# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I noticed that I had sore thumbs, I was constantly refreshing my feeds and my wife actually grabbed my phone at breakfast and yelled at me for being on Twitter.

Am I addicted to social media or just bored?

According to Statista, daily social media usage of global Internet users amounted to 135 minutes in 2017 , up from 126 daily minutes in the previous year.

Are we all addicted to social media?

Research isn't conclusive as to whether social media addiction is even real.

A 2012 study from the University Of Singapore found that the transition from normal to problematic social media usage occurs when it's used to relieve stress, loneliness and depression. For those users, social media provides continuous rewards (likes, shares, retweets, comments, etc.) that cause the user to engage more and more, eventually leading to many problems, including: depression, work issues, and personal conflicts.

Last year another study dismissed reports that digital technologies are harmful and found that, "The evidence indicated that moderate use of digital technology is not intrinsically harmful and may be advantageous in a connected world."

So how do we know when it's too much?

The current version ofthe DSM-5 (the manual that physicians use to diagnose mental disorders) does not recognize social media addiction, so without a formal set of criteria we're left with quizzes.

Here are some behaviors to determine whether you have a problem:

The first thing you do in the morning is check your social media.

You take down a post if it hasn't reached a certain amount of likes.

You feel angry when nobody comments on your posts.

You overanalyze images of yourself to post.

You can't go to the bathroom without your phone.

You find yourself refreshing your feed every few minutes.

You obsess over getting verified.

I am guilty of every one of these, so I decided to dig deeper; I'd monitor my activity to see how much time I actually spent on social media.

There are a ton of trackers out there, but the one I really liked was the In Moment app. It tracks your daily social media usage by platform. It will also let you set a limit on your social media usage, and block you if you go over it.

If you think you're logging too much time on social media, here are some other things you can try:

Remove Apps: I had a Facebook app on my phone and would check it all the time. But I hate Facebook. I deleted the app and now only check it on my laptop once a week.

Turn Off Notifications: If you have a decent social media following, you will literally have new notifications every five minutes. Turn them off and you will check your phone less.

Place Your Phone Out Of Reach: It sounds silly, but try keeping your phone in your glove compartment when you're driving. Or put it in another room when you're watching TV.

Set Limits: This is almost impossible without an app. You can limit yourself an hour a day, but are you really going to time yourself every time you open Instagram? Try out one of the many social media trackers and set some time limits for yourself.

Prioritize: I find that I check my phone a lot when I'm procrastinating. Focus on what you're trying to do, and reward yourself with a social media break, when you're done.

After using the tracker for a week, I found out that I averaged about 90 minutes a day on social media, well below the average. So, I'm going to keep checking my phone in the morning and taking it with me to the bathroom. I swear I don't have a problem.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I noticed that I had sore thumbs, I was constantly refreshing my feeds and my wife actually grabbed my phone at breakfast and yelled at me for being on Twitter. Am I addicted to social media or just bored?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Negative Effects of Social Media for Teens in 2017 -- View the 2021 video (see notes)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CNN study reveals how teens use social media

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hundreds of eighth graders allowed CNN to take a look at their social media feeds in a one of a kind study. Over a 6 month period, these 13-year-olds commented or posted more than 87,000 times on Instagram, nearly 26,000 times on Twitter and 12,000 times on Facebook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Can you remember the last day that you didn't see a teenager taking a photo of themselves with their phone to upload to one of the myriad social media websites? Unsurprisingly, the word "selfie" was officially introduced into the English language in 2013 through addition to the Oxford Dictionary. The obsession that many teens have with sharing their lives (and faces) on social media has led some psychologists to believe this group is growing up to be narcissists. Data gathered on the subject confirm a sharp increase in narcissism in the past decade that corresponds with the proliferation and increased use of social media, but there is not yet data conclusively linking the two.

