Psychologist Reveals Impact of Social Media on Teenagers, from Anxiety to Cyberbullying

Social media use has become part of teenagers’ daily lives. However, experts caution that intensive use of digital technology can impact mental health and children’s social development.

Clinical psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair stated that the way teenagers communicate today has changed significantly due to social media and instant messaging. “As humans, we are very sensitive to social cues. Undoubtedly, children are losing opportunities to learn crucial social skills,” she said, according to the Child Mind Institute on Thursday (12 March 2026).

These elements are important for helping children understand emotions and the reactions of others in social interactions.

Several studies have shown that social media can influence teenagers’ mental health. A survey conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health in England found that platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are associated with increased feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness and negative body image in young people aged 14 to 24 years.

The pressure to appear perfect on social media can also make teenagers feel insecure. Teenagers often compare themselves with others who appear to have more interesting lives on social media.

Before the social media era, teenagers typically communicated more frequently by telephone or met face-to-face with their friends. However, nowadays much interaction takes place through screens.

According to Steiner-Adair, this situation can cause children to miss opportunities to practise important social skills in everyday life. If children are not accustomed to interacting directly, they risk becoming more anxious when they need to speak or communicate with others.