To address these issues and improve the mental health of users, social media use interventions have been developed and evaluated by researchers. Such techniques include avoiding or limiting social media use, along with therapy-based techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
The researchers analyzed 23 studies conducted between 2004 and 2022, involving participants from around the world. They found that in more than a third of the studies (39 percent), social media use improved mental health.
Improvements in depression (low mood) were particularly notable, as 70 percent of studies showed significant improvement in depression following the intervention.
Therapy-based interventions were most effective – mental health improved in 83 percent of studies, compared to 20 percent of studies where social media use was limited and 25 percent where social media was abandoned altogether.