How Social Media Affects Mental Health

The July launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was celebrated by many mental health providers and advocates, but it triggered concerns, too, from people who say using the service could lead to increased law enforcement involvement or forced hospitalization.

People who stopped using platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for seven days reported an increased sense of well-being, and some said they freed up about nine hours in their week that they would have spent scrolling.

Researchers report a child's risk of harm from social media is higher at certain ages, and it's different for girls and boys.

TikTok users seeking deep tans are using a questionable method: spraying self-tanning products up their noses, and then lying in the sun or in a tanning bed.

While there are positive aspects to social media, there's evidence it can pose risks to teens' mental health.

A new study follows a yearlong look at social media use and onset of depression among nearly 5,400 adults.

Facebook may have misled Congress about the company’s understanding of how COVID misinformation spread on the platform.

A new report reveals recreational screen time among U.S. teens doubled from before the pandemic to nearly eight hours per day during the pandemic.

A new study shows kids with ADHD, hostility, social phobia, or depression may be more likely to become addicted to the Internet.

Part death announcement, part highlights of a life now ended, obits now often carry new messages and meaning beyond their traditional use. And as they gain attention on social media, the responses are often morbid, mean and, for many, sad.

Learn how to develop a healthy relationship with your social media.

Struggling to stop comparing yourself to celebrities? These 3 steps can help you break the habit and reclaim your sense of self-worth.

WebMD's Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, speaks with Andrew Ordon, MD, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon & Co-Host, "The Doctors", about the COVID-19-spurred "zoom boom" in cosmetic surgery.

Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam tennis champion from Japan, has withdrawn from the French Open after fallout from her decision to decline post-match media interviews.

About two-thirds of anti-vaccine content on major social media sites is tied to 12 prominent anti-vaccine leaders, according to a report.

Readers pay attention when social media sites label an article as "unverified" or "suspicious," a new study suggests.

Proven step-by-step instructions for how to talk to your kids about social media.

Proven step-by-step instructions for how to talk to your kid about cyberbullying.

New research suggests hours spent scrolling through social media and watching TV trigger binge eating in preteens.

WebMD's Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, speaks with Dr. Phil McGraw, Mental Health Expert, to discuss ringing in the new year by taking time for self-reflection.

Compared with the lightest users (2 hours or less per day), the heaviest users (at least 5 hours per day) had a three times higher depression risk.

What is catfishing, and how do you spot a catfish? Learn the signs of catfishing and what to do if you think your online friend is pretending to be someone else.

Abusers can turn technology against victims to monitor, threaten, harass and hurt them, but there are resources and laws designed to help.

Every 1 point increase in the effort to discredit vaccines is linked to an average 2% drop in annual vaccine coverage around the world, and a 15% increase in negative tweets about vaccination, researchers found.

Those who said their parents were "almost never" loving were at least six times more likely to engage in high levels of cyberbullying than those who said their parents were "almost always" loving.