The Role of Social Media in the Rising Prevalence of Mental Disorders among Youth: A Review

Introduction: Currently, high levels of psychological problems among young students have been observed in correlation with social media use. Excessive use of social media has been linked to an increase in mental disorders among young students. Studies point to significant correlations with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and cognitive and social difficulties, with particularly pronounced effects on children and adolescents, especially females. By collecting data, this study seeks to deepen the scientific understanding of how excessive social media use affects the brain and also contributes to cognitive and behavioural psychology by identifying patterns of dependency. Objective: To analyse, through a literature review, the relationship between frequent social media use and the rising rates of mental disorders in children and adolescents, highlighting emotional, social, and behavioural consequences. Methodology: This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, based on a literature review of scientific publications from 2020 to May, 2025. Sources included full articles in Portuguese and English available on SciELO, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. The descriptors used were: “mental disorders,” “social media,” and “child,” combined with Boolean operators. The analysis was guided by three thematic axes defined according to the specific objectives. Results and Discussion: The findings indicated a strong link between prolonged social media use and disorders such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Constant social comparison, cyberbullying, and sleep loss emerged as the main contributing variables. Youth with pre-existing disorders are the most vulnerable, and intensive use contributes to low self-esteem, social isolation, and poorer academic performance. The impacts are reinforced by neurofunctional changes and impairments in family and social interactions. Conclusion: Prolonged use of social media represents a significant risk factor to the mental health of children and adolescents. This article has presented alarming data, showing that many children and adolescents spend excessive time on social media. This high level of connectivity is tied to a series of negative consequences such as anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, and poor academic performance. The research highlights the urgent need for preventive and educational measures, with direct involvement from parents, educators, and institutions to promote the mindful use of technology and mitigate damage to mental health.