In 2015, researchers in Canada surveyed more than seven hundred fifty students in grades seven through twelve and found that those who used social-networking sites more than two hours a day also self-rated their mental health as poor and had higher levels of psychological distress and suicidal ideation than those who used it less. Rather than conclude that social media was the cause of mental illness, these researchers argued that young people with poor mental health might be using social media more as a coping mechanism.