Narcissism (or narcissistic personality disorder, NPD) is a mental disorder in which "people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others." While young adults go through a "narcissistic" period in their lives to establish their own identity and break away from caregivers, a recent study in younger teenagers showed strong correlation between heavy Facebook use and some of the negative traits associated with narcissism, suggesting social media sites are promoting earlier adoption of narcissistic behaviors. With the majority of teens using multiple social media sites each day - 71% of American teens in 2015 - a debate has sparked over how social media use can contribute to teen narcissism.

Negative Effects

A growing body of research exists on the positive and negative effects of social media on teenagers, with many studies finding a stronger connection with the negative social, mental health, and physical effects rather than the positive. Larry Rosen, Ph.D., a psychology professor at California State University, has published extensively on the topic and found correlations between excessive use of Facebook and bad grades, poor health, and antisocial personality disorders, including narcissism. The correlation was so strong and the effects so negative that Rosen mentioned, "Whether they checked Facebook just one time during a 15-minute observation period even predicted worse grades."

While the negative effects have been at the forefront of conversation in recent years, there are important psychological and social skills that can be enhanced by the use of Facebook and other sites. For example, Rosen also mentioned that heavy Facebook users appear to show stronger empathy toward their online peers, which is a good indicator of real-world empathy. In addition, active social media users are far more likely to have enhanced self-esteem and a greater sense of well-being than their peers that only moderately or rarely use social media. Finally, social media appears to be an outlet for many with low self-esteem/depression or eccentric interests to connect with others more easily and without judgment.

With this in mind, it is apparent that the positive effects of social media strongly correlate with an individual's perception of self. Self-promoting behaviors, like frequently posting status updates, uploading new profile pictures, and posting quotes praising themselves, are highly associated with narcissism. Other social media behaviors associated with narcissism include posting photos of celebrity look-alikes, cultivating a large number of Facebook friends, and selectively posting only positive attributes of one's own life. But are these narcissistic behaviors truly causing young people to develop clinically-defined NPD or, rather, are they just the new normal?

Bruce McKinney at the University of North Carolina Wilmington argues that these behaviors are not as narcissistic as once thought and are likely the "new norm." Because Facebook use is ubiquitous among teens and was developed specifically to help them to share with their social circles, these behaviors may just be associated with a new form of communication in this generation. Indeed, McKinney suggests that we shouldn't define teenagers as universally narcissistic, but rather, we should "redefine narcissism and narcissistic traits so it includes social media usage."

Psychologist Ciarán McMahon from the Institute of Cyber Security shares McKinney's view, concluding that narcissistic behaviors are inherent in our society, and social media just makes them more visible to us. Furthermore, McMahon suggests that social media is not the cause of NPD, but is an expression of it: "If you're a narcissist, you're looking for a positive reflection of yourself, the world is your mirror and you're constantly looking for affirmation."

Narcissism in Youth

Despite the lack of conclusive evidence on a causal link between the two, it is clear that heavy use of Facebook and other social media platforms is highlighting the narcissistic behaviors in people of all ages. There are certainly other factors contributing to the rise in narcissism in youth and adults - America's promotion of self-esteem and focus on wealth and physical attractiveness, to name a few - though the visibility of social media likely heightens the perception of its causal role. The sheer volume of social media sites and accessibility of teens to the internet and mobile devices presents a challenge for parents looking to limit this type of behavior in their children. Thankfully, there is an abundance of advice available on the internet.

Dr. Rosen found, in his 2008 study, that parents who establish firm rules and boundaries (authoritarian style) have children with more self-esteem and less depression than their peers. Furthermore, Rosen suggests that parents become active participants in their child's life by listening more - "talk one minute and listen for five" - and keeping up-to-date on the latest technologies, apps, and trends. In addition, monitoring your child's online surfing behaviors and social media interactions can help parents determine the most significant influences in their life and promote open dialogue between parent and child. Parents should actively work with their children to create balance between online life and reality that promotes "normal" social behavior without discouraging their need to learn and grow.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Can you remember the last day that you didn't see a teenager taking a photo of themselves with their phone to upload to one of the myriad social media websites? Unsurprisingly, the word "selfie" was officially introduced into the English language in 2013 through addition to the Oxford Dictionary.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teens Focused on Social Media May Be at Cyberbullying Risk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If your teen spends a lot of time on social media, you might want to get them to cut back due to the risk of cyberbullying, new research suggests.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do your teens have social media accounts? Do you wonder whether those networks are affecting your kids?

