(from USA Today) Rates of depression, physchological distress and suicidal thoughts and actions have risen sharply among people 26 and younger in the last decade or so, and some experts believe social media is at least partly to blame. The findings, reported Thursday in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology (run by the American Psychological Association), included the following:
There was no similar increase among older adults during the same time periods, feeding theories that lack of sleep and social media — which plays a central role for many teens and young adults — may be contributing to depression and low self-esteen. "These results suggest a need for more research to understand how digital communication versus face-to-face social interaction influences mood disorders and suicide-related outcomes and to develop specialized interventions for younger age groups," said Jean Twenge, lead author of the study.
Listen to the latest episode of the Net Assets podcast.
