Social media, gaming, smart phones and streaming platforms are now woven into everyday life. For many people, digital media can provide entertainment, connection, creativity and support. However, digital media use may become a concern when it starts to affect sleep, mood, relationships, school, work or daily functioning.
The issue is not screen time alone. Some people use screens heavily without any significant distress or impairment. What tends to matter more is whether use is becoming hard to control, is replacing important parts of life, or has become the main way of coping with stress, anxiety or loneliness.
What Does the Research Say About Social Media and Mental Health?
A large systematic review of social media use (Behera et al.,2025) found that daily social media use was associated with increased stress, anxiety, depression loneliness and poor sleep quality, as well as reduced self-esteem and life satisfaction (Behera et al.,2025). Problematic social media use was also associated with poorer emotional regulation, procrastination, higher perceived stress, body image concerns and reduced wellbeing in adolescents and young people (Behera et al.,2025).
These findings do not mean that social media directly causes mental health problems in every person. These findings show associations, not direct causation in every individual. The relationship is often bidirectional. A young person who is already feeling anxious, lonely or low in mood, may spend more time online, while heavy or problematic use may also contribute to poorer sleep, mood and functioning.
How Can Social Media Affect Sleep?
If there’s one area to watch closely, it’s sleep. Late night scrolling, gaming or video watching can delay bedtime, reduce sleep quality and make it harder to feel rested the next day. Behera et al. (2025) found that in-bed electronic social media use was associated with shorter sleep duration, insomnia and anxiety.
Poor sleep can also worsen anxiety, low mood, irritability and concentration difficulties. For this reason, sleep disruption is often one of the earliest signs that digital media use may be affecting wellbeing.
Social Media, Loneliness and Social Anxiety.
Social media can help people stay connected, particularly when they feel isolated or disconnected from others. However, for some people, online interaction may become part of a cycle of loneliness, social comparison or avoidance.
O’Day and Heumberg’s (2021) systematic review found that social anxiety and loneliness were associated with problematic social media use. The review also suggested that loneliness may be a risk factor for more problematic patterns of social media use.
For people with social anxiety, online spaces may feel less confronting than face to face situations, which can be a real relief. The concern is when online connection starts to replace offline relationships or gets in the way of building social confidence over time. Passive scrolling and comparing yourself to others online can also leave people feeling more anxious or dissatisfied rather than more connected.
Body Image And Image-Based Platforms
Platforms centred on photos and videos can have a real impact on how people feel about themselves. Behera et al. (2025) found that exposure to idealised, thin or sexualised content, as well as upward social comparison, was linked to lower body satisfaction and lower mood. This is particularly relevant for teenagers and young adults. It may be worth reflecting on whether someone regularly feels worse about their appearance after using certain platforms, or becomes preoccupied with likes, filters or edited images.
Gaming and Mental Health
Gaming is not inherently harmful. Many people play games for enjoyment, relaxation, competition or social connection. However, gaming can become a concern when it begins to interfere with sleep, school, work, exercise, family life or relationships.
Research by Gioia et al (2022) found a strong link between problematic online gaming and social anxiety, noting that online games can feel like a more comfortable social environment for people who find face-to-face interactions difficult (Gioia et al., 2022). While this can offer genuine short-term relief, it may also reinforce avoidance over time. Wang and colleagues similarly found that problematic mobile gaming was associated with depression, social anxiety and loneliness in adolescents, with male adolescents particularly likely to report social anxiety in this context.
ADHD And Screen Time
Young people with ADHD can be especially drawn to social media and gaming, which tend to offer the novelty, stimulation and quick rewards that feel particularly engaging when attention regulation is already challenging.
A study by Shuai and colleagues of 192 children and adolescent with ADHD found that those with problematic digital media use have worse inattention, more anxiety and depressive symptoms, greater difficulty with executive function, higher stress, lower motivation for learning and less family cohesion, as well as more time on screens and less time exercising (Shuai et al., 2021). Weinstein and Weizman (2012) also highlighted how reward and stimulation, may make gaming especially reinforcing for people with ADHD.
This doesn’t mean screens should be avoided altogether. The more important question is whether digital media use is affecting routines, sleep, schoolwork, exercise, emotional regulation or family relationships.
Digital Media and Vaping Risk
Digital media can also influence health behaviour like vaping. Lee and colleagues (2019) used data from the 2019 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey, involving 10,776 adolescents, to examine the association between social media use and vaping. They found that use of several social media platforms was associated with vaping status. Daily Snapchat use showed one of the strongest associations with vaping, with an adjusted relative risk ratio of 5.09 compared with non-users.
This does not suggest that Snapchat causes vaping. However, it suggests that social media may form part of the broader risk environment for young people, particularly when they are vulnerable and exposed to peer content, influencer posts, advertising or vaping related images.
Signs Digital Media Use May Be Affecting Mental Health
Digital media use may be worth discussing with a GP or psychiatrist if it’s associated with
- Difficulty stopping or cutting back
- Staying up late scrolling, gaming or watching videos
- Poor sleep or daytime fatigue
- Worsening anxiety, low mood or irritability
- Avoiding school, study, work or social situations
- Reduced exercise or offline activities
- Withdrawal from friends or family
- Frequent conflict at home about devices
- Using social media or gaming mainly to escape distress
- Body image concerns linked to online content
- Vaping or other risk behaviour influenced by online exposure
If digital media use is associated with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, severe depression, school refusal or significant family conflict, it is important to seek psychiatric support.
What Can Parents (and Individuals) Do?
Rather than focusing solely on reducing screen time, which can lead to conflict without addressing what’s really going on, it helps to first understand the role digital media is playing. Is it helping your child relax, or stay connected? Is it a way of avoiding anxiety? Is it getting in the way of sleep, exercise or schoolwork?
Some things that tend to help
- Keeping conversations calm and non-judgemental
- Avoiding sudden blanket bans unless there is a safety concern
- Setting consistent limits on device use at night
- Keep devices out of bedrooms overnight where possible
- Encouraging exercise, hobbies and in-person connection.
- Supporting gradual change rather than expecting overnight results
- Modelling balanced screen use yourself
The goal isn’t to eliminate technology, it’s to support healthier habits and wellbeing.
When To Seek Help?
If digital media use is affecting sleep, mood, relationships, school or work, it’s worth speaking with your GP or psychiatrist. They can assess the situation, explore underlying issues (such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, Austism, loneliness or sleep difficulties), and provide a referral or address the concern. Our team at Eastern Suburbs Psychiatry is here to support you. Feel free to request an appointment to discuss your situation.
The most useful question isn’t just “how much is too much?” It’s, “is digital media helping this person’s wellbeing, or making daily life harder?”