Spending Too Much Time on Social Media Can Cause Depression in Girls

Social media addiction: Teenage girls who spend too much time on social media are more likely to develop depression, reveals a new study.

Social media addiction may increase the risk of depression in teenage girls, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal EClinicalMedicine.

Teenage girls who spend more time on social media have a higher risk of depression than boys, a study has found.

Excessive Social Media Use Causes Anxiety, Depression in Teenagers
Social media like Facebook and Twitter help us connect with people worldwide, and this is no small benefit. But is this taking a toll on your mental health?

‘Teen girls who are addicted to social media are at a higher risk of developing depression, reveals a new study.’
Read More..

A team of researchers led by Yvonne Kelly from the University College London (UCL) found that almost 40 percent of girls who spend more than five hours a day on social media show symptoms of depression, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, the rate is much lower for boys, which is less than 15 percent.

According to Simon Wessely, former president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the underlying processes of this phenomenon are not well understood.

Is Social Media Causing Our Girls to Think Badly About Themselves?
Young women who actively engage with social media images of friends tend to think of themselves as less attractive. These photos can affect the way they feel about their own bodies, finds a new study.

The research team "still cannot definitely say that social media usage causes poor mental health, although the evidence is starting to point in that direction," The Guardian quoted Wessely as saying.

For the study, the team included interviews with almost 11,000 14-year-olds.

Social Media Leads to Depression and Loneliness
Researchers have warned the excessive use of social media which could lead to depression and loneliness in the users.

They found that two-fifths of girls have suffered online harassments or online bullying compared to one-quarter of boys.

Compared to 28 percent of boys, 40 percent of girls have suffered sleep loss because of online habits.

Adolescent Depression - Causes - Affects - Depressed Teens - Treatment - FAQs
Adolescent depression is an ailment that occurs during the teenage characterized by persistent melancholy, disappointment and loss of self-esteem.

Girls were found more likely to have low self-esteem and body weight dissatisfaction and be unhappy with their appearance, than boys.

Source-IANS