Research： Teenagers who use social media for more than three hours a day are more likely to be depressed.

　　BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) According to foreign media reports, on September 11, a study published in the journal Psychiatry of the American Medical Association showed that teenagers who browse social media platforms for more than three hours a day are more likely to have mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, aggression and anti-social behavior.

　　This study surveyed more than 6,500 American teenagers from 2013 to 2016. The respondents were between the ages of 12 and 15. The statistical data included their daily use of social media and their mental health.

　　Teenagers participating in the survey need to choose how long they use social media every day. Among them, less than 17% of teenagers said that they did not use social media; About 32% people said that they spend less than 30 minutes on social media every day; 31% people spend about 30 minutes to 3 hours a day; 12% people spend 3 to 6 hours a day; 8% people say they use social media for more than 6 hours every day.

　　The researchers said that with the increase of time spent using social media, the possibility that these teenagers have internalized and externalized mental health problems at the same time is greatly increased. Among them, externalized psychological problems include bullying, venting and difficulty in concentrating; Internalized psychological problems include anxiety and depression.

　　Liam, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, said: "This connection is very clear."

　　Studies have shown that people who use social media for more than 6 hours a day will have an increased risk of psychological problems by 78%, 3 to 6 hours will increase their risk by 60%, 30 minutes to 3 hours will increase their risk by 37%, and the risk of less than 30 minutes will be less than 23%.

　　The researchers concluded that teenagers who spend more than three hours a day on social media have a significantly increased risk of mental illness.

　　Liam said that other studies have found similar effects, but no one is sure why social media has such a huge impact on teenagers’ thinking.

　　She believes that social media may create an illusion that everyone else is happier and richer, thus hurting teenagers’ self-esteem. "Teenagers who spend a lot of time on social media may see that people are having a good time, and any problems they encounter seem to be worse," Liam said.