Social media addicts are grumpier and more stressed than people who curb their scrolling, study finds

TechTech news SOCIAL media addicts are grumpier and more stressed than people who curb their scrolling, research shows. They were found to be more likely to let day-to-day parts of their lives fall by the wayside. More than a quarter of the 900 adults questioned over six months reported their online usage was at a level judged to be “pathological”. Another quarter had spent what was defined as a “risky” amount of time on their devices. Sign up for the Tech newsletter Thank you! Problematic users were said to be those who struggled to control the amount of time on social media, gambling, shopping or watching porn. They were found to have worse mood swings and be less able to resist temptation. READ MORE ON SOCIAL MEDIA The urge to go online was also found to increase the stress that people felt — and they ended up in a cycle. Study author Dr Silke Muller, from University Hospital Essen in Germany, wrote in the journal Plos One: “A negative outcome of internet use is the neglect of alternative activities. “There are reports of neglect of work, decreased job performance and worsened academic performance due to problematic social network use. “Daily problematic smartphone use showed negative effects on satisfaction with life.” Most read in Tech The report went on say that having a detox from going online led to improved mood, sleep and productivity. Ofcom figures in December 2025 found that the average adult in Britain spent four and a half hours a day online, mostly on smartphones. Comment now