Multiple empirical studies and reviews indicate that regular and excessive consumption of news and social media correlates with heightened anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. While occasional exceptions exist, the preponderance of current literature supports the link between media exposure and deteriorating mental well-being.
The retrieved papers largely examine the psychological impacts of media exposure, social media use, and news consumption during crises or in general settings. Several studies (0, 1, 3, 5, 11) directly link higher exposure to news and social media with elevated rates of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and distress. Conversely, paper [7] found no such correlation during the early COVID-19 lockdowns, representing a minority view. Because the majority of robust, recent studies demonstrate a positive association between news/social media consumption and adverse mental health outcomes, the verdict is SUPPORTED.