Mental Health Social Media

Social media fuels teenage depression

Jack Block

In today’s digital age, Generation Z has become increasingly dependent on social media. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, up to 95 percent of teenagers aged 13-17 have reported using social media, with applications such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat being some of the most popular among Generation Z users. As each platform has increased in popularity, the unrealistic standards that each app often sets have also increased. Teenagers tend to normalize images and false realities they see online, which can lead to a decline in their mental health. According to a study from Johns Hopkins Medicine, as social media usage continues to grow, so will depression.

Data from an April Bark survey suggests that 18 percent of students frequently see something on social media that has makes them feel sad or self-conscious. Wellness Director Spencer DeWoody works to help students deal with their mental health struggles and believes social media is a key contributor to teen depression.

“The direct impact of social media is that it enhances sensitivity to validation. If I post something, I am seeking out the likes and the dopamine that the post gives. That is one way people are constantly seeking reinforcement,” DeWoody said.

Social media is responsible for generating immense amounts of dopamine, the neurotransmitter in the brain that makes someone “feel good.” Every notification, video or image has a way of inducing dopamine, which can be very unhealthy and make teenagers especially sensitive to activity on social media.

“If someone doesn’t get the feeling of dopamine that they want from a certain post, it might make them end up feeling even lower,” DeWoody said. “Especially with this generation where people feel like they have to post their whole lives on social media and they don’t get enough likes or validation from their post, they can develop an unhealthy dependency on social media.”

Because social media is responsible for a significant amount of dopamine release, it’s easy to become dependent. In a study done by Stanford University’s medical program, researchers have found that dopamine is the main chemical that forms addiction, explaining why so many teenagers are glued to their phones.

“Social media gives instant gratification when those likes start to come in, and it’s almost like a gambling addiction. It’s an intermittent feeling that comes and goes, which is very mentally unhealthy and leaves you craving more,” DeWoody said.

Behind the post: Social media glamorizing party culture

Chloe Jennings

In high school, teenagers face a plethora of challenges. Drama, schoolwork, college applications and perhaps the worst of all: The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). FOMO can make or break the high school experience. It’s almost a rite of passage, impacting stress, sadness and insecurities. Whether hearing about weekend plans through the chatter of a classroom or catching a glimpse of a group chat you weren’t added to, FOMO is almost impossible to avoid. When social media is thrown on top of the mess, emotions surrounding the situation only escalate.

But there is a certain extent to which FOMO should — or shouldn’t — dictate decisions. There’s a point when the feeling can take over — peer pressure intensifies, bad decisions are influenced and choices to feel included become potentially unsafe. Underage drinking, smoking, partying and more are commonly influenced on digital devices. Sophomore Margot Rieders emphasizes the amount of influence that stems from social media.

“Every single platform: Tiktok, Instagram and Snapchat. They all encourage alcohol usage in different ways,” Rieders said. “Usually, there are positive and almost uplifting videos saying ‘Your sign to drink this weekend’ or ‘I wasn’t going to drink tonight but then ___’ and the video is someone drinking.”

On Tiktok, likes on videos are hidden with an exception for the creator of the video. On Instagram, users are able to see who has liked what video. Say any given user is scrolling through reels or posts. The bottom bar lists “Liked by ___” and accounts that the user follows who liked that video will be listed.

“I constantly see reels that promote underage drinking and they are always liked by my classmates or friends.” Rieders said.

Influencers hold a large role in this promotion. Sometimes, these influencers are adults or over 21, yet their following consists of younger people. Young girls look up to these influencers, with fan accounts or comments praising that particular person.

“I always see influencers post videos of themselves drinking or partying with ‘Get ready with me to go out’ videos. Recently, there was an influencer’s birthday party where a group of girls partied for 24 hours straight. They made the experience seem fun and encouraged others to do the same thing,” Rieders said.

A junior who wished to stay anonymous, who will be called John, reflected on the experience of seeing substance use advocated online.

“Usually, I like [social media posts encouraging/joking about drinking/substance use] and engage with them. I send them to my friends all the time. I honestly find them funny and I find myself getting excited for the weekend when I see them,” John said.

The false narratives that are spread on social media are infiltrated into societal norms, specifically revolving around underage substance use in high school. A sense of connection is found through social media, sometimes resulting in negative outcomes.

“All the time, I think ‘I shouldn’t be doing this.’ I don’t really listen to my thoughts when that happens. Even if it feels wrong when everyone else is doing it, I don’t want to be the only one not drinking. On the other hand, it feels validating to see people online participating in the same activities that we do in high school. When I see people partying and drinking or anything like that, it makes it feel okay to do the same,” John said.

58 percent of students felt as though social media portrays underage drinking and substance use as casual and normalized.

According to the April 2025 Bark survey, 58 percent of students felt as though social media portrays underage drinking and substance use as casual and normalized. A separate 15 percent felt that it was portrayed positively. Only 7 percent felt it was portrayed dangerously.

“I think that social media makes [underage drinking] into a joke or something silly. It's a humorous thing but some people actually think it's normal to be drinking two times a week even though we are underage,” John said. “Social media exaggerates how much drinking and smoking is okay or feels right. I forget to remind myself of this when I see posts about drinking.”

The yearn to be included socially, professionally or personally can have a large impact on deeper emotions. Even being physically present in a situation, one can experience feeling left out just because of how others are acting.

“Being the only sober person while out makes the experience way less enjoyable. I’ll feel extremely left out and awkward,” John said.“It's pretty rare that people aren't under the influence at social events. Just because everyone is doing it, it makes people scared to miss out on the opportunity or feel left out.”

FOMO doesn’t just fuel the crave to blend in, it also can exaggerate how much fun is actually being had. Social media is a highlight reel: wanting others to perceive your life in a positive way, it's unlikely one would posta miserable situation. It’s not only the drinking aspect, it’s the way the experiences are presented on social media, with post after post gradually creating an overwhelming desire to be there.

“I feel extremely excluded and out of the loop when I can't go to a social gathering. My friends always post on their private stories when we go out and being on the other side of it sucks. I feel like I'm gonna miss something funny, exciting or memorable,” Rieders said. “It’s not necessarily that people are talking about it at school the next Monday, because that honestly doesn’t matter that much to me. It's the tiktoks of everyone going out or the private stories of what's going on.”

Often, social media posts encourage underage substance use or drinking and it is easy to believe what you see online. Due to cognitive bias, users are subject to believing what they see, if it’s something they want to believe. Any given person can create their own “subjective reality” from their perception of the situation. Therefore, teens are easily victim to believing these illegal activities are acceptable.

“I think that people online glamorize bad habits like drinking and smoking and it should be way less normalized. It's super unhealthy to be in high school and see this stuff online extremely often,” Rieders said.