Social media, television, and computer use leads to anxiety and depression among teens, a new study suggests. The study that was published by the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry was conducted in Montreal, Canada and conducted over a period of 4 years.
Researchers observed over 3,000 7th to 10th graders and measured how much time they spent on computers, television, and social media. The outcome showed that the more time the subject spent on screens, the more depressed and anxious they became.
However, the use of television, computers, and social media didn't yield the same results. The outcome showed that social media has a bigger contributing factor than television when it comes to depression.
"In terms of the relationship between screen time and depression, what we found was that social media was very robustly related to increases in depressive symptoms, as was television,” Patricia Conrod, one of the researchers of the study, said. She also revealed that video gaming had no relationship with depression among teens.
“In some way, you're being exposed to a slightly biased perspective on what young people's lives are like and you compare yourself to that,” Conrod added. Social media shows a more picture-perfect yet unrealistic projection of what life should be.
Adults have experienced teenage years without social media. The study suggests that compared to this generation's teens, adults had a better perspective on what life is.
Based on the study, teens spend around 7 hours per day on social media while children aged 8-12 spend an average of 5 hours per day. The data suggest that the internet and social media websites have become more accessible for children and teens.
According to the study, spending too much time on social media blurs the line of reality for teens. They spend too much time online that their projection of reality also becomes biased and they become less critical of the information they're being exposed to.