Frequent use of social media is accompanied by a higher degree of irritability

A study led by researchers from the Center for Quantitative Health of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School has analyzed the connection between self -reported use of social media and irritability among American adults. Frequent use of social media, especially under active posters, was correlated with higher levels of irritability.

Existing studies into social media and mental health focus primarily on depressive symptoms, with limited attention to other negative emotions such as irritability. Irritability, defined as a tendency to anger and frustration, has been associated with functional disabilities, poorer mental health results and suicidal behavior.

Although previous research has made connections between the use of social media and depressive symptoms, the extent to which the involvement of social media is associated with irritability or its influence on depression and fear has remained uncertain.

In the study ‘Irritability and Social Media Use in US Adults’ published in Jama network openedThe research team used data from two waves of the COVID States Project, a national, unlikely web -based research that was conducted between November 2, 2023 and January 8, 2024, including questions about the use of social media and irritability.

Researchers evaluated the relationship between the use of social media and irritability by analyzing the reactions of 42,597 participants using multiple linear regression models.

The Survey collected sociodemographic data, self -reported use of social media and measurements of irritability. Participants completed the letter for irritability test (Bite), which consists of five statements in which the irritability symptoms of the past two weeks are evaluated. Scores vary from 5 to 30, where higher scores indicate a higher degree of irritability. The analysis also included measurements of depression and fear of taking over -over psychological symptoms into account.

The use of social media was categorized on the basis of frequency: never, less than once a week, once a week, several times a week, once a day, several times a day or most of the day. The analyzed platforms included Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and Twitter/X. The frequency of active messages, political involvement and political convictions were also investigated to identify possible disruptive factors.

The participants had an average age of 46 years, with 58.5% identified as a woman, 40.4% as a man and 1.1% as a non-binary. Of the respondents, 78.2% reported daily use of at least one social media platform. Frequent use of social media correlated with higher irritability scores, even after correction for anxiety and depression.

Participants who used social media most of the day scored 3.37 points higher on the bite in non-corrected models. After correction for anxiety and depression, the rise remained significant, namely 1.55 points.

Platform-specific analyzes revealed a dose-response relationship between the post frequency and irritability. Posting several times a day was accompanied by the highest irritability levels on all platforms, where Tiktok users showed the largest increase (1.94 points; 95% BI, 1.57-2.32 points).

Variables in the field of political involvement, such as frequent politics or consuming political news, were associated with increased irritability. Political involvement did not reduce the observed relationship between the use of social media and irritability, although following political news ‘not very meticulously’ was accompanied by a slight decrease.

High involvement on social media, in particular frequent posts, was associated with greater irritability in American adults. Although the investigation could not demonstrate a direct causal link, the findings suggest a possible feedback loop relationship, whereby irritability can influence both the desire to be involved if the irritation through the use of social media can increase.

Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms that drive this association and its implications for public health, as well as possible intervention strategies.

© 2025 Science X Network