Is Instagram bad for your mental health?
A new UK study looks into the mental-health effects of five major social networks. Instagram ranks as the worst.
A look at Instagram's image filters.
Social media is ubiquitous for young people, but all that interaction may be creating some negative side effects.
The Royal Society for Public Health along with the Young Health Movement published a report out of the UK called #StatusOfMind that looked into the mental health effects of five social networks, CBS News reported Tuesday.
The researchers found that Instagram was the most detrimental to young people's mental health, followed by Snapchat. Next up were Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
The study surveyed nearly 1,500 people ages 14 to 24 from across the UK to track the impacts of these social platforms on a handful of factors related to health and well-being, including emotional support, body image and bullying.
Shirley Cramer, the chief executive of the public health group said the negative impacts of Instagram and Snapchat may have stemmed from their heavy focus on images, which "may be driving feelings of inadequacy and anxiety in young people."
Representatives for Facebook, Instagram's parent company, and Snapchat didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.