If you’ve ever thought a break from social media might be good for your head space, new research suggests you’re onto something.
In a study of young adults published in JAMA Network Open, those who participated in a one-week social media detox experienced a boost in their mental health, with symptoms of anxiety dropping by 16.1 percent, depression by 24.8 percent, and insomnia by 14.5 percent.
The findings are only the first phase in a larger research effort, says lead author John Torous, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the director of the digital psychiatry division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In this edited interview, he discusses what surprised him in the initial findings and offers a preview of the work to come.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/12/social-media-detox-boosts-mental-health-but-nuances-stand-out/