Why 3 in 4 Gen Z blame social media for their mental health decline

Three in four Gen Zers are putting the blame on social media for having a negative impact on their mental health, according to a new study.

The poll of 2,000 Gen Z Americans who use social media found Instagram (20%), TikTok (20%) and Facebook (13%) have all had a negative impact on their wellbeing. 

Many said the reasons they use social media are because they’re bored (66%), want to laugh (59%), want to see what’s happening in the world (49%) and to see what their friends are up to (44%).

However, this social media scrolling leaves nearly half of Gen Zers (49%) feeling some kind of negative emotion like stress and anxiety (30%).  

Commissioned by LG Electronics (https://www.lg.com) and conducted by Talker Research, the study found those who experience negative emotions report that it only takes them 38 minutes on social media before they start to feel bad.

Respondents attribute these feelings to consuming upsetting content (51%), feeling unproductive with how they spent their time (49%) and/or experiencing FOMO (36%).

The average person spends five and a half hours on social media apps per day, and 45% believe they spend more time on social media than their friends.

“We spend a significant portion of our lives online and often these experiences may leave us feeling drained and not mentally stimulated,” said Louis Giagrande, head of U.S. marketing at LG Electronics. “We encourage everyone to be more conscious about the social media content they choose to engage with, bringing stronger balance, inspiration and happiness to their lives. If we focus on optimism, we will be better equipped to deal with life’s challenges and build a happier life.”

Results also found, not surprisingly, 62% of Gen Zers wish they could “reset” their social media feeds and start over again.

Over half (53%) report feeling frustrated that content on their feed doesn’t match what they want to see.

Just as many (54%) believe they have either “some,” “little,” or “no control at all” over what they see on their social media feeds. In fact, only 16% believe they have total control over what they see.

While many said they associate platforms with negative emotions, the study also found 80% claimed they also associate social media with a positive impact on their mood.

Content reported to evoke positive emotions are comedy (65%), animals (48%), beauty (40%) and prank videos (34%). Meanwhile, content exhibiting physical violence (50%), politics (40%), and sexually explicit content (32%) tends to lead to negative emotions.

Two-thirds (65%) have turned a bad day into a good one because of what they’ve seen on social media. Adding to this, respondents were 70% more likely to use social media when they are in a good mood compared to a bad mood and 44% believe social media has a positive impact on their outlook on life.

Over the course of the next five years, 38% believe social media platforms can improve their impact on mental health.

“Algorithms play a significant role in the content we see on social media, but there are simple actions people can take to ‘reset’ their feeds, so they can enjoy more of the positive content they’re craving,” continued Giagrande. “When you come across content that makes you smile, give it some extra attention. ‘Like it’ and leave a comment. Giving that post some engagement can help inspire more positive posts like it to show up on your feed.”  

WHAT’S CAUSING GEN Z TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA DAILY?

Boredom – 66%

I want to laugh/smile – 59%

Need a distraction/break – 55%

I want to see what is happening in the world – 49%

I want to see what my friends are doing – 44%

I want to connect with others – 42%

I want to disengage/need downtime – 33%

Looking for specific information – 32%