Social media and young people’s mental health - what the Surgeon General says and what families can do

If someone is in crisis

The advisory says: “If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 for immediate help.” NIMH says the Lifeline “provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States.” NIMH also says: “In life-threatening situations, call 911.” For help choosing, see 988 vs 911: when to call which.

How much young people use it

The advisory reports that up to 95% of young people ages 13 to 17 report using a social media platform, and more than a third say they use it “almost constantly.” It also says nearly 40% of children ages 8 to 12 use social media, even though age 13 is commonly the minimum age that platforms require. These figures draw on surveys from 2021 and 2022 cited in the advisory.

3.5 hours

average daily time on social media for 8th and 10th graders as of 2021, according to the advisory. It also reports 1 in 4 spend 5 or more hours a day.

The advisory adds that on a typical weekday, nearly 1 in 3 adolescents report using screen media until midnight or later. In the CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of U.S. high school students, 77.0% reported using social media at least several times a day. That is a different survey with a different definition from the 95% figure above, so the two should not be compared directly.

The benefits are real too

The advisory says: “There is broad agreement among the scientific community that social media has the potential to both benefit and harm children and adolescents.” It says social media can benefit some youth by providing positive community and connection with others who share identities, abilities and interests, access to important information, and a space for self-expression.

It cites survey results in which large shares of adolescents said social media helps them feel more accepted (58%), like they have people who can support them through tough times (67%), like they have a place to show their creative side (71%), and more connected to what is going on in their friends’ lives (80%). CDC’s survey report adds that emerging literature has found social media can be protective for youths who identify as LGBTQ+ by connecting them with affirming communities, support networks, and resources online.

What the research can and cannot show

This is the part most headlines skip. The advisory says: “At this time, we do not yet have enough evidence to determine if social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents.” That is a statement that safety is undetermined, not a finding that social media is harmful for every young person. It also says there are “ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.”

What the advisory reports

• A study of adolescents aged 12 to 15 found that those who spent more than 3 hours a day on social media faced double the risk of poor mental health outcomes including symptoms of depression and anxiety
• Excessive and problematic use has been linked to sleep problems, attention problems and feelings of exclusion
• In one survey, 46% of adolescents said social media makes them feel worse about their body image, 40% neither better nor worse, and 14% better

What it cautions about

• Most prior research has been correlational, focused on young adults or adults, and generated a range of results
• The relationship is complex and potentially bidirectional
• For attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the advisory says more research is needed to understand whether one causes the other
• Some of the cited experiments were in college-aged youth, not minors

The CDC report is equally direct. In its 2023 survey, frequent social media use was associated with a higher prevalence of bullying victimization, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and some suicide risk measures. But CDC says: “causality and directionality of associations between frequent social media use and health behaviors and experiences cannot be established.” It also reports that “No significant differences in reports of attempted suicide by frequency of social media use were observed,” perhaps because of the rarity of the behavior in the sample.

What parents and caregivers can do

The advisory says the burden should not fall only on families: “The onus of mitigating the potential harms of social media should not be placed solely on the shoulders of parents and caregivers,” but there are steps they can take. Its list for parents and caregivers, with AAP’s suggestions alongside:

Steps from the advisory and AAP

1. Create a family media plan with agreed-upon expectations for technology use, including social media. AAP says to create a plan for every member of your family, including yourself, and to revisit and revise it often as your child matures.
2. Create tech-free zones and encourage in-person friendships. AAP gives the dinner table, homework time and before bed as examples of screen-free zones.
3. Consider restricting phones, tablets and computers for at least 1 hour before bedtime and through the night, since the advisory says electronics can interfere with sleep.
4. Model responsible social media behavior. AAP says you are an important role model in practicing healthy digital habits.
5. Talk with children about the benefits and risks of social media, and about privacy, in age-appropriate ways.
6. Tell your child about their reporting options and support them, without judgment, if they are being harassed online or contacted by an adult seeking private images.
7. Work with other parents to build shared norms around healthy social media use.
8. AAP also suggests turning off autoplay and notifications, which it says are designed to keep kids engaged longer.

What young people can do

The advisory directs these steps at children and adolescents, and says the burden of mitigating potential harms does not rest solely on them:

• Reach out for help. If you or someone you know is being negatively affected by social media, the advisory says to reach out to a trusted friend or adult.
• Protect your sleep and in-person time. It suggests limiting phones, tablets and computers for at least 1 hour before bedtime and through the night, and keeping mealtimes and in-person gatherings device-free.
• Build protective habits, such as tracking the time you spend online, blocking unwanted contacts and content, and using privacy and safety settings.
• Do not keep harassment or abuse a secret. The advisory says to reach out to at least one person you trust, such as a close friend, family member, counselor or teacher.

When to talk to a professional

NIMH says that if behavioral signs and symptoms last weeks or months and interfere with a child’s daily life at home and at school, or with friends, “you should contact a health professional.” It lists spending more and more time alone and avoiding social activities, self-harm behaviors, and thoughts of suicide among reasons an older child or adolescent may benefit from an evaluation. NIMH adds that for a young person with symptoms of a mental disorder, the earlier treatment is started, the more effective it can be, and that it may be helpful for children and teens to save several emergency numbers to their cell phones.

For help finding a provider, see how to find a mental health provider, and for starting the conversation, see talking to your family about mental health. For related topics, see loneliness and your health.

Common questions

Does social media cause depression in teens?

The Surgeon General advisory does not say that. It says most prior research has been correlational, that the relationship is complex and potentially bidirectional, and that there is not yet enough evidence to determine whether social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents. CDC says its survey data cannot establish causality or direction.

How much social media use is too much?

No official source we found sets a safe limit. The advisory reports a study of adolescents aged 12 to 15 in which those who spent more than 3 hours a day faced double the risk of poor mental health outcomes including symptoms of depression and anxiety, but that is one cohort and an association, not a threshold for every child.

What is a family media plan?

AAP describes it as a plan that fits your family's routines and values, discussed with your kids, and suggests screen-free zones such as the dinner table, homework time and before bed. It says to revisit and revise it often.

Where can a young person get help right now?

The advisory says to contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 for immediate help in a mental health crisis. In life-threatening situations, call 911.

Sources

• U.S. Surgeon General: Social Media and Youth Mental Health (advisory) - dated 2023
• HHS Office of the Surgeon General: Social Media and Youth Mental Health, key takeaways - no page date
• CDC MMWR: Frequent Social Media Use and Bullying, Sadness or Hopelessness, and Suicide Risk Among High School Students, 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey - 2024 report
• AAP HealthyChildren: How to Make a Family Media Use Plan - last updated 1/20/2026
• NIMH: Child and Adolescent Mental Health - last reviewed March 2024

Sources last checked October 25, 2026. This article is general education, not financial, legal or medical advice. Rules, fees and programs change, so confirm details with the organization before you act.