Overview
- In a JAMA Network Open study of 295 people ages 18–24, most participants limited Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X for one week after a two-week baseline.
- Average symptoms fell during the detox period by roughly 25% for depression, 16% for anxiety and 14% for insomnia, while loneliness showed no significant change.
- Objective tracking indicated social media use dropped from about 1.9 hours per day to roughly 0.5 hours, yet overall phone time did not necessarily decrease.
- Benefits were largest for those showing problematic engagement such as addictive use and negative social comparison, with substantial variation across individuals.
- Researchers and outside experts note key limits including self-selection into the detox, no randomized control group and no long-term follow-up, though some suggest brief cutbacks could complement clinical care.