How much does social media affect mental health in young adults?

Limiting social media use for a week can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia in young adults.

What is the impact of a social media detox on anxiety?

A one-week social media detox can lead to a 16% decrease in anxiety symptoms among young adults.

Is social media the cause of poor mental health or screen time?

Recent studies suggest that social media use itself, rather than total screen time, is more closely linked to negative mental health impacts.

Home / Health / Social Media Break Boosts Youth Mental Health

Social Media Break Boosts Youth Mental Health

2 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Limiting social media for a week significantly reduces mental health symptoms.
Anxiety dropped 16%, depression 24%, and insomnia 14.5% in study participants.
Improvements were seen even when total screen time did not decrease.

Social Media Break Boosts Youth Mental Health

A recent study indicates that a one-week break from social media can lead to substantial improvements in mental health for young adults. Researchers found that participants who reduced their social media usage experienced significant decreases in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

The study involved nearly 400 young adults aged 18 to 24. After a baseline period, 80% opted for a week-long social media detox, cutting usage from about two hours daily to just 30 minutes. This behavioral change resulted in a 16% reduction in anxiety, 24% in depression, and 14.5% in insomnia.

Notably, the mental health benefits were achieved even without a decrease in overall screen time. This suggests that the specific nature of social media interaction, rather than general screen exposure, is a key factor contributing to negative mental health outcomes.