Young people with mental health conditions use social media differently

Adolescents with internalising conditions differed from their peers not only in how much they used social media, but also in how they experienced it, engaging more with social comparison and being more affected by feedback.

Adolescents with mental health conditions spend more time on social media and engage with it differently, especially those with internalising conditions like anxiety or eating disorders. Let’s avoid thinking of ‘mental health’ as one category when it comes to young people’s lives on social media.

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Mental health awareness: what we have gained, and what we did not expect

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Mental health awareness campaigns have reduced stigma and encouraged help-seeking, but a new review asks whether they also have unintended psychological costs such as inflating distress, driving self-diagnosis, and overwhelming services.

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Scrolling for answers: how reliable is mental health and neurodivergence-related information on social media?

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A new systematic review finds that mental health and neurodivergence-related misinformation is highest on TikTok, but quality varies widely across all platforms.

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Synthetic cannabinoids found in 13% of school vapes tested

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13% of vapes confiscated from English schools contained synthetic cannabinoids mis-sold as THC. Refillable vapes and social media platforms enable this dangerous trend.

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Smartphone bans in schools are not associated with better mental wellbeing or reduced screen-time out of school

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Emma Sullivan summarises a cross-sectional observational study investigating associations between school smartphone policies and mental wellbeing in young people.

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“I don’t need a cup of tea, I need some @#$%&! help”: #camhs through the lens of TikTok

Young people also posted videos that shared their positive experiences of CAMHS, where they felt listened to and meaningfully involved in their treatment. In some cases, CAMHS was experienced as lifesaving.

Nina Higson-Sweeney summarises a qualitative study exploring the #camhs hashtag on TikTok and how young people experience child and adolescent mental health services.

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Adolescents are more sensitive to social media feedback

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Nora Skjerdingstad presents a recent study that the explores the constant feedback we encounter on social media platforms, and the impact that ‘likes’ can have on adults and young people.

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Critical lack of evidence about social media use and youth mental health in clinical populations

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Amanda Sabo and Louise La Sala summarise a recent review investigating the impact of social media use on internalising symptoms in adolescents from clinical and community samples.

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Suicide prevention: expanding the narrative to preventing the crisis, not just treating the crisis

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Something a bit different today, as Kirsten Lawson summarises the recent Lancet Public Health series on suicide prevention, which looks at public health interventions, addressing the risk factors and determinants of suicide, and the transmissibility of suicide.

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Social media, smoking and young people: is there any link?

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Ian Hamilton summarises a longitudinal survey study of UK youth, which suggests there is an association between social media exposure and use of e-cigarettes and smoking.

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