How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness
Youngsters report problems with anxiety, depression, sleep and “FoMO”
.. Roughly a quarter of British adults have been diagnosed at some point with a psychiatric disorder, costing the economy an estimated 4.5% of GDP per year... On average, they reported that these social networks gave them extra scope for self-expression and community-building. But they also said that the platforms exacerbated anxiety and depression, deprived them of sleep, exposed them to bullying and created worries about their body image and “FOMO”.. Sean Parker, Facebook’s founding president, has admitted that the product works by “exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology”.. Indeed, an experiment by five neuroscientists in 2014 concluded that Facebook triggers the same impulsive part of the brain as gambling and substance abuse.