While social media has its benefits, it also can facilitate toxic exchanges that emotionally burden teens, many teens witness online gossip, drama, and bullying very frequently, and they find this upsetting. Many teens feel overwhelmed every day by the large number of notifications they receive and feel pressure to respond because most people expect them to respond immediately. Smartphone addiction erodes academic performance. One reason for this is that many teens use their phones recreationally in the classroom and while doing homework. For this reason, a majority of teens say their smartphone is an obstacle to getting the best grades they are capable of getting.

Take a glance at what makes teenagers feel stressed online:

• 89% of surveyed teens reported that they find it upsetting when they witness someone being bullied online.
• 73% of teens mentioned that they feel that social media use contributes to conditions that can result in school shootings.
• 58% indicated that they feel that people generally expect them to respond immediately to notifications.
• 57% of surveyed teens said that they feel disturbed when they witness someone being gossiped about online.
• 45% of surveyed teens witnessed online drama every day.
• 42% are fearful of being gossiped about online.

A Graph Shows What Makes Teenagers Feel Stressed Online, 2018.