Gadget usage and mental health

Many studies have concluded that excessive gadget use can negatively impact mental health in addition to causing a physical toll on its users. Anxiety, depression, reduced ability to regulate emotions, body image issues, suicidal tendencies, attention span issues, etc. are some of the ways in which increased use of the gadget affects the mental health of individuals. This article looks into these effects in more detail by compiling various articles that have conducted in-depth research into these topics.

Anxiety

Real-time posts of peers having enjoyable and exciting experiences have been shown to induce a feeling of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and anxiety. There are also negative online comparisons, which lead to body image issues and anxiety. Sometimes, this can also drive users to achieve a kind of perfectionism for online validation. This when paired with frequent checking of the number of likes or views that they are getting, induces an unrealistic expectation on life which makes users question their worth and if they are doing enough. This fear and a constant deep-rooted mental imprint causes low self-esteem, which affects the quality of life. To get out of this, they turn back to social media seeking competitive validation which creates mental health issues, thereby falling back into the same loop again.

A study conducted also revealed that teens who used social media to overcome boredom experienced increased anxiety after two years. The conclusion of the study was that problematic social media usage among older teens due to less supervision could be a catalyst for developing anxiety.

Doom scrolling

Doom scrolling is a term that is increasingly gaining attention these days. It is when a person keeps looking at negative content continuously through social media posts or news feeds. Doom scrolling can trigger anxiety and depression especially if the person is already undergoing symptoms of these. Moreover, social media’s algorithm and infinite scroll feature would keep on loading more and more similar content, exposing them to violent and traumatising content.

Curiosity is part of human nature and we tend to want to find out more about those things that affect us. Same is the case when a traumatic event, like a terrorist attack or a natural disaster or a pandemic, occurs. We tend to gather as much information as we can about it, possibly, to learn and be prepared. However, studies show that when we keep seeking information about traumatic events, it may cause us to react negatively to the event. Repeated exposure to the latest headline or negative stimuli has been found to cause problems to mental health. However, this is true in the case of not just to news read on social media but also to other sources.

Depression

Individuals who do not have much support from friends and families offline tend to use social media more. High social media use has been linked with depression, loneliness, stress, etc. Passive social media use, i.e., using social media to look at other people’s posts rather than posting about self, is also shown to increase symptoms of depression. Social media also leads to comparisons, which tend to make teenagers feel inadequate about themselves and their lives. One of the major problems of this is how social media makes us consume more than we create. The comfort of consuming for free, makes us a bait for the algorithm to provide us enough to keep us hooked to the app. This causes brain rot and a lack of accomplishment and productivity. The steps we need to take for a healthy mind like enough sleep, exercise, good food, self-care, time with nature, etc. are all compromised for the infinite hours we spend on social media. And when these healthy habits are replaced, and routines are discarded for the comfort of instant gratification, our brain chemicals are altered and it negatively affects our overall mood, health, and life goals.

Suicidal tendencies

Users having depressive symptoms and loneliness due to high social media usage may also have suicidal tendencies and suicidal ideation. Additionally, those subjected to cyber bullying and body shaming online are also seen to have a history of suicide attempts.

Alcohol use and substance abuse

Children and college students tend to post about their experiences of alcohol use on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. While these platforms could be used for detecting problematic behaviour, teens are also often encouraged to engage in drinking habits for validation, seeing their peers. Studies also indicate that binge drinkers have a tendency to use social media more.

Attention span issues

One of the more problematic issues of social media use is that it causes attention span issues. The continuous scrolling and the rapid pace at which videos change tend to hook the users, who end up being addicted to these. Short-length videos released by social media platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are known by different names but all of these have an average length of 21 to 34 seconds, which was considered to be the optimal duration to capture the attention of the viewers. These short duration videos and the fast pace at which these videos change have been believed to cause attention span issues in children.

The nature of addiction is similar to that of those addicted to gambling on slot machines. The phenomenon is referred to as “random reinforcement.” Watching “personalised” videos, based on algorithms, increases the chances of addiction with people finding it difficult to control and step through viewing the content.

Effect of celebrities and influencers

With social media, the “lives” of celebrities and influencers are out there for everyone to see. What children and adults do not realise is that most of these “lives” portrayed on social media are orchestrated by the celebrities and their PR team. Users tend to mimic the lives of these celebrities the more they are exposed to them and can also create a sort of “parasocial attachment” to these online personalities. Moreover, if these celebrities engage in suicide or self-harming behaviour, the followers are also exposed to risks, especially if there is high media coverage on the topic.

Online validation

The social media culture of gathering the maximum shares, comparison of likes, views, and reactions can cause negativity in a person’s mind. Since physical appearance is a major factor in getting social media validation, getting a low number of views and likes can make one feel inadequate. Studies also show that this caused increased instances of cosmetic surgery in both men and women. Comparisons and need for online validation have also been shown to cause psychological issues and eating disorders as well.

Conclusion

It can be seen that problematic and excessive social media is the main cause behind the issues mentioned above. Continuous social media usage, even though just to relieve boredom, can be cause for worry. Optimal usage without falling prey to addictions and doom scrolling while also ensuring that one has enough time for adequate sleep, nutrition, offline social interactions, physical exercises, relaxing in nature, and hobbies can create a balance that would give the best of both spaces.

Article by: Salma Jennath and Alka Saj Susan

Date: 06-03-2026

References:

Bodhini Admin March 13, 2026 Wellness

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