Forever Scrolling? How Social Media Shapes Wellbeing

Do kids and teens spend too much time on social media?

Most people over the age of 25 and parents would say yes, but while the use of social media is far from being all bad, it is time to consider what impact prolonged use can have on mental health.

The Growing Use Of Social Media

Social media is a part of life. People of all ages have their favourite influencers or podcasts, while as many as one in three people under 30 years of age have stated that they want to ditch traditional jobs to become a social media celebrity (Ahmed 2024). Research has also highlighted that since 2022, the time spent on social media by people aged 25 and under has increased from four to eight and a half hours a day, just consuming social media content (Common Sense Census).

Much like the AI bots that our team at The Psychology Consultants Ltd covered in our last blog, social media never sleeps and is available 24 hours a day, showing content and breaking news from around the world. It has been argued that this constant stream of information at the touch of a SmartScreen has led to worsening attention spans, poorer sleep rhythms and, of course, poorer mental health (Yan et al, 2024). But is it the never-ending stream of information that is the issue, or the kind of content that is being consumed?

Does Scrolling Impact Mental Health? Does engaging with social media, or scrolling, for hours on end impact someone’s wellbeing?

Research has highlighted some positives of social media usage for younger people:

1. Enhanced communication- social media offers younger people a safe space to express themselves by engaging in discussions. Sharing content has been found to help young people articulate their thoughts more accurately.

2. Connection with family and friends- social media platforms allow access to communication with family and friends around the world, helping to enhance bonds.

3. Comfort-many younger people have found comfort in using social media, as it allows them to talk to and connect with other young people who may be experiencing similar struggles or life events (Psychology Today).

4. Online help- social media has also helped many younger people get access to services via posts, such as online therapy for mental health, or access to support groups that may not be available in their area.

   
   

However, while social media does foster connections between people around the globe, there have been some downsides noted over the last 5 years. Studies have shown that higher social media and excess scrolling were linked to worse mental health outcomes, specifically self-esteem and depression (Plackett et al, 2023). Other studies have explored the role of social media and sleep patterns, determining that overuse of social media has been associated with poorer sleep, which increases the chance of both depression and anxiety (Ahmed et al, 2024).

Focusing solely on the use of social media and younger people, researchers have also shown that those who have pre-existing mental health conditions were more likely to use social media to excess, which often led to worse experience outcomes, as well as increasing their symptoms of mental health conditions, specifically anxiety and depression (Fassi et al, 2025).

Practical Advice For Young People

Setting guidance for young people on social media can be tricky, especially when the ‘doom scroll’ begins, but there are some hints to keep usage focused and short.

• Be intentional- when using social media, use it with purpose. Message your friends, create something and then shut it down. This prevents passive scrolling or the dreaded doom scroll.

• Set time limits- set a time limit aside each day for active social media use. At bedtime, keep your phone on the other side of the room, as using a phone in bed has been linked to blue light exposure and poorer sleep (Sleep Care Online).

• Check in with yourself- when you finish using social media, ask yourself how you feel. If you frequently feel worse, this may point to it being time to take a break for a few days.

  
  

  Practical Guidance for Parents

Of course, the excess use of social media among younger people has also been found to cause worry among parents and carers, with many reporting concern about how long their child(ren) stay online (Ofcom 2024).

So, here is some practical guidance to help minimise unnecessary screen exposure:

• Create real-world activities- it’s hard for kids or teens to be on social media if they are out playing paintball or taking part in sports. Try to encourage activities that are not directly linked to social media/smartphone use to keep kids and teens off the screens.

• Model appropriate behaviour- kids and teens will likely point out the hypocrisy of you being on social media if they are not allowed to be. So, put the phone or tablet down after an hour or so to model what you want to see in them.

• Keep an eye out for problematic signs- if your child is withdrawing more, having sleep issues, or starts to show signs of issues with their body image, then talk to them about this and consider seeking professional help.

• Talk to them- kids and young teens are more vulnerable to online influences, so talk to them openly about their social media usage. Parental monitoring and supervision have been linked to healthier online outcomes and more manageable social media usage among children and teens.

Key Insights

With social media being a companion of many young people in 2025, what are the core things to remember?

• Social media increase: Social media use has increased and is deeply embedded in the lives of young people, meaning that excess use is more likely than ever before.

• Connection and aim: Social media is great for connection, but it can have drastic impacts when it is used without a clear aim for young people.

• Less scrolling is urged: Higher scrolling equates to worse mental health outcomes (without looking at the type of content being looked at) and can also lead to poorer sleep, exacerbating mental health issues like depression.

• Setting boundaries is wise: For parents, carers and even teenagers/young people, setting boundaries around time spent on social media will help to discourage doom scrolling and has been found to have favourable outcomes.

Social media is great for connection and can offer a great kick-off point for mental health exploration. However, real healing from mental distress or struggles with connection is found with a compassionate and trained ear. Our team at The Psychology Consultants Ltd is available to listen to you and to help. Contact us today via our website or email info@thepsychologyconsultants.com to speak to a qualified professional.

Author: Elizabeth O'Brian

Reference List:

Ahmed, A. (2024, December 15). New survey shows how many children want to pursue influencing as a career path. Digital Information World. https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2024/12/new-survey-shows-how-many-children-want.html

Ahmed, O., Walsh, E., & Dawel, A. (2024). Social media use, mental health and sleep: A systematic review with meta-analyses. Journal of Affective Disorders, 435, Article 119 (193). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.193

Agarwal, K. (2025, March 19). How does blue light affect sleep?. Sleep Care Online. https://www.sleepcareonline.com/articles/sleep-health-blue-light/

Fassi, L., Ferguson, A. M., Przybylski, A. K., Ford, T. J., & Orben, A. (2025). Social media use in adolescents with and without mental health conditions. Nature Human Behaviour, 9(6), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02134-4

Ofcom. (2024, April 19). Children and parents: Media use and attitudes report 2024. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/media-habits-children/children-and-parents-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2024

Patterson, A. (2023, November 15). Social media’s positive power for young people. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/young-people-decoded/202311/social-medias-positive-power-for-young-people?msockid=15c1ae759da66bcf1527bd519c146a88

Plackett, R., Sheringham, J., & Dykxhoorn, J. (2023). The longitudinal impact of social media use on UK adolescents’ mental health: Longitudinal observational study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e43213. https://doi.org/10.2196/43213

Rideout, V., Peebles, A., Mann, S., & Robb, M. B. (2022, March 9). The Common-Sense Census: Media use by tweens and teens, 2021. Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/the-common-sense-census-media-use-by-tweens-and-teens-2021