Daily social media use beyond 2.5 hours tracks with depression, analysis finds
Social media use is a better predictor of depression than many other common factors, such as one's job and educational background or time spent on other activities, such as playing video games, surfing the web or watching TV.
A 11-year study analyzing 183,300 surveys from adults aged 18 to 70 has found that daily social media use of at least 2.5 hours is linked to increased self-reported depression. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and Northwestern University observed a correlation with depression among respondents who spent at least 150 minutes per day on social media, a pattern that persisted across all 11 years of the study.
The findings, published in the journal npj Mental Health Research, suggest that social media use is a stronger predictor of depression than factors such as job, education, or time spent on other digital activities. The study's corresponding author, Hans Breiter, emphasized that social media use has become increasingly harmful as consumption habits have shifted from social interactions with known individuals to consuming content created by strangers.
The researchers used machine learning models to ensure the accuracy of their analysis, and while the study did not establish causality, it suggests that mitigating the negative effects of excessive social media use is crucial in today's deeply online culture.
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