Frequent social media use tied to higher levels of irritability

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

Existing studies on social media and mental health predominantly focus on depressive symptoms, with limited attention to other negative emotions such as irritability. Irritability, defined as a tendency toward anger and frustration, has been linked to functional impairments, poorer mental health outcomes, and suicidal behaviors.

While prior research has established connections between social media use and depressive symptoms, the extent to which social media engagement is associated with irritability or its influence on depression and anxiety has remained uncertain.

In the study, “Irritability and Social Media Use in US Adults,” published in JAMA Network Open, the research team used data from two waves of the COVID States Project, a nationwide nonprobability web-based survey conducted between November 2, 2023, and January 8, 2024, which included questions about social media use and irritability.

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

The survey collected sociodemographic data, self-reported social media usage, and measures of irritability. Participants completed the Brief Irritability Test (BITe), which consists of five statements evaluating irritability symptoms over the previous two weeks. Scores range from 5 to 30, with higher scores indicating higher levels of irritability. The analysis also included depression and anxiety metrics to account for overlapping psychological symptoms.

Social media use was categorized based on frequency: never, less than once per week, once per week, several times per week, once per day, several times per day, or most of the day. Platforms analyzed included Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X. Frequency of active posting, political engagement, and political affiliation were also examined to identify potential confounding factors.

Participants had a mean age of 46 years, with 58.5% identifying as women, 40.4% as men, and 1.1% as nonbinary. Among respondents, 78.2% reported daily use of at least one social media platform. Frequent social media use correlated with higher irritability scores, even after adjusting for anxiety and depression.

For example, participants using social media most of the day scored 3.37 points higher on the BITe in unadjusted models. After adjusting for anxiety and depression, the increase remained significant at 1.55 points.

Platform-specific analyses revealed a dose-response relationship between posting frequency and irritability. Posting multiple times per day was associated with the highest irritability levels across all platforms, with TikTok users showing the largest increase (1.94 points; 95% CI, 1.57-2.32 points).

Political engagement variables, such as frequent political posting or consuming political news, were associated with increased irritability. Political engagement did not diminish the observed relationship between social media use and irritability, though following political news “not very closely” was associated with a slight decrease.

High social media engagement levels, particularly frequent posting, were associated with greater irritability in US adults. While the study could not establish direct causation, findings suggest a potential feedback loop relationship, where irritability may both influence a desire to engage and increase irritation from social media use.

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