A simple and effective way to reduce feelings of loneliness has been named

Reducing social media time to one hour per day helps decrease feelings of loneliness in young people with anxiety and depression. This is the conclusion reached by an international team of scientists. The study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders (JAD).

The study involved 219 students aged 17 to 25 who were already experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression and spent at least two hours a day on social media. Participants were divided into two groups: one was asked to limit social media use to one hour, while the other was to continue using it as usual.

After three weeks, the researchers recorded a noticeable reduction in loneliness levels among participants who had cut their screen time. In the control group, almost no changes occurred.

"Although social media was designed to strengthen connections, high levels of its use are often associated with increased loneliness," noted one of the study's authors, Gary Goldfield from the University of Ottawa.

One possible explanation, according to the researchers, is the "displacement" effect: time spent on social media replaces face-to-face interaction. When participants reduced their app usage, they had more opportunities for real-life contacts — with friends and family.

The mechanism of social comparison also plays an additional role. Users see "curated" versions of other people's lives in their feeds, which can heighten feelings of dissatisfaction. However, in this study, even those who frequently compared themselves to others experienced the same benefit from limiting social media as everyone else.

Importantly, this is not about completely giving up social media, but rather a moderate reduction in time. At the same time, the researchers emphasize that the effect was moderate and does not replace proper treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders, but it could become part of it.