Florida Residents’ Anxiety Is Linked to Social Media Use and Varies With Age, New Study Shows
- Jan 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 21
Over 40 million American adults – approximately 19% – live with an anxiety disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health. Studies show this anxiety is most prevalent in young people, and social psychologists increasingly link this trend to technology use.
Younger Floridians who spend a lot of time on social media tend to be more anxious on average than other adults in the Sunshine State. Pheelings Media/iStock via Getty Images Plus
Maintaining a constant online presence can result in excessive social comparison, disrupted sleep, fragmented attention and increased exposure to cyberbullying – all of which can increase the prevalence of anxiety. Evidence increasingly links this type of prolonged anxiety to detrimental health issues, including weakened immune function, increased cardiovascular risk and impaired cognitive performance.
In May 2025, researchers conducted a survey of 500 adults in Florida to measure the prevalence of anxiety in the state and explore whether it is related to age and social media use. The survey group was designed to match Florida’s population in terms of age, race, gender, political affiliation and geographic distribution.
The researchers used the GAD-7 questionnaire, a tool developed by mental health professionals to assess symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. A score under 10 indicates minimal or mild anxiety, while scores of 10 or higher indicate moderate to severe anxiety.
The survey found that roughly 1 in 5 Floridians are struggling with moderate to severe anxiety. While the average GAD-7 score was 4.74, 18.6% of participants reported symptoms of at least moderate anxiety, with nearly half of them rising to the level of severe. This suggests that nearly 3.5 million Floridians may suffer from clinically significant anxiety.
Age played a significant role. Members of Generation Z, ages 18 to 27 in the sample, reported the highest rates of anxiety by a significant margin. The average GAD-7 score for this group was 8.17, compared with 6.50 for millennials, 5.32 for Gen Xers and 3.04 for baby boomers.
Time spent on social media was also strongly correlated with anxiety. Those who didn’t use social media at all reported lower levels of anxiety, with an average GAD-7 score of 3.56. Anxiety scores rose consistently as time spent on social media increased, reaching an average of 7.08 among those who used social media 10 hours or more per week.
The reasons for using social media also mattered. Anxiety was lowest among those who used social media primarily to stay connected with family and friends. It rose significantly among those who used it to stay up to date with current trends, pop culture, or health, fitness and beauty trends. Floridians who reported feeling social media “FOMO” had significantly higher anxiety scores than those who did not.
Even when the analysis was limited to Gen Zers and millennials, the link remained clear. Those who reported spending less than one hour per week on social media had average GAD-7 scores of 2.89, while those who spent 10 hours or more per week reached an average score of 8.73.
The researchers note that while the survey cannot prove that social media alone causes anxiety, the amount of time spent online does appear to be affecting the mental health of young people in Florida. Moderating social media use, including setting time limits or taking breaks, may help reduce anxiety for some users.