For sure, research shows that the impact of social media on teenagers can be far-reaching. The real question is: Is social media's impact good, bad or neutral?

I am convinced that, for good or bad, social media has become a fact of life for today's teens. The challenge for parents is to help our adolescents use it well, and to do that, we must fully understand its influence over our kids.

Becomes Habit-forming

A study released by Pew Research Center in 2015 showed that 92 percent of teens use the internet daily. Almost one-quarter reported that they are online "almost constantly."

The study showed that the majority of teens were regularly involved with more the one social media platform.

Unfortunately, other studies have indicated that high levels of social media use are correlated with depression. Although a causal relationship has not yet been established, it is possible that overuse and addiction to social media may contribute to mental health concerns.

Learn more about this research in the video " Increased Social Media Use Linked to Depression-like Symptoms in Teens."

Social media addiction appears to be a real concern. Teens who stop social media use cold-turkey have been observed to experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those associated with drug detox.

As with any addiction, a teen's fixation on social media can alter the structure of the brain, which leads the student to spend even more time online.

Positive feedback that an adolescent receives online gives a rush of dopamine to the brain, and the student may crave more and more of those "likes" and the feelings of approval that accompany them. He or she may spend increased time online in pursuit of this stimulation.

Changes Communication Skills

With the pervasiveness of social media in modern teen culture, teenagers spend much less time communicating over the phone and face-to-face than they used to.

Verbal communication involves critical skills, and the development of these skills is an important component of maturation. These valuable skills include:

Interpreting body language.

Reading facial expressions.

Listening for vocal inflections.

Formulating a response in real-time.

Teens who conduct most of their communication from behind a screen may fall behind previous generations in the development of these skills. In fact, they may never fully develop them.

What effect will this have on their college studies, their future relationships and their adult employment? We do not yet fully know the result of this aspect of social media and its influence on today's teens.

Increases Social Circles

Students who are active on social media can quickly build up a large collection of "friends." Granted, many of these are only acquaintances, at best, but teens may perceive their online friend lists as a measure of popularity or likability.

The online friend circle is a larger pool for parents to monitor than an in-person friend group would be. Even still, parents must do their best to keep a read on kids' online friendships because the influence of social media relationships can be far-reaching.

Gives Kids a Read on Trends Among Peers

Social media has increased teens' skills in the area of keeping apprised of current tendencies and trends among others their age.

Although adults may initially interpret this effect as a negative thing, it doesn't need to be considered good or bad.

While there may be negative effects from this aspect of social media, it can also be valuable and influence teens in positive ways. Overall, teens need to learn to develop this modern skill and cultivate the maturity to use it with wisdom.

Plays a Role in Peer Pressure

In a study at UCLA, researchers found that students were more likely to "like" a photo on social media if they thought that many of their peers had already done the same.

Other study participants, when shown the same photo, were less likely to click "like" if it appeared that the photo had not already received a lot of positive feedback from other adolescents.

The content of the photos did not have as much of an influence over whether a teen "liked" the photos as did the number of "likes" it already had. Whether the content of the photo was neutral or negative, teens were apt to "like" it if they thought that their peers had.

This implies that-for good or bad-teenagers are highly subjectable to the influence of what other teens promote and respond to online.

Opens the Door to Cyberbullying

Behind the computer screen, many teens are more apt to say mean or hurtful things that they would never dare to say in real life. Even those with a bent toward real-life snobbery may be bolstered toward downright cruelty by the seeming anonymity of typing online.

Any student with online accounts may find himself or herself the victim of cyberbullying. This behavior can be just as devastating as in-person bullying, and the effects that victims may experience as a result include:

Reduced self-esteem.

Depression and anxiety.

Complaints of physical pain or illness.

Disturbances in sleep habits, school performance or social activities.

Influences Self-esteem

Even teens who are not cyberbullied may have their self-esteem damaged by social media.

