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Association Between Social Media Use and Self-Reported Anxiety and/or Depression: Results From 113 Countries
Chhabi L Ranabhat1,2, Jason W Marion3, Mihajlo Jakovljevic4,5,6
1Planetary Health Research Centre (PHRC), Kathmandu, Nepal.
The International Journal of Social Psychiatry
|November 28, 2025
Summary
Social media use is linked to a 24% higher chance of experiencing anxiety and depression. This association holds true even when considering other risk factors like age, gender, and income levels.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Research
- Sociology
- Digital Health
Background:
- Anxiety and depression are prevalent mood disorders often co-occurring.
- Various demographic and belief factors influence mental health outcomes.
- Understanding the role of social media in mental well-being is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors associated with self-reported anxiety and/or depression.
- To examine the relationship between social media usage frequency and mental health.
- To inform future causal research on social media's impact on mental health.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of individual-level data from the Wellcome Global Monitor 2020 Mental Health survey.
- Inclusion of demographic variables (age, gender, economic level, education, employment), belief factors, and social media usage.
- Application of multivariable logistic regression to assess associations and adjusted odds ratios.
Main Results:
- A prevalence of 20.5% for self-reported anxiety/depression was observed across 119,088 respondents from 113 countries.
- Higher prevalence was noted in lower-income groups, among those not trusting science, younger individuals (15-29), those with lower education, and females.
- Social media users exhibited a 24% increased odds of reporting anxiety/depression (aOR=1.24) compared to non-users, after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Anxiety and depression prevalence is rising globally, with specific at-risk populations identified.
- Social media usage is independently associated with an increased prevalence of anxiety and/or depression.
- Findings highlight the need for further investigation into the causal pathways between social media and mental health.
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