Social Media Addiction and Anxiety Disorders in Teenagers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65761/jssp.2024.v1.i1.2Keywords:
Social Media Addiction, Anxiety Disorders, Teenagers, Cyberbullying, Emotional Dependency, Mental Health, Social Comparison, Digital LiteracyAbstract
Background: The growing use of social media among teenagers has raised concerns regarding its potential effects on mental health, particularly anxiety. Excessive and problematic social media engagement may expose adolescents to social comparison, cyberbullying, and emotional dependency, potentially increasing psychological distress.
Objective: To examine the relationship between social media addiction and anxiety symptoms among teenagers and identify factors contributing to anxiety associated with excessive social media use.
Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed. Quantitative data were collected through structured surveys assessing social media-use patterns and anxiety symptoms, while qualitative interviews explored participants’ personal experiences and perceived psychological effects of social media use.
Results: The findings demonstrated a significant positive association between time spent on social media and the severity of anxiety symptoms. Social comparison, cyberbullying, and emotional dependency emerged as important factors associated with increased anxiety among teenagers.
Conclusion: Excessive social media use may adversely affect adolescent mental health and contribute to anxiety symptoms. The findings emphasize the importance of digital literacy, mental health education, healthier social media practices, and professional guidance. Targeted interventions and increased awareness may help reduce the psychological burden associated with problematic social media use among teenagers.
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