Examining the Link Between Social Media Addiction and Psychiatric Emergencies in Youth

New Africa_AdobeStock

CONFERENCE REPORTER

A poster at the 2024 American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting discussed the results of a recent study that delved into the relationship between social media usage among adolescents and its potential impact on mental health.

According to the poster’s researchers, with the widespread availability of smart phones, it is estimated that as many as 95% of teens engage daily with platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.¹ Although the findings from general research have indicated a nuanced relationship between social media use and mental health among youth, especially during and since the COVID-19 pandemic,² concerns have been raised about the overuse of these platforms.

Research suggests potential links between overuse of social media platforms to various mental health risks such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and even suicidal thoughts. This is often attributed to habits like constant checking and prolonged engagement, fueled by algorithmically curated content.¹

The researchers highlighted that adolescents may be particularly susceptible to the allure of social media due to the maturation of certain brain regions, like the nucleus accumbens, which governs reward processing. However, despite growing concerns, there is limited research specifically examining the problematic usage of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels among young individuals.¹

To address this gap, a retrospective case series was conducted, analyzing the clinical correlations between usage of TikTok and Instagram Reels and mental health crises among adolescents. The study involved 7 patients, aged 11 to 18 years, who underwent emergency psychiatric evaluation following social media-related incidents since January 2022 at a tertiary care center.¹

The findings revealed that all of the patients exhibited behaviors consistent with addiction criteria related to either TikTok or Instagram Reels usage. This included spending more time on the platforms than intended, experiencing negative social consequences, experiencing symptoms of withdrawal, and/or feeling distressed when access to the platforms was restricted. Additionally, the majority of the patients presented with suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors, with some requiring inpatient psychiatric care.¹

Of particular concern, the researchers noted, were cases involving minors who were engaging in inappropriate or risky behaviors on these platforms, such as forming relationships with adults or sharing explicit content.¹

The study presented underscores the urgent need for further research and intervention strategies to address the negative impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Efforts should focus on implementing safeguards to protect vulnerable youth from harmful content and behaviors online, while also exploring the role of social media in exacerbating or even triggering mental illness.¹

“Despite the small sample size, the severity of self-harm, suicidality, and patterns of addictive use correlated with goal-disoriented scrolling or inadequate safeguards against unmonitored contact with adults,” the researchers concluded. “Given the recent data demonstrating the negative effects of the addictive design features of these platforms, efforts should be made to curb youth access to harmful content. To strike a balance between access to media and sensitivity towards a particularly vulnerable population, a deeper inquiry is needed into whether these platforms cause or merely exacerbate mental illness.”¹

The poster was presented by Ujval Pathak, MD; James Burden, MD; Gibson Anugwom, MD; and Britney Lambert, MD, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Stay up-to-date on news related to research on promising new interventions and developments in the treatment of a wide variety of psychiatric disorders at psychiatrictimes.com.

Note: This article was prepared with the assistance of ChatGPT.

References

1. Pathak U, Burden J, Anugwom G, Lambert B. Swiping, scrolling and suicidality: examining social media addiction in the context of adolescent psychiatric emergencies. American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. Poster presentation. May 4, 2024. Accessed May 4, 2024. https://s7.goeshow.com/apa/annual/2024/poster_search.cfm?session_key=8E8E7C4D-90B1-1C06-DFD2-2A1587CEEB94&session_date=Saturday,%20May%2004,%202024

2. Burley HW, Belfort EL. The double-edged sword of social media: exploring the complex relationships between social media use and youth mental health. Psychiatric Times. June 5, 2023. Accessed May 4, 2024. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/the-double-edged-sword-of-social-media