Social Media and Anxiety

Studies and government reports have raised serious concerns about the connection between social media use and anxiety. The 2025 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health warns that adolescents who have more than three hours of social media screen time each day face a notably heightened risk of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. Nearly half of teens from age 13 to age 17 report that social media negatively affects their body image.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also studies the complex relationship between social media and mental health, noting that while social media offers social support, it also potentially exposes users to negative experiences, such as bullying and harassment. These experiences can significantly increase anxiety, particularly for vulnerable youth.

Does social media increase anxiety?

Based on the available research, it is possible that the factors that may cause anxiety for some people may increase existing anxiety for others. It is also possible that the anxiety caused by social media may worsen with continued use, given the links between heavy usage of social media and anxiety.

Several aspects of social media use can contribute to anxiety in young people. From cyberbullying to the pressure that comes with constant social comparison, different aspects of social media can create or exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common contributors.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a growing concern on social media platforms, with research linking it to increased rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying is persistent and can happen at any time, often leaving victims feeling isolated and vulnerable. The design of social media platforms may encourage harassment by amplifying harmful content, allowing anonymous interactions and failing to enforce effective moderation.

Fear of missing out (FOMO)

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a significant driver of social media-induced anxiety. Social media platforms encourage users to post and elevate idealized versions of themselves, potentially causing some adolescents who see these posts to have lower self-esteem, or feel excluded or inadequate. The apps also encourage frequent engagement through features like Snapstreaks and TikTok Now, which can make these feelings worse.

Sleep disruption

Use of social media, particularly at night, can disrupt sleep patterns by way of blue light exposure that interferes with the body’s natural production of melatonin. Poor sleep quality is directly associated with increased anxiety and other mental health issues. Adolescents who spend more time on social media are more likely to report sleep disturbances.

Notifications

Social media apps may have incessant notifications that ping users about what their peers are doing and urge kids to engage with the platforms. These notifications may make social media stressful for users.

However, these notifications aren’t always consistent. Apps may withhold notifying users about interactions with their posts for a period of time to further maximize user engagement.

Social comparison

Social comparison is a well-documented contributor to anxiety. Social media encourages users to compare their lives to idealized representations of others. Adolescents, more so than other groups, may feel inadequate when measuring their appearance, achievements, or social standing against those of their peers.

Anxiety related to social media can manifest through various emotional, behavioral and physical symptoms. Adolescents are exceedingly vulnerable, with symptoms often affecting their daily lives and well-being.

• Emotional symptoms: Persistent worry, fear, irritability and feelings of inadequacy
• Behavioral symptoms: Avoidance of social situations, decreased participation in activities, and compulsive social media use
• Physical symptoms: Headaches, fatigue, poor sleep quality and gastrointestinal issues

When left unaddressed, these symptoms can interfere with academic performance, relationships and overall quality of life.

Companies regularly survey users to see how to improve their products and how teens and young adults react to them. Publicly available, external research also showcases the potential harms of social media platforms and features.

Leaks of internal research show that social media companies are aware of their impact on the mental health of their users. They know that the mental health of kids and adolescents is in danger from the use of their products.

Below is some information about what these companies know about how social media can cause anxiety.

Meta

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been at the center of social media harm allegations. Internal documents show that the company knew its platforms negatively affected the mental health of teens, particularly adolescent girls. 

Research suggests that the social comparison aspect of Instagram could compound feelings of anxiety and depression among teens. One slide discussing internal user research said: “Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression. This reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.”

Despite Meta having this awareness, many social media skeptics say Meta prioritizes engagement and growth over addressing users’ concerns. As a result, millions of young users may be susceptible to suffering mental health harms.

Snapchat

Snapchat’s design focuses on short-lived content and features that keep users online. They have also been linked to anxiety in young users. These features include:

• Snapstreaks: External research has found that young users who lose a Snapstreak often experience negative feelings. A 2018 internal study by Snap found that more than a third of users found it important to keep a Snapstreak going, and they felt an enormous amount of pressure to do so.
• Snap Map: Snap Map is a feature of Snapchat that, unless disabled, shares a person’s location with their friends and the public. Beyond the concern of sharing the locations of minors, researchers have also found that the feature promotes feelings of jealousy, which can lead to anxiety and sadness.

Reports claim that Snapchat knew its platform could foster compulsive behaviors and increase anxiety among adolescents. Critics assert that the company failed to introduce adequate mental health protections, all while recognizing these risks.

TikTok

TikTok has faced criticism for its potential role in exacerbating anxiety among adolescents. Studies indicate the platform’s algorithm can expose young users to potentially harmful content, including material related to mental health issues. A recent report highlighted concerns that TikTok may expose teens to content in connection with suicide and eating disorders, potentially leading to increased anxiety and distress. 

YouTube

YouTube has also been scrutinized for its perceived impact on adolescent mental health, particularly the role it seems to play in this age group’s anxiety. Research indicates that the platform’s recommendation algorithms can lead users, especially teenagers, to content not suitable for their age — potentially increasing their anxiety and stress levels. Experts have raised concerns that YouTube’s design may contribute to a mental health crisis among young users by exposing them to distressing content without providing adequate safeguards.

Hundreds of individuals have filed lawsuits against major social media companies, accusing the platforms of causing or worsening serious mental health conditions – including anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. These claims are largely made by or on behalf of young people who used social media during critical developmental years and experienced significant mental health challenges then or later in life.

These claims have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL), which contains lawsuits seeking to hold social media companies accountable for personal injuries and even wrongful death. These injuries are linked to social media platform design and alleged social media company negligence in the form of failure to protect users from foreseeable harm.

According to the plaintiff’s master complaint for the federal court cases, social media companies knowingly designed their platforms to maximize engagement. The complaint further asserts that social media companies use features, such as algorithmically driven endless feeds and variable rewards, to manipulate users into compulsive behavior. Plaintiffs argue that companies failed to adequately warn users about the risks of heavy social media use, especially for adolescents who are more susceptible to being influenced because their brains are still developing.

Across the United States, numerous school districts have also filed lawsuits against major social media companies. These cases claim these companies’ platforms have contributed to a growing mental health crisis among students. The complaints focus on what users say are harmful design features of social media platforms. School districts argue that social media platforms have made a severely negative impact on student behavior and well-being in the following ways:

• A rise in student mental health issues: Schools report increased cases of anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges among students.
• Disruption of classroom environments: Teachers have observed reduced attention spans, classroom disruptions and even violent outbursts related to social media use.
• Platform designs: Social media companies are accused of designing features to maximize user engagement, leading to compulsive use.
• Strain on school resources: Schools have been forced to expand their counseling services and create new educational programs to address social media-related mental health concerns.

Lawsuits filed by school districts are part of the broader federal MDL.

Motley Rice attorneys have worked for decades fighting for families and people. Our experience includes representing people suing tech companies over harm they’ve suffered.

You may be eligible to sue if you believe you or your child experienced the following due to social media:

• Attempted or died by suicide
• Received treatment for self-harm
• Received a diagnosis of a mental health disorder from a healthcare professional

If you believe these conditions were caused or worsened by social media and you need help filing a lawsuit for social media harm, please contact us. Your well-being is important to our team.

Read more about filing a social media lawsuit.