activities such as petitions, getting and sharing important information such as health news or scientific information, and staying informed about the current news.” Overall social media has become an important part of modern communication, awareness, and engagement across the globe.

In the article Mclean Hospital it talks about how Instagram made headlines last year by suppressing likes in an attempt to reduce the negative effects of social comparison and the emotional impact of being equally popular to shared content. While this move may seem like progress some experts believe it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the deeper mental health issues tied to social media use. Jacqueline Sperling, a psychologist at McLean Hospital who works with youth experiencing anxiety disorders views the change as a small step in the right direction. However, she notes that even without visible likes, users are still exposed to opportunities for comparison and feedback through comments and posts which can continue to affect mental well being.

Maintaining connections with others is typically good for our overall health and wellness, but it’s less clear whether the same holds true for online interactions. Experts and psychologists who have examined the topic suggest the answer is a cautious “maybe.” Even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to shift to digital forms of communication for work, education, and socializing, studies showed that social media could offer some benefits. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, along with texting, have been found to help reinforce relationships and enhance our attention to both emotional and physical well being. According to the article Every Day Health “A national survey of more than 1,300 teenagers and young adults published in 2018 reported that roughly 40 percent of teenagers and young adults said they’d used social media to find people with similar health conditions.” This shows how social media can create supportive communities helping individuals feel less alone and more understood in their personal health journeys. This study investigates whether using social media, mobile phones, and the internet is linked to increased stress levels. Researchers from the Pew Research Center surveyed 1,801 adults using the Perceived Stress Scale, a widely accepted tool that measures how overwhelmed, unpredictable, and uncontrollable individuals perceive their lives to be. This form of perceived stress is often a predictor of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression as well as physical health issues such as heart disease and vulnerability to infections. Several known factors are already associated with heightened stress, such as financial instability from unemployment or lacking a supportive partner. Interestingly, prior research also shows that simply being aware of the stressful experiences of others can increase a person’s own stress. This study aimed to shed light on whether frequent digital technology use contributes to stress and whether social features of these technologies by exposing users to the hardships of both close contacts and distant acquaintances could be playing a role in elevating stress levels.

The article PubMed Central explains the findings that revealed the way individuals used social media during the COVID-19 pandemic was closely linked to their levels of perceived stress and psychological adjustment. Specifically, higher stress was associated with more frequent social media use for problem solving, emotional support, and distraction. While using social media for emotional connection and mental distraction was linked to better psychological well being, relying on it for problem solving was connected to poorer mental health outcomes. Age also influenced how effective emotional coping through social media was for overall adjustment. These results highlight that while social media can be a helpful tool for managing stress during public health emergencies its effectiveness depends on how it’s used. The study emphasizes the importance of thoughtful and intentional use of social media as a coping mechanism offering valuable insights into its complex role in mental health during crises. Humans are inherently social beings who thrive on meaningful relationships and the quality of these connections plays a crucial role in our emotional well being. Strong social bonds can help reduce stress, ease feelings of anxiety and depression, enhance self esteem, and even contribute to a longer healthier life. In the article Help Guide it explains how social isolation or weak interpersonal ties can significantly harm mental and emotional health. In the digital age, many people turn to platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube to stay connected. While these tools offer convenience and access to wider communities they cannot fully replace the benefits of face to face interaction. Real life connections are vital for triggering the brain chemicals that foster happiness and reduce stress. Ironically, although social media is designed to link us together, overuse can deepen feelings of loneliness and lead to worsened mental health issues. If excessive time online is contributing to negative emotions such as sadness, frustration, or isolation, it may be worth reassessing how you engage with social media and seeking a healthier balance between virtual and real world interactions.

So now what? With growing awareness of how social media impacts our mental health, it’s important to take intentional steps toward healthier online habits. Rather than letting constant scrolling contribute to stress, anxiety, or feelings of isolation, we can choose to engage more mindfully. This might mean limiting time on apps, unfollowing accounts that trigger negative emotions, or prioritizing real life interactions that boost our mood and sense of belonging. Social media doesn’t have to be harmful, but using it wisely is key to protecting our mental and emotional well being.