People often put their best face forward on social media. Their online profiles make their lives look perfect, but they may actually be struggling intensely.

However, teens do not see those struggles; they see only the good things that people post and feel that their own lives do not measure up.

Furthermore, when teens present an ideal image of themselves online, it affects not just those who view their profiles. It can also affect their own self-image.

Teens who feel unable to live up to their online persona may worry that their real self can never be good enough.

As a parent, you may be rightfully concerned after reading this list of the effects of social media. The bad certainly seems to outweigh the good here.

However, among modern teens, social media has become a pervasive fact of life. The challenge for parents and students is to navigate it well.

So what can families do?

Monitor your teen's accounts.

Talk to your teen about the influence of social media.

Lay down rules for social media use.

If you have questions about how social media affects adolescents, please comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is the impact of social media on teenagers?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do your teens have social media accounts? Do you wonder whether those networks are affecting your kids? For sure, research shows that the impact of social media on teenagers can be far-reaching. The real question is: Is social media's impact good, bad or neutral?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Anxiety Disorders and Depression Research & Treatment | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ADAA is an international nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders through education, practice, and research.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teenagers have always worried about how they measure up: Am I popular? Attractive? Do I fit in?

Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teens increasingly measure and manage their social success online-and it may be taking a toll on their mental health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teenagers are constantly posting about what seems like near-perfect lives on social media sites, but looks can be deceiving.

In real life, their lives might not be so perfect.

Among social media's benefits is that it has allowed teenagers to connect all over the world. Still, the hours spent on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites also have the potential to be harmful, child psychologists and therapists say.

Studies are increasingly showing links between an overuse of social media and a variety of health issues, such as anxiety and body image issues.

Seventy-five percent of teenagers in America today have profiles on social media sites, according to Common Sense Media. Some feel like they can't live without it and may feel anxious if they can't update their status or find out what their friends are doing. They may start to judge their self worth by how many Snapchat followers they have.

"One of the biggest challenges for teenagers is the fear of missing out or the need to feel accepted," said Shreya Hessler, a Bel Air, Md., psychologist who specializes in anxiety and other mental health issues. "Social media can put added pressure on teenagers if used in an unhealthy way."

But teachers, therapists and psychologists don't think teenagers need to unplug completely.

Baltimore life coach Leslie Parker said there are some positive aspects to social media, including staying connected to people. It all depends on how students use it, she said. Many teenagers are using social media for positive reasons.

Lauryn Adams, a senior at Mercy High School in Baltimore, uses social media to inteact with basketball scouts. This was something not available 12 years ago when social media was not around.

"I have my separate Twitter for my basketball account which I use for scouting, to notify coaches of what I'm doing, GPA wise and school functions I'm attending," she said.

While parents and other adults may think teens spend too much time on these sites, it can be beneficial, said Baltimore therapist Kate Gerwin.

Social media connects communities at crucial times. Activists used social media to organize during the #metoo movement against sexual harassment and the #blacklivesmatter movement against police brutality. Social media enables people to stay informed about world and local news.

"Access to social networks is an area where communal opportunities have the ability to be shared and people can share their life stories," Hessler said.

Social media is more of a risk to adolescents than adults realize, however, a 2012 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics found. Some teenagers may face cyberbullying or develop Facebook depression. Some studies have also found some links between anxiety and sleep-deprivation.

It also has the potential to create body image issues. A survey of 1,500 young people by the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom found that young girls compared themselves to unrealistic photos of "perfect girls" that may actually be photo-shopped.

Therapist Octavia Sykes works with girls who have body images issues. She said social media can amplify these insecurities. Teenagers are putting their best image forward and make it seem overwhelming for some teenagers to compete.

"The idea that you can't be beautiful without a filter is saddening," Sykes said. "Some of us will never be five foot, seven inches. Some of us will never wear a certain size."

