For families considering mental health treatment for a teen, that distinction matters. It suggests asking about when they first used social media rather than whether they have an account now.
The finding comes as several countries debate age limits on social media. It suggests that delaying first use may matter more than removing an account later.
What the Study Measured
Researchers surveyed 365 Australian teens ages 10 to 15 and one parent for each teen. The study took place in the six weeks before Australia’s social media ban for under-16s began in December 2025.
Participants reported whether they had used social media, their age when they first used it and whether they currently had an account. They also completed measures of anxiety and depression.
Seventy percent reported having used social media. About half already held an account. The average age of first use was 11, four years below the minimum age the new law was about to establish.
Anna Bilston, a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales, conducted the study with Associate Professor Susanne Schweizer as chief investigator.
Age of First Use Outperformed Account Ownership
Adolescents who had began using social media at a younger age reported more symptoms of anxiety and depression. Simply having an account showed a weaker relationship with those symptoms.
Schweizer said delaying children’s first use may help, especially if they learn healthy digital habits during that time.
The study was observational and cross-sectional, so it cannot show that early social media use caused the symptoms. Teens already struggling may also start using social media earlier. The authors will use this survey as a starting point to track the group over time.
Most Teens Planned Workarounds Rather Than Abstinence
This expected pushback matters most to parents and clinicians. Trying to get around restrictions can show how strongly a young person is attached to a behavior.
How Age of Onset Connects to Addiction Research
The study did not measure addiction, dependence or compulsive use and it should not be read as evidence about any of those. What it does echo is one of the more durable patterns in substance use research.
Earlier age of first exposure is repeatedly associated with worse downstream outcomes and the association tends to hold after adjustment for other factors.
That parallel is context rather than a finding. But it is why treatment providers who work with adolescents routinely take an exposure timeline rather than a snapshot.
When compulsive use of screens does become a clinical concern, mental health treatment for adolescents typically addresses it alongside mood symptoms rather than as a standalone behavior since anxiety and depression frequently accompany it.
For providers the workaround data also has a practical implication. Access controls imposed without any accompanying skills work are likely to be tested.
What This Means for Treatment Seekers
Parents should ask how a program assesses a teen’s social media history, not just current use. It should also screen for age of first use, anxiety and depression.
It is also important to ask whether a program treats problematic screen use as a symptom that needs to be understood in context or as a behavior to be removed. The circumvention findings suggest that the second approach alone tends not to hold.
Exploring Treatment Options
If you are researching care for an adolescent, useful next steps of research include comparing programs that offer adolescent-specific tracks, verifying that a facility screens for co-occurring mood conditions, confirming credentials and licensure and understanding what your insurance covers for adolescent behavioral health.
Rehab.com’s directory provides a list of various verified treatment centers with details on specific specialties, adolescent programming, levels of care and insurance accepted. Call
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