How Does Social Media Affect Teen Mental Health?

Is Instagram still fun or is it now a detriment to teen’s mental health? In response to Instagram’s recent age verification policy, in hopes of protecting younger users by limiting access for those under 16, conversations about social media’s impact on teens’ mental health and safety have sparked again. 

While these restrictions on usage are aimed at child safety and combating damaging internet access, there are still concerns about the possibly harmful social media exposure on teenage users who are on the platforms unmonitored. With issues like cyberbullying, body image problems, and social media addiction linked to an increase in depression and anxiety among teens – it’s crucial to question how age restrictions can impact teens’ mental well-being.  

In an article by the New York Times, Neurologist Dr. Frances Jensen at the University of Pennsylvania says during adolescence “Areas that have to do with peers, peer pressure, impulsivity, and emotion are very, very, very active.” The way teens act on and use social media makes it clear that they are sensitive to social dynamics. 

When asked about how social media affects your peers, Malea Musonge ‘27 said, “A lot of my friends are too wrapped up in how many likes they get or how many followers they get,  and I think that honestly does control what they do post.” 

Beyond the validation teens seek on social media, there are concerns about the harmful content and influence social media can expose to adolescents. 

A surgeon general’s advisory in The New York Times says “Social media platforms brim with ‘extreme, inappropriate and harmful content,’ including content that ‘can normalize’ self-harm, eating disorders and other self-destructive behavior. Cyberbullying is rampant.” 

Students were asked to share their thoughts on harmful practices, social media’s influence on body image, and if there were differences in struggles between boys and girls.

Mayalondyn Howden-Gray ‘25 said, “I think that there is a huge difference between the struggles that girls face and the struggles that boys face. Not only because girls are more exposed to comparative body image culture and a lot of shame on the internet but a lot of social media is targeted more towards women and making women [feel] a certain way about themselves and their bodies. But there is also a struggle with body confidence and body image among men, especially with the rise of gym culture. ”

Many social media apps, specifically Instagram, have implemented new regulations based on the age of their users. The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, shared with GMA that these protections are going to “proactively address the top concerns that we’ve heard from parents about teens online.” 

The regulations address issues regarding who can contact teens, what’s on their feed, and how much time they’re able to spend on the app per day without requiring parental intervention. 

On top of this, Antigone Davis, Vice president and global head for Meta (Instagram’s parent company) shared in the same GMA interview that they are working on new technology to identify when a user has lied about their age. 

When asked about the impact social media has on her mental health, Howden Gray said, “I try not to put too much emphasis on what I’m seeing. I do enjoy scrolling but I also know that a lot of social media is fake, so I don’t let it influence me as much as I think it could. It has a neutral effect and it doesn’t make my mental health better.” 

Social Media doesn’t always have to have an extremely positive or negative influence on someone. Media discernment is an important part of using social media, especially at a younger age. If getting rid of a social media account isn’t your solution, instead changing your relationship with it can do great things for any individual. 

Musonge had a similar opinion to Gray’s, stating that her social media use has a neutral effect on her mental health as she doesn’t “necessarily think that it has a significant impact [her]  life… but not in a negative way at all.” 

As Gray and Musongue have shown, maintaining a balanced relationship with social media, neither heavily addicted nor completely detached, can lead to a more healthy experience. 

However, the destructive parts of social media are still very real. Chase Miller ‘26, said that he thinks  “That [social media is] terrible. The world would be better if we didn’t have social media. So I think it has a terrible impact, not just to me but to the world.”  

In conversation with Miller, he shared his not-so-sweet experience with social media and even though he stated to have his media usage under control, he believes his own mental health and likely the mental well-being of others would be better without the presence of social media. 

Regardless of one’s opinions of social media, it’s often difficult for teens to immediately cut ties with it even when they recognize it’s not the best for them.

 When asked if he had any plans to delete his social media Miller said, “Listen, I’m a little nosy and like seeing what people are doing… I just like seeing what’s going on.”

As he sees a positive in his social media use as it connects him with his friends and informs him on certain world events, it wouldn’t make sense in his life to completely discard all of his socials. 

While the impact of social media and the growing restrictions around it can vary from person to person, it’s clear that many teens are navigating the highs, lows, and overall complexities with a sense of mindfulness and discernment. There doesn’t seem to be one clear path where social media use, its policies, or its effect on mental health is going, but the conversation continues to stay relevant.