Sometimes social media may isolate teenagers from the real world. Hessler said appointments with her are sometimes the only time some of her teenage clients have a face-to-face conversation without the interruption of social media or other technology. Some teenagers panic when their phone dies or is taken away by their parents and they cannot check Twitter or Snapchat, she said.
More: It's Teen Health Week. Why I care and why you should too Teen suicide is soaring. Do spotty mental health and addiction treatment share blame? Whether it's art and music therapy or art and music as therapy, it calms traumatized teens
"This makes fears such as FOMO (the fear of missing out) a very real and tangible problem for teens due to the fact that contact on social media is one of the main forms of communication nowadays," Hessler said.

Fear of missing out

Kristina Dyson, a junior at Mercy, said she uses Snapchat and Twitter to communicate with friends and know what they are doing from moment to moment.

"If I don't have social media, I don't know what's going on, and I need to know what's going on," she said.

Nijah Fleet, a Mercy sophomore, also uses Snapchat and Twitter to keep up with her friends and follow her favorite celebrities. Like her classmate Kristina, she also feels like she is missing something when she is not on social media.

This feeling can become problematic if it creates anxiety or starts to interfere with school work and everyday life, therapists said.

Parker, the life coach, said social media can keep teenagers away from family time and real life conversations.

"Kids should connect with people, not so much the machines, not so much Twitter," she said. ...They have made social media their family; and I think down the road, it will just make them become more distant, in terms of talking to someone."

Joy Medley, a chemistry teacher at North County High School in Glen Burnie, Md., said she believes social media can be a distraction from class. Constant notifications can pull the student's attention to the device rather than the lessons.

More simply, being active on social media is also just entertaining. Some studies have found that when a person receives a notification on social media, dopamine levels in the brain increase, Gerwin said. Dopamine is the chemical in the brain associated with affirmation and pleasure, like you might feel when you win a prize.

The American Academy of Pediatrics report found that some aspects of social media can be good for adolescents. They can access health information, develop social connections and use it when doing their school work. For instance, students can connect with one another to discuss homework assignments.

"Social media allows teenagers to join communities where people are able to be creative...and verify others creativity," Sykes said.

Teenagers can learn how to improve their relationship with social media when it does become overwhelming or cause negative feelings. Parents and guardians can help their children create a responsible and healthier relationship with social media by having an open dialogue with their kids about their social media use.

Teenagers can also engage in self-regulation and learn to be more aware of their social media use, Sykes said. If they find using social media is making them anxious or they get on sites even when they are tired, it may be time to pull back - and realize they aren't going to miss out on anything.

Hessler suggested setting scheduled times for social media use and try not to deviate from the schedule. When sleeping or studying, students should remove their device from the room to prevent sleep loss or distraction from studying.

"Do not fight the power, be mindful of the power," Hessler said.
Davis and Burnett are fellows in the Urban Health Media Project, co-founded by USA TODAY healthcare policy reporter Jayne O'Donnell

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parents may fret, but teens and even experts say social media use has its benefits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teenagers are constantly posting about what seems like near-perfect lives on social media sites, but looks can be deceiving. In real life, their lives might not be so perfect. Among social media's benefits is that it has allowed teenagers to connect all over the world.

# data[].attributes.headline
Negative effects of using too much social media 

# data[].attributes.subject
Negative effects of using too much social media 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you can't imagine your life without social media, you've probably fallen victim to the strong power that social networking sites have over the public. Chances are that you've also experienced some of the negative effects social media has on people.

Unfortunately, the bad effects of social media are all too real for a lot of us. Let's look at the negative impacts of social media on real people, so you can recognize these symptoms and get help if needed.

You might be surprised to learn that the negative effects of social media are both physical and mental. They can change your perception of the world and yourself. While social media does have some positive effects, and there are certainly positive social media stories, it also has a lot in the drawback column.

Don't believe this? Read on for a list of social media's negative effects. If you recognize any of them as issues in your own life, it may be time to reduce your usage or even stop using social media altogether.

1. Depression and Anxiety

Do you spend several hours per day browsing through social media? Spending too long on social networking sites could adversely affect your mood. In fact, chronic social users are more likely to report poor mental health, including symptoms of anxiety and depression.

