A new study by Hopelab researchers Victoria Rideout, M.A. and Susannah Fox titled “Digital Health Practices, Social Media Use, and Mental Well-Being Among Teens and Young Adults in the U.S.” offers a revolutionary view on teens and young adults in relation to social media.
The 2018 study reveals that social media may play a significant role in helping teens cope with anxiety, depression, illness, and more. “The survey also reveals young people’s tremendous interest in and exposure to other people’s health experiences. This may well be the generation that revolutionizes the peer-to-peer health experience. Technology has afforded them the tools to seek out people who may be halfway around the world who are facing similar health challenges; to connect with and exchange information with them; to listen to those people’s personal experiences and to share their own. How might we help people navigate this new landscape?”
Yet social media may not be a sustainable solution. Many of the nearly 1500 participants reported that social media may, in fact, contribute to common feelings of depression and anxiety.