Teenage girls hit hardest by ‘social media depression’

Online bullies and image fears affecting health Docs snub cap on kids’ screen time

DEPRESSION linked to social media is almost twice as high among teenage girls.

Researchers asked 11,000 14-year-olds if they had been miserable, cried a lot, felt inferior and found it hard to think, classic signs of depression.

The University College London study found girls were heavier users of social media.

And 40% had experienced online harassment or bullying compared to 25% of boys. Experts identified harrasment and poor sleep as the biggest depression “red flags”. Study author Professor Yvonne Kelly said: “The link between social media use and depressive symptoms was stronger for girls.”

The study, the first to look at the link, also found 38% of all teens who were heavy social media users – five hours or more a day – showed signs of depression. Among light users it was 12%.

Royal Society of Public Health chief executive Shirley Cramer added: “We need to increase awareness among parents and schools on the role of social media in young people’s mental health.”

But Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health president Prof Russell Viner said the gender difference may be because teenage girls are more susceptible to depressive symptoms generally. SENIOR medics have refused to advise on a daily screen time limit for youngsters, claiming there is not enough evidence it would be effective.

But the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health did say youngsters should stop using smartphones an hour before bed.

The guidance concluded limits should be set by parents as harm mainly occurs if screen time stops children from exercising or socialising. RCPCH president Prof Russell Viner said sleep levels do have a high impact on the wellbeing of teenagers.

He added: “Strong light into the brain before bed reduces hormone secretion, making it more difficult to sleep.”

But the RCPCH justified the lack of a screen time limit by saying an internet ban had not worked in South Korea.

In 2011 the country banned children from online gaming at night, but this has had little impact on youth internet use.

WEB OF MISERY Girls can suffer from heavy use of the internet