It doesn't take much thinking to figure out why. Social media lets you see the carefully selected best parts of everyone else's lives, which you then compare to the negatives in your own life (that only you see). Comparing yourself to other people is a sure path to anxiety and unhappiness, and social media has made this much easier to do.

So how do you use social media without causing yourself psychological distress? If you turn to the same research (and common sense), the recommended amount of time you should spend on social networks is around half an hour per day. As with many other potential ills in life, it's all about moderation.

If you find yourself upset after a social media session, also consider the networks you use and the people you follow. You're much more likely to feel anxious after reading political arguments and doomsday news than you are after seeing fun updates from your favorite musicians or photos of your friends' pets.

2. Cyberbullying

Before social media, bullying was something that was only possible to do face-to-face. However, now people can bully others online-anonymously or not. Today everyone knows what cyberbullying is, and most of us have seen what it can do to a person.

While social media makes it easier to meet new people and make friends, it also enables cruel people to tear into others with little effort. Perpetrators of bullying can use the anonymity that (some) social networks provide to gain people's trust and then terrorize them in front of their peers. For instance, they might create a fake profile and act friendly to a classmate, then later betray and embarrass them online.

These online attacks often leave deep mental scars and even drive people to hurt themselves or take their own lives, in some cases. And as it turns out, cyberbullying doesn't just affect kids. Adults can become victims of online abuse, too. Since screens hide our faces, you can end up being a jerk on social media and other websites without even realizing it.

Learn how to make your Instagram profile more private, and apply the same advice to other social networks, if you suffer from this issue.

3. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a phenomenon that became prominent around the same time as the rise of social media. Unsurprisingly, it's one of the most widespread negative effects of social media on society.

FOMO is just what it sounds like: a form of anxiety that you get when you're scared of missing out on a positive experience that someone else is having. For example, you might constantly check your messages to see if anyone has invited you out, or focus on your Instagram feed all day to make sure that nobody is doing something cool without you. You may also see pictures of something fun that your friends were able to do, feeling left out that you couldn't go because you had another responsibility.

This fear receives constant fuel from what you see on social media. With increased social network use, there's a better chance for you to see that someone is having more fun than you are right now. That's exactly what causes FOMO, so if you're prone to this, know how to prevent FOMO when using social media (or cut back on using it altogether).

4. Unrealistic Expectations

As most people are probably aware, social media forms unrealistic expectations of life and friendships in our minds.

Most social media sites have a severe lack of online authenticity. People use Snapchat to share their exciting adventures, post about how much they love their significant other on Facebook, and load up their Instagram page with heavily staged photos.

But in reality, you have no way of knowing whether this is all a farce. While it looks great on the surface, that person could be in massive debt, on bad terms with their significant other, or desperate for Instagram likes as a form of validation.

One simple way out of this mess is for everyone to quit lying on social media. But in the era of Instagram influencers and YouTubers who earn millions from being inauthentic, that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Remember an important adage: you should not judge your everyday life against the highlights of someone else's.

5. Negative Body Image

​​​​​​

Speaking of Instagram celebrities, if you look at popular Instagram accounts, you'll find unbelievably beautiful people wearing expensive clothes on their perfectly shaped bodies.

And to nobody's surprise, body image is now an issue for almost everyone. Of course, seeing so many people who are supposedly perfect (according to society's standards) on a daily basis makes you conscious of how different you look from those pictures. And not everyone comes to healthy conclusions in this situation.

It's really important to remember that everybody is human. No one wakes up every day looking like a supermodel, and while many people have gone to great lengths to train their bodies, that's not the case for everyone who looks fit. Many people, in search of social media fame, have definitely taken unhealthy routes to appear more attractive.

Surround yourself with people who love you for who you are, and you won't have to stress about fake Instagram beauty.

6. Unhealthy Sleep Patterns

On top of increasing the cases of anxiety and depression, another bad thing about social media is that spending too much time on it can lead to poor sleep. Numerous studies have shown that increased use of social media has a negative effect on your sleep quality.

If you feel that your sleep patterns have become irregular, leading to a drop in productivity, try to cut down on the amount of time you browse social media.

