Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Social media and mental health in the United States - statistics & facts
Internet users in the United States are quick to make a connection between the increase in social media usage and the rise of mental health issues. Social media makes it easy to connect and socialize, relieving feelings of loneliness for some people, but not for everyone. Do the positives outweigh the negatives of social media? And which generation is the most negatively impacted by our online worlds?
Video-based app TikTok is known for entertaining audiences for prolonged amounts of time, but the app does not always make users feel good nor aware of how much time they are spending on the service. As of May 2023, three-quarters of TikTok users in the United States felt the app was addictive, whilst 27 percent said they had felt negative mental health effects after using TikTok.
Generation Z grew up alongside social media, meaning they know how to use it to their advantage. In 2023, 26 percent of young people in the United States used social media as a resource for addressing their mental health questions, meaning that they turned to social media before being able to access any type of therapy.
Additionally, U.S. teens use social media for much more than just connecting and socializing, with 25 percent saying it helped them to learn. Generation Z users in the country would also be happy to see more sites dedicated to positive content.
Too much of a good thing?
In February 2023, one third of adult internet users in the United States said that social media had either a somewhat negative or very negative effect on their mental health. Generation X, those born between 1965 and 1980, were the most likely generation to state that their mental health had been negatively affected by online platforms.Video-based app TikTok is known for entertaining audiences for prolonged amounts of time, but the app does not always make users feel good nor aware of how much time they are spending on the service. As of May 2023, three-quarters of TikTok users in the United States felt the app was addictive, whilst 27 percent said they had felt negative mental health effects after using TikTok.
Online searches for help and support
Looking at what people type into search engines offers a glimpse into their feelings. An average of 200,000 monthly online searches for mental health content were made in the United States between 2022 and 2023. Cara Delevingne was by far the celebrity mental health advocate with the highest growth in online searches, followed by Jennifer Lawrence, and Will Smith, respectively. Overall, 10 percent of women in the United States sought out influencers for mental health advice and recommendations.Teens and the rise in depression
Adults in the United States are particularly concerned about children and teens and their dependance on social media services. As of early 2023, 55 percent of adults in the country said they were very concerned about social media’s impact on the mental health of children. Moreover, one third felt that social media was mostly responsible for the increase in depression amongst American teens.Generation Z grew up alongside social media, meaning they know how to use it to their advantage. In 2023, 26 percent of young people in the United States used social media as a resource for addressing their mental health questions, meaning that they turned to social media before being able to access any type of therapy.
Staying positive
Platforms that are designed to keep us hooked, along with harmful content and the impossible standards set by edited images is a dangerous mix, however, perhaps we are better than we realize at recognizing when a break is needed. As of February 2023, 36 percent of adults in the United States had taken a break from social media.Additionally, U.S. teens use social media for much more than just connecting and socializing, with 25 percent saying it helped them to learn. Generation Z users in the country would also be happy to see more sites dedicated to positive content.
