Heavy social media use linked to depression
National media highlight groundbreaking UC study examining adult social media use
By Michael MillerEmail MichaelEmail Michael513-556-6757
August 31, 2026Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
U.S. News & World Report, USA Today and other national media highlighted a study by the University of Cincinnati and Northwestern University that found a correlation between heavy daily social media use and depression
Social media use is a better predictor of depression than many other common factors such as one’s job and educational background or time spent on other activities such as playing video games, surfing the web or watching TV
Meanwhile, researchers observed a correlation with self-reported depression in survey respondents starting at 2.5 hours of daily scrolling
Researchers assessed 11 years of data from the annual Media Behaviors and Influence Study starting in 2014 and found that social media use was among the most important predictors of self-reported depression
“When it comes to depression and social media, the argument is salient across scientific test after test of those 11 years,” corresponding author and UC Professor Hans Breiter said
“It’s a damning picture. Social media is harmful for individuals across the lifespan. We should not subject ourselves to a product using addiction science to optimize our viewing time.“
The study was published in the Nature Portfolio journal Mental Health Research
UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Professor Hans Breiter and his research partners used machine learning to identify a connection between heavy daily social media use and depression. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC
UC and Northwestern analyze 183,300 adults over 11 years
UC researchers collaborated with co-lead author and Professor Emeritus Martin Block at Northwestern University. While numerous studies have documented associations between social media use and negative outcomes such as mental health conditions, especially depression, none have used AI to show these relationships persist in adults
Researchers examined 183,300 anonymized surveys from adults ages 18 to 70 from the Media Behaviors and Influence Study conducted annually since 2002 by Prosper Insights & Analytics. The survey asks 1,318 questions across topics and the respondent’s health across 31 measures, including self-reported depression
They used a machine learning model that was evaluated with tools designed to ensure its accuracy and calibration. Using this model, they found an increasing relationship between social media use and depression
Mental health and happiness are about engaging the world and having purpose, not passively watching something for hours.
Hans Breiter,UC College of Engineering and Applied Science
“Much of the published research has focused on younger populations, single datasets or broad measures of screen time. We need studies that distinguish social media from other digital activities and examine whether the same associations appear across different populations and years,” co-lead author and UC Research Associate Vikram Suresh said
Researchers observed a correlation with self-reported depression among respondents who spent at least 150 minutes on social media per day. They observed the same result in each of the 11 years studied
“Mental health and happiness are about engaging the world and having purpose, not passively watching something for hours,” Breiter said
UC Senior Research Associate Nicole Vike. Photo/Provided
UC doctoral student and study co-author Johnathan Avant said people long have suspected that excessive social media use could have negative health effects
“You can see trends on social media where they talk about the mental health toll it has on them,” Avant said
Researchers found that social media increasingly became a bigger predictor of depression during the 11 years studied, eclipsing many other factors like TV viewing or web surfing
UC senior research associate and co-author Nicole Vike said consumption of social media has changed over the years
“Initially, social media was a social outlet with people you knew,” Vike said
Now, people typically consume content made by strangers, she said
“It’s crazy how addictive it can be. Look at chronically online content creators,” Vike said. “They often have to take a monthslong hiatus from being online for their mental health.”
UC Social Media Research: Frequently Asked Questions
How is depression linked to social media?
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and Northwestern University used machine learning to identify a correlation between heavy daily social media use and depression. Researchers observed the link in people who reported spending 150 minutes or more each day scrolling.
Is social media use a bigger predictor of depression than other activities?
Yes. UC researchers found that social media use of 150 minutes or more each day was a bigger predictor of depression than other common activities such as watching TV, surfing the web or playing video games.
How much social media use is too much?
UC and Northwestern researchers found a correlation with depression among people who used social media for 150 minutes or more each day
Why are researchers interested in studying social media?
Several studies, including now UC’s, have found a link between excessive time spent on social media and anxiety and depression in both children and adults. Researchers are concerned that excessive time spent on social media is taking time away from interpersonal relationships that support mental health.
What can people do to spend less time on social media?
UC experts say people can set timers to be more deliberate about when they use social media. They also suggest logging out of social media accounts after every session to make the decision to use social media more deliberate instead of habitual. But researchers say it might be unrealistic for people to abstain from all social media given the cultural ubiquity of the media and social pressures to participate
UC Senior Research Associate Sumra Bari used machine learning to study links to depression. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC
Is it realistic to quit social media?
The study was supported with grants from the Office of Naval Research and a donation from UC alumnus Jim Goetz
While the $300 billion industry has become ubiquitous in daily life, UC’s senior research associate and co-author Sumra Bari said there are ways people can limit time spent on social media like setting timers, turning off notifications and fully logging out of accounts after every session to make it harder to scroll again out of habit
But it might be unrealistic for people to simply turn it off, she said
“There is a lot of social pressure to stay connected and be out there. So being aware of the risks as early as possible is important,” she said
Professor emeritus Block noted, “Social media is a common marker of our cultural age much like the automobile was more than a century ago. But social media has an important negative effect through its association with depression, much like the automobile is associated with injuries from crashes and pollution.”
Breiter said their findings suggest it’s in society’s best interest to find ways to mitigate the harms of today’s deeply online culture
“This is a wake-up call,” he said
Featured image at top: A study by the University of Cincinnati and Northwestern University found a correlation between heavy daily social media use and depression. Photo/iStockPhoto
More UC research in the news
UC researchers found a correlation between depression and heavy daily social media use. Photo/iStockPhoto
- Health Day:Social media increases risk of depression
- Luxurious Magazine:Social media and depression: What a new study tells us about the link]
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