I feel like I'm always on my phone, but still feel really
lonely. Would it help if I used it less?
About one in four youth report feeling lonely often or
always. At the same time, nearly half say they are on social
media almost constantly. Social media was designed to help
people feel connected, yet large studies link heavier
use with more loneliness and isolation.
The problem is that most of the research doesn't tell us whether social
media use contributes to loneliness, or whether young
people who feel lonely are simply more likely to spend more time
online. So we wanted to know if social media use
itself plays a direct role in loneliness among youth with
anxiety or depression, and whether psychosocial factors
like gender or frequent social comparison influence
who might benefit most.
We ran a three-week-long randomized control trial with young
people from ages 17 to 25 who are already
experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression.
One group limited their social media use to about an hour per day,
while the other group continued as usual.
We tracked social media use directly from participants'
smartphones and measured loneliness before and after.
Some of our results were expected.
Those who reduced social media use significantly reduced feelings of
loneliness compared to those who used their phones as normal.
One possible explanation is behavioral displacement.
When time spent on social media decreases, this makes
room for more in-person connection with friends and family, which can
help reduce feelings of loneliness.
What surprised us was what didn't matter.
Previous research has suggested that girls may be more negatively
affected by social media, and that youth who frequently compare
themselves to others online may be more vulnerable to
loneliness.
But our results found no differences based on gender or
by how much young people compared themselves to others.
Reducing social media use helped all youth with anxiety or
depression feel less lonely, regardless of any other
factors.
Loneliness is a complex issue, and spending less time using social
media is not a standalone solution.
But our findings suggest that it may be a meaningful and accessible
component of a more comprehensive, personalized approach to
supporting mental health.
Future research will explore the best amount of social media use
reduction, how different types of social comparison influence
outcomes, and how limiting social media can be sustained over
time.
So what can you do if you're feeling lonely or isolated?
Try disconnecting from social media and connecting with friends.