Too Much Social Media – The Affect on Mental Health

Too much time spent on social networking sites linked to poorer mental health in teens. More than 750 students in grades 7 to 12 were asked how many hours a day they usually spend on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

They were also asked to rate their mental or emotional health… to estimate their level of psychological distress over the most recent 4-week period… … if they’d experienced suicidal thoughts during the last 12 months…and whether they had access to mental health support

The results? Students who spent more than 2 hours each day on social networking sites were more likely to report poor mental health, high psychological distress, suicidal thoughts and an unmet need for mental health support.

The authors say these findings could represent an opportunity to help spot and address mental health problems among children.