This is especially the case when using your phone in bed at night. It's all too easy to tell yourself that you'll spend five minutes checking your Facebook notifications, only to realize an hour later that you've been mindlessly scrolling through some nonsense on Twitter you don't even care about.

Don't let social media algorithms, which are designed to keep your attention for as long as possible, steal your valuable sleep too. Getting less sleep, combined with that sleep being lower quality, is a dangerous, unhealthy combination.

7. General Addiction

Social media can be more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. It has a powerful draw for many people that leads to them checking it all the time without even thinking about it.

If you're not sure whether you're addicted to social networks, try to remember the last time you went a full day without checking any social media accounts. Do you feel rejected if someone unfollows you? And if your favorite social networks completely disappeared tomorrow, would the absence make you feel empty and depressed?

At the end of the day, social media sites want to keep you scrolling for as long as possible so they can show you lots of ads and make more money. Because of the attention economy, these sites need your eyes on them for as long as possible. Apps like TikTok feed you a constant barrage of quick videos that destroy your attention span over time.

Just because you've been going overboard on social media use doesn't mean you necessarily need to wipe out all your social networking accounts. However, if you think quitting is the best solution for you, it isn't a bad idea. See our guide to quitting social media for good if you'd like help.

As with everything else, there are good and bad aspects of social media. We've discussed some of the negative impacts social media has for many, but you're the one who must decide whether there's more help or harm in it for you personally.

If you find that social media is having a negative impact on your life, stop using it. However, if you decide to stay, there are ways to waste less time on social media, and thus maintain a healthier relationship with it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Negative Effects of Social Media on People and Users

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're a heavy social media user, it's wise to think about the negative impacts of social media on you and your peers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social media has indisputably changed the world, and has brought people around the world closer together. It has long been hypothesized that social media is having a negative impact on mental health and stress, but several studies over the past couple of years have recently proved it. Three billion people, approximately 40% of the world's population uses social media, especially young people, and are using it on average of 61 minutes per day, impacting a huge swath of humanity. We may be sacrificing our mental health as well as our time by overusing social media, and inflicting needless stress on ourselves. Here are a few consequences of spending too much time on social media:
Stress
In 2015 a Pew Research Center study found that social media induces more stress that it releases, especially for women. It found twitter to be especially stressful, as it increases the awareness of others' stress as well. The sress stems from the overwhelming amount of information that is consumed via social media, whether it is milestones in the lives of family, friends and acquaintances you're connected to on social media or from the news.
Mood
In a study last year, Facebook found that heavy users of the site have worse mental health, and that it can impact users' mood. "Researchers hypothesize that reading about others online might lead to negative social comparison," wrote Facebook director of research David Finsberg and research scientist Moira Burke, "and perhaps even more so than offline, since people's posts are often more curated and flattering."
Anxiety
A study published in the journal, Computers In Human Behavior, found that people who use seven or more social media platforms were more than three times as likely to suffer from anxiety systems as people who use zero to two platforms. But more research needs to be done to understand exactly how and why social media induces anxiety.
Depression
Two studies with over 700 student participants found that social media use impacted mood swings and fueled insecurities and feelings of hopelessness. There were higher levels of symptoms of depression with negative interactions on social media. In the second study, they found that having a distorted view of others' lives played a big role in depression caused by the platforms.
Sleep
A study from the University of Pittsburgh found that adults visit social media sites for an average of 61 minutes a day and visit various social media sites on average 30 times a week, and that it impacts sleep. The study found nearly 30% of young adults in the study suffered from frequent sleep disturbance. The study also found that the relationship works in reverse as well: if someone has trouble sleeping, it leads to increased social media use.

I'm a twentysomething freelance journalist, writer and blogger in New York City. I write about everything I've done wrong as a twentysomething woman here in the trenches. Take my advice at your own risk.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why You Should Limit Your Time On Social Media

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social media has indisputably changed the world, and has brought people around the world closer together. It has long been hypothesized that social media is having a negative impact on mental health and stress, but several studies over the past couple of years have recently proved it.