The other day I was waiting to see my physiotherapist in a small reception. There were 10 others there, and every one of them was looking down at their phones. I was fascinated by this, yet, at times, I catch myself doing the same – or my son points it out to me. My phone seems to have a mesmerizing effect over me – any time I feel bored, it calls to me, offering an escape from the boredom of the moment. If I end up giving in, once I’m able to pull myself away and look up from the screen, I always feel worse. So why do I do it?
I’ll get to that in a minute. What is clear is that I’m not alone. Smart phones are incredibly effective at grabbing our attention and, sadly, they are also very good at deteriorating our mental health. And, amongst the many reasons why, the greatest source of anxiety appears to be social media. Studies show that anxiety rates have skyrocketed in the last decade—especially among women, girls, and young people—and researchers are increasingly pointing to one major factor:
Social media isn’t just feeding our anxiety. It’s amplifying it.
In this article, I want to walk you through why this is happening, who it’s affecting most, and what we can do—individually and as a society—to reclaim our calm.
The Data: Anxiety Is On the Rise—and Social Media Is Part of the Story
According to a landmark 2023 report from the U.S. Surgeon General:
- 1 in 3 teen girls now reports seriously considering suicide (yes, that is a real stat!)
- 57% of teen girls feel persistently sad or hopeless
- Anxiety disorders among adolescents have increased by over 30% in the last decade
In Canada, anxiety is now the most common mental health disorder—affecting nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 youth. And globally, the World Health Organization reports a 25% increase in anxiety since the start of the pandemic alone.
So what changed?
Most experts agree: the turning point was the rise of smartphones and social media, beginning around 2010.
Why Social Media Increases Anxiety
Social Media Is Designed to Hook You
Social media platforms are not neutral tools. They are engineered to be addictive. Algorithms prioritize emotionally charged content—especially posts that evoke outrage, envy, or fear—because those emotions keep us engaged longer. The more we scroll, the more data is collected, and the more targeted (and persuasive) the content becomes.
Infinite scroll, autoplay videos, and algorithmic feeds are designed to bypass our conscious decision-making. They create a kind of hypnotic loop that keeps us coming back, even when we don’t want to.
As behavioral design expert Nir Eyal puts it: “Social media platforms exploit our psychological vulnerabilities—not to serve us, but to sell us.”
This is why even people who understand the harms of social media often struggle to cut back: the platforms are doing exactly what they were designed to do. And for people already living with chronic anxiety, this sense of being pulled—without control or intention—can make them feel even more helpless, disconnected, and overwhelmed. Social media can seem like a harmless way to connect or unwind. But the truth is, it activates the very same nervous system responses we see in fight-or-flight.
Here’s how:
1. Comparison Culture
Every time you open an app, you’re exposed to highlight reels of other people’s lives—filtered, curated, and idealized.
This activates social comparison, which is a key driver of anxiety and low self-worth.
A 2022 study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that individuals who engaged in upward comparison on Instagram reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms.
2. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
Seeing others out, connected, or achieving can make us feel like we’re not doing enough or aren’t enough.
This creates a constant sense of scarcity, inadequacy, and disconnection—even when we’re surrounded by people in real life.
3. Notification Anxiety and Dopamine Loops
Social media is designed to hijack the brain’s dopamine system. Each like, comment, or message gives us a small hit of reward—but also creates an addictive feedback loop.
The uncertainty of not knowing when the next “like” will come keeps us checking, swiping, and scrolling—even when we feel worse for doing it.
A 2019 study in JAMA Psychiatry found that adolescents who spent more than three hours per day on social media had a 60% higher risk of developing mental health problems.
4. Sleep Disruption and Nervous System Overload
Many people use their phones late into the night, disrupting sleep patterns and overstimulating the nervous system with light, movement, and emotional content.
Poor sleep is a known risk factor for anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation.
Who It Affects Most
Although social media affects almost everyone, certain groups are more vulnerable:
👧 Adolescent Girls
Girls are especially susceptible to anxiety from social comparison, cyberbullying, and body image issues.
- Research from Common Sense Media shows that more than 35% of teen girls say social media “often” makes them feel overwhelmed.
- Girls also tend to internalize stress more, leading to higher rates of anxiety and self-harm.
🧑🏫 Teachers, Healthcare Workers, and Caregivers
People in helping roles often carry invisible stress. Social media can make this worse by adding pressure to “keep up,” present a curated life, or respond to emotional demands even outside of work.
👪 Parents
For parents, especially moms, social media often fuels comparison, mom guilt, and the feeling of never doing enough. It can also distract from the very moments we most want to be present for.
🚨 Highly Sensitive or Empathic Individuals
People who are more emotionally sensitive may find social media overwhelming due to the volume of information, emotional content, and constant input.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Society
When millions of people are chronically anxious, emotionally depleted, and comparing themselves to curated lives, the impacts ripple far beyond individual well-being:
- Attention spans shrink
- Resilience declines
- Interpersonal connection suffers
- Mental health systems become overloaded
We begin to lose our collective capacity to slow down, reflect, and be with each other in real ways.
In other words:
A society that is constantly online is often not fully present.
What We Can Do (and Why This Knowledge Is Power)
Knowing why anxiety is rising can help us stop blaming ourselves—and start making conscious changes.
Whether you’re a teen, a parent, a healthcare provider, or someone simply trying to feel more grounded, here’s what you can do:
1. Limit Social Media Use Intentionally
Studies show that reducing screen time to under 30 minutes a day can significantly reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Apps like Freedom or Screen Time can help you track usage.
2. Create Phone-Free Zones
Establish sacred spaces for rest, connection, or creativity that are screen-free: your bedroom, the dinner table, the first hour after waking up.
3. Teach Nervous System Regulation
If you’re a parent, teacher, or therapist, teach young people how to downshift their nervous system using breathwork, movement, and mindfulness. These tools are evidence-based, empowering, and accessible.
4. Model Digital Boundaries
If you’re in a leadership or caregiving role, your modeling matters. Show what it looks like to rest, to unplug, to say no to the scroll.
5. Replace Mindless Scrolling With Mindful Moments
Swap 5 minutes of doomscrolling for a breath practice, a walk, a meditation, or simply watching the sky. It doesn’t have to be big to be healing.
Final Thoughts
If you feel like your anxiety gets worse every time you pick up your phone, you’re not imagining it. And you’re not weak. You’re living in a world designed to overstimulate and compare.
But here’s the good news: awareness is the first step to change. Once we understand how anxiety works—and how digital habits affect our minds and bodies—we can begin to reclaim our attention, our nervous system, and our peace.
Learn more about this on my Research page or more about my journey here. If you’re looking for free resources, check out my Free Resources page. If you’d like to peruse the website that I founded 15 years ago (that is dedicated to helping people thrive), check out DoYogaWithMe.com.
Because you deserve a life that feels more connected than curated.
Hi David!
I can relate to all of this. Recently I have made a point of leaving my phone in a place where I can’t accessing it at night. I also took FB and Tiktok off my phone. The difference is amazing.
Wonderful article and I need to step back more often