A recent study shows that adults who spend excessive time on social media are much more likely to experience heightened rates of irritability.
The public health investigation, run by a team of researchers and published in January 2025 by JAMA Network, found that those who frequently use social media are more prone to frustration and mood swings than non-users.
The data comes from responses from over 42,500 surveyed adults from all 50 states between November 2023 and January 2024, where researchers discovered a clear connection between social media use and irritability levels. The study used a standard “Brief Irritability Test” and found that people who accessed social media multiple times a day scored an average of 1.43 points higher than non-users. Those who used social media for “most of the day” saw an even more pronounced rise in irritability, with scores climbing 3.37 points higher than the “less-engaged” sample group.
The study’s findings suggest a “dose-response” effect for social media users: the more time people spend on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, the more irritable they become.
One key explanation for this growing irritability lies in the nature of social media itself.
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok often present a highly filtered version of reality. Constant exposure to these curated views of life can create a sense of inadequacy and envy in viewers. This cycle of comparison fuels frustration and, in turn, irritability.
Another contributing factor to the uptick in irritability is the overstimulation that comes with frequent social media use.
According to a study from Potsdam University, “Screen time overloads the sensory system, fractures attention, and depletes mental reserves.” Social media platforms are inherently designed to keep users engaged, often through emotionally charged content, but they can easily elevate stress levels.
Additionally, the blue light emitted by digital screens has been linked to disruptions in sleep patterns, reported The Epoch Times.
This “digital detox” dilemma—where the more connected you are, the more frazzled you feel—appears to be a critical issue for modern adults and children.
As reported by The Dallas Express in June of 2024, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms, similar to those on cigarette packs. In a guest essay for The New York Times, Murthy expressed increasing concern about social media’s impact on the mental health of young people in the U.S.
“The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency, and social media has emerged as an important contributor,” Murthy wrote.
The JAMA Network survey also found that specific social media platforms were more strongly linked to irritability than others.
TikTok users who spent most of the day scrolling through short-form videos reported a 1.69-point increase in irritability, while frequent Facebook users showed a 1.40-point bump.
The data further showed that users who often engage in political discussions on social media tend to be more irritable. However, even after factoring in political content, the connection between social media use and irritability remained strong throughout the report’s findings.