Overview
- In a JAMA Network Open study, 18–24-year-olds who reduced social media for seven days saw average declines of about 16% in anxiety, 25% in depression and 15% in insomnia symptoms.
- Participants cut daily use from roughly two hours to about 30 minutes, and those with higher baseline depressive symptoms showed the largest improvements, while loneliness showed little change.
- The trial was not randomized and relied on volunteers, raising the possibility of expectancy or reporting bias, and participants were paid $150 for completing the week.
- News reports differ on participation figures, with one outlet citing 295 young adults and another citing 373 with roughly 80% completing a week-long disconnection.
- Researchers and commentators note that problematic patterns of use may be more harmful than total time online and suggest brief breaks or phone-free routines as practical steps pending longer, more diverse trials.