Did you know Too Much Social Media? Study Links Heavy Use to Rising Irritability

 

According to a recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), there is a relationship between high usage of social media and increased irritability among US adults. The survey was done among 42,597 US adults and 33,325 out of them reported using at least one social media platform daily. The researchers used a cross-sectional design which means that the study provides a snapshot of sentiment at a specific time.

For the study, the researchers focused on social media platforms like Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. They wanted to know if there is a link between high social media usage and irritability and whether interest in politics or frequently posting on social media increases the irritability rate. The study found that using too much social media and engaging in political discussions frequently is linked to an increase in agitation among users. One of the researchers says that this shows some insights about the mental states of people who post online.

Researchers said that there were some limitations too as they could not prove the causal relationship because of the cross-sectional design, as social media use is really bidirectional and complex. Some algorithms also show rage-bait content that makes users outraged. There is also a question about whether social media is making people grumpy or if grumpy people are the ones who use social media. There is also some relationship between socioeconomics, age, and irritability, with wealthy, older, and more educated people being less irritable while using social media.