(NPR) – Early research on social media’s impacts on teen mental health focused mostly on how much time they spent on these platforms, with some studies finding more time being linked with worse mental health symptoms, particularly depression.

But in recent years, researchers have homed in specifically on behaviors that indicate compulsive use of social media. In a recent study researchers found teens had habits that “mirror symptoms of addiction to substances,” such as withdrawal and impaired functioning, says study author Dr. Jason Nagata, a leading researcher on teen use of digital media (Read More).