The Impact of Social Media on Mental and Physical Health: A Growing Concern

As of 2023, the global population of social media users has exceeded 3.78 billion, with individuals spending an average of 145 minutes daily engaging with social media platforms. Notably, adolescents are overrepresented in this user demographic. The extensive time spent on these platforms has started to demonstrate detrimental effects on mental health, including feelings of isolation, anxiety, the fear of being excluded, social comparison, and depression. Additionally, extended social media use has been associated with adverse physical health outcomes such as deteriorating eyesight.