Young Adult Depression and Anxiety Linked to Social Media Use: Assessment and Treatment

Abstract

Studies suggest that more 30% of college students are currently depressed. A small but growing body of literature suggests that young adults' social media use correlates with their depressive and anxious symptomology. As many as 90% of young adults use social media currently, compared to just 12.5% in 2005. Further, more than a quarter of college students report spending at least six hours per week on social media, compared to only 18.9% in 2007. Smartphone use within young adult populations also is extremely high: estimates of undergraduate smartphone ownership appear to be as high as 97%. Collectively, these trends suggest that social media and smartphones play an integral role in the routines and culture of young adults. The authors present the existing research linking social media use with depression and anxiety and utilize a case study to illuminate the relationship between young adult depression, anxiety, and social media use. The article provides clear recommendations for the assessment and treatment of social media use in depressed and anxious young adults. Keywords College student • Young adult • Depression • Anxiety • Social media • Fear of missing out Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and a significant issue for young adults (Mortier et al. 2018; World Health Organization 2017). Studies suggest that more than 30% of college students are depressed; similarly, 58% of U.S. counseling centers have witnessed an increase in students seeking services for depression (Rankin et al. 2018). Additionally, U.S. young adult college students diagnosed with or treated for anxiety rose from 6.7% in 2000 (American College Health Association 2000) to 21.6% in 2017 (American College Health Association 2017). Nearly 40% of college students reported they "felt so depressed that it was difficult to function" in the previous year, while 60.9% reported "overwhelming anxiety" (American College Health Association 2017. p. 14). Untreated depression and anxiety in young adults may have severe consequences: suicide is the second leading cause of death for young adults (Center for Disease Control 2016). Depression in young adults may link to numerous risk factors, including insomnia (Becker et al. 2018), stress (Dixon and Kurpius 2008), trauma (Boyraz et al. 2015), risky sexual behaviors and substance use (Bauer et al. 2014), and the developmental transition into self-sufficient and adult-oriented roles (Beiter et al. 2015). However, some literature suggests links between young adults' depression and anxiety with their social media use (Cain 2018; O'Keeffe and Clarke-Pearson 2011). Social media is defined as media with capabilities of producing, sharing, and collaborating on content, and includes blogs, social networking sites, and virtual game worlds (Kuss and Griffiths 2017). Social networking sites are "virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests" (Kuss and Griffiths 2011, p. 3529). In this article, t...

Social Media Use and Well-Being: What we Know and What We Need to Know

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