Screen time has become a hot topic as technology has become an integral part of life. This topic is important because I, as well as almost everyone I know, spend a large amount of time looking at a screen. Whether it is a TV, phone or video game, screens are everywhere. The real question is, what effect is all of this technology having on mental health?

The issue within Screen time that I have been researching is the depression and anxiety that can result from too much time spent staring at a screen. Through my reading I found there is a severe lack of research to support this idea. What I did find, were real testimonies and studies done about what people were doing while spending time staring at their screen. Most commonly, people were on social media, and that is when the issue began to change. What I began to find through my sources was that social media uses algorithms to provide content to it’s users. Much of the time, content can affect mental well being. Those who indulge in depressive content, will continue to be fed this type of content. Whereas those who choose to look at positive content will be fed positive content. Scientist began to see a correlation with depression symptoms and content. The popular opinion is that too much screen time contributes to an overall mental decline; however, science and testimonies are showing that it’s not screens that contribute to poor mental well being but the content that users choose to indulge in.