new gallup survey It turns out that more than half of U.S. teens spend an average of 4.8 hours on social media each day. Responses were received from 1,591 people between the ages of 13 and 19, and the survey results showed that as teens get older, they use social media for longer periods of time.
Gallup also surveyed the children’s parents, asking about their parenting habits, parent-child relationships, and youth activities, among other things. The researchers looked at data from 6,643 parents and found that social media use was most prevalent among girls, with 55% spending an average of 5.3 hours online. Meanwhile, 48% of teenage boys spend 4.4 hours on social media, with time peaking at age 17 for both boys and girls.
In this study, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook,X – formerly called twitter – and WhatsApp. According to a Gallup study, out of all the platforms, teenagers spend the least amount of time on their WhatsApp, X, and Facebook, replacing them with YouTube (1.9 hours), TikTok (1.5 hours) and Instagram (0.9 hours). ) is selected.
gallup question whether social media addiction is a contributing factor to the amount of time teens spend online each day, and “studies show that technology companies are manipulating users through design to encourage them to spend more time on apps.” said. The report references a 2022 article published in the journal American Economic Review in which 31% of young people reported having “self-control issues” and excessive screen time use. It is said that the cause is influenced by the way social media companies design their platforms.
“Social media platforms flood the brain with dopamine and keep consumers coming back for more,” says Dr. Nancy DeAngelis, director of behavioral health. jefferson health I mentioned this in an article for health care systems. “Sharing, liking, and commenting on these platforms stimulates the brain’s reward center, resulting in a high similar to that felt when gambling or using drugs.”
DeAngelis said teens are more susceptible to these triggers because they access social media during the second period of brain development.
“Excessive use of social media can actually rewire young children and teens’ brains to constantly seek immediate gratification, leading to obsessive, compulsive, and addictive behaviors.” DeAngelis says.
addictive nature Social media can worsen mental health disordersshe warns, can include symptoms such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and body dysmorphic disorder.
of addiction centerThe organization, owned by Recovery Worldwide, identifies young people who use social media excessively as social media addicts and uses social media to plan their social media use, think about online platforms, or use social media to forget about their problems. They say they fit into this category if they spend a lot of time doing things like: And if you find that it negatively impacts your work or studies.
The center found that 27% of teens with mental health issues spend more than three hours on social media, and found that youth who use social media excessively “have significantly lower social interaction skills.” It was reported that it was found that the
Early this year, U.S. Surgeon General and American Psychological Association issue health advisories As for the potential harm social media can have on young people, he said more research is needed to determine the overall impact of social media on young people, although he cited its effects on brain development. But “there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to the mental health of young people,” said Dr. Vivek Murthy of the U.S. Department of Public Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. news release In May.
“Children are exposed to harmful content on social media, from violent and sexual content to bullying and harassment,” he said. “And for too many children, social media use is costing them sleep and precious face-to-face time with family and friends. We are in the midst of a national youth mental health crisis. We are concerned that social media is a key factor in the crisis and must be addressed urgently.”
