Teens who develop addictive behaviours around social media, mobile phones, and video games face a sharply higher risk of suicidal thoughts, attempts, and mental health struggles, far beyond what can be explained by screen time alone, a new study reports.
Published in JAMA, the research followed over 4,000 children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, tracking them from ages 9–10 through their teenage years. By age 14, about one-third of the kids showed increasing signs of social media addiction, one-quarter were increasingly addicted to their phones, and more than 40% exhibited video game addiction.
The study also found that compulsive use patterns, such as feeling unable to stop using devices, experiencing distress when offline, or turning to screens to escape problems, predicted poor mental health outcomes.
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According to the findings, children with compulsive use patterns were 2–3 times more likely to report suicidal thoughts and behaviours and faced elevated risks of depression, anxiety, aggression, and behavioural issues.
The study, led by Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University, shows that it’s how teens use screens, not how long, that matters most. Unlike earlier studies focused on overall screen time, this research analysed the development of addictive behaviours over time.
“Simply limiting screen time misses the bigger picture,” said lead author Dr. Yunyu Xiao. “It’s about problematic, compulsive use, and these patterns are linked to a much higher risk of suicide and mental health problems.”
Experts say helping teens build healthier digital habits and emotional coping strategies could play a critical role in protecting their mental health.
