Addiction-like symptoms: 'Problematic' social media use among young people on the rise, WHO says

In a press release published on September 25, 2024, the WHO is sounding the alarm regarding the “problematic” use of social networks by young people in Europe.

The “problematic” use of social networks by young people in Europe social media use is on the rise among young Europeans, who are also more likely to develop a gambling addiction, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday.

Depression, bullying and anxiety

“We need immediate and sustained action to help adolescents stop the potentially harmful use of social media, which has been shown to lead to depression, bullying, anxiety and poor academic performance,”, WHO Europe Director Hans Kluge said in a press release.

In 2022, 11% of adolescents (13% of girls and 9% of boys) show signs of problematic use of social networks, compared to only 7% four years earlier, according to data obtained from 280,000 young people aged 11, 13, and 15 from 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada.

In other words, they present symptoms similar to those of addiction: inability to control excessive use, feelings of withdrawal and abandonment of other activities in favor of social media, and negative consequences of excessive use in life daily.

This phenomenon is most prevalent among Romanian teenage girls aged 13 and 15, affecting 28% of them and the least among Dutch teenagers (3%).

“Don't let social networks dominate them”

Another source of concern is that a third of adolescents play online daily, and 22% of them for at least four hours, the WHO noted, specifying that across the entire cohort, 12% of adolescents have problematic gaming behavior (16% of boys and 7% of girls).

“It is essential that we take measures to protect young people so that they can navigate the digital landscape safely and are able to make informed choices about their online activities, maximizing the benefits while minimizing the risks to their mental and social well-being,”, said a WHO/Europe official, Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, quoted in a press release.

The UN agency nevertheless highlights the benefits of responsible use of social media, particularly the connection between those who share the same passions and interests.

36% of young people, and 44% of 15-year-old girls, report being constantly in digital contact with their friends. Young people “must dominate social media, not let social media dominate them”, Ms Azzopardi-Muscat insisted.

WHO therefore recommends that national authorities improve digital environments and educational measures to enable young people to safely navigate the digital world.