Harnessing the feed: Social media for mental health information and support
Our summary
The report explores how young people (aged 16–25) in Australia use social media to access mental health information, connection and coping strategies. They turn to platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram as often as Google.
This research finds that 73% of young people use social media for health and support, and 51% use it as a substitute for professional support when facing mental health challenges. Social media plays a critical role in providing reassurance, practical advice and peer connection, and can even encourage help-seeking behaviour, with many users becoming more aware of their mental health or seeking professional support after engaging with content. However, young people are also highly aware of the downsides, including misinformation, harmful content, privacy concerns and the addictive nature of platforms, highlighting the need for safer, higher-quality digital environments to better support youth mental health.