Are younger or older generations most vulnerable to social media toxicity?

SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) – A new study has identified which age group most feels that social media is affecting their mental health, and it might surprise you to learn that the generation of Americans who were born between 1965 and 1980 are in the generation most vulnerable to toxicity found on social media.

The study, which was conducted by the Texas addiction treatment center Origins Texas Recovery , analyzed data from YouGov perception polls to determine that older generations are impacted the most by toxic social media. They also used data from Pew Research Center .

The study found that Generation X is the most likely to report that social media negatively impacts their mental health.

Younger people report that social media helps to improve their well-being.

People who participated in the study were asked questions like, “Do you think social media has a broadly positive or broadly negative effect on your mental health?”

More than 1/3 of Generation X believes their mental health has been negatively impacted by social media. More than ¼ of Baby Boomers feel the same way.

Almost 40% of Generation Z, which includes babies that were born between 1997 and 2012, believe they’ve experienced positive mental health results from using social media. The same was true of Millennials.

Why is Generation X having difficulty with social media?

The study analyzed the social media habits of older users and found that older users tend to use older social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook that allow content to be filtered and edited. This behavior changes a person’s ability to judge their unedited appearance and can cause body image issues and erode at a person’s self-worth.

Younger generations, however, use apps that encourage the use of unfiltered photos and do not feel pressured to look certain ways.

Professionals at Origins Texas Recovery suggest that if you feel negatively affected by what you’re seeing online, change your social media habits. Set screen time limits and select the “not interested” functions on posts to help social media platforms alter your algorithm. It will take a little while to work, but if you continue selecting “not interested” on posts you do not want you will stop seeing the types of posts that upset you.

OTR also suggests silencing notifications on some apps, deactivating accounts that frequently bother you, and stepping away from your phone for a little while every day.

If you believe your mental health is suffering because of social media, talk to your loved ones and, if necessary, seek the advice of a professional.

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