Why Are Young People Gripped by Anxiety? Social Media and the Brain.

Here at Elite Tutors Sussex, we have been asking ourselves a question that we suspect many parents and educators are grappling with too: why are so many young people today gripped by anxiety?

Why do bright, capable students struggle to concentrate, feel persistently low, or find it almost impossible to put their phones down, even when they know it is not doing them any good?

A recent article in a magazine caught my attention, exploring how excessive social media use is negatively altering brain chemistry and, crucially, what can be done to reverse it. As someone who works closely with young people every day, I wanted to unpack the key findings and share what I believe every family and student in Sussex should understand.

The Dopamine Trap

Every time a young person receives a notification, earns a like, or watches a satisfying video, their brain’s reward system, known as the nucleus accumbens, releases dopamine, the chemical responsible for feelings of pleasure and accomplishment. This is perfectly normal. The problem is what happens over time with excessive use.

Research from London Southbank University has shown that heavy social media engagement, what scientists are calling ‘dopa-mining’, activates the same brain regions as drugs, alcohol and gambling. The brain essentially begins to prune the neural pathways associated with reward, making them faster and more efficient. That sounds positive, but it is not. A shorter reward pathway means young people become more impulsive and less able to resist the urge to scroll. Over time, this pruning can shrink key brain areas, including the amygdala and nucleus accumbens, which are central to emotional regulation and decision-making.

The more a young person uses social media excessively, the harder their brain finds it to stop, and the more anxious, impulsive and emotionally dysregulated they may become.

It Is Not Just Dopamine

It is not only dopamine that is affected. Research published in 2025 found that excessive social media use dysregulates serotonin and oxytocin networks too. Serotonin is closely linked to mood stability and a sense of wellbeing. Oxytocin is our bonding hormone, the one that helps us feel genuine human connection. When these systems are thrown off balance, the consequences include low mood, social anxiety, a diminished sense of belonging and a reduced capacity for empathy.

There is also growing evidence, outlined in a 2024 review published in PLOS Mental Health, that heavy social media use disrupts the brain’s default mode network, the system that is active when we are not focused on a specific task, such as when we daydream, reflect or consolidate memories. If this network is disrupted, it can affect how young people process their sense of self, regulate emotions and pay attention, all things that matter enormously in an academic setting.

What This Looks Like in the Classroom

My team and I at Elite Tutors see the effects of this every week. Students who are genuinely intelligent and hardworking tell us they simply cannot concentrate for more than a few minutes. Others describe feeling constantly on edge or lacking motivation for things they used to enjoy. Some are visibly exhausted, not from studying too hard, but from disrupted sleep caused by late-night scrolling, with screen blue light suppressing melatonin and undermining the quality of rest that young brains desperately need.

The neurological picture emerging from research makes it clear that this is not a matter of weak willpower or laziness. These young people’s brains are, quite literally, being rewired by the platforms they are using. The Children’s Commissioner’s report on social media and childhood has raised similar concerns at a national level, calling for greater awareness among families and schools.

The Good News: The Brain Can Change Back

Here is what gives me genuine hope: the brain is plastic. It can change, and it can recover. You do not need to eliminate social media entirely, though a conscious reduction is a very good starting point.

The evidence points to several practical strategies that can help reverse the damage:

Mindfulness and deliberate mental rest. Regularly stepping away from screens and practising mindfulness has been shown to promote positive neurological change. Even short periods of screen-free reflection each day can begin to restore the brain’s default mode network.

Physical activity. Exercise boosts serotonin and dopamine naturally, offering the brain a healthy, sustainable reward without the damaging cycle of social media dependency.

Real-world social connection. Face-to-face interaction engages the brain’s empathy circuits and oxytocin systems in ways that online interaction simply cannot replicate. Encouraging young people to invest time in friendships and activities away from screens is not old-fashioned advice. It is neuroscience.

Structured digital boundaries. Setting clear, consistent limits around screen time, particularly in the evenings, can protect sleep quality and allow the brain’s melatonin cycle to function properly.

Deep, focused work. Whether that is reading, studying, playing an instrument or working with a tutor, tasks that require sustained attention actively counteract the impulsivity that excessive social media use creates. They build back the very cognitive capacities that scrolling erodes.

If you are concerned about your child’s concentration or motivation, it is worth reading our article on when to get a tutor for your child, which explores the early signs that one-to-one support could make a real difference.

A Note from Me

I want to be clear that I am not here to demonise social media or suggest that young people should live without it. That is neither realistic nor necessary. What I am saying, and what the science increasingly supports, is that awareness is everything. Understanding what is happening in the brain is the first step to making better choices.

Something that has struck me as pivotal is that Steve Jobs’ children did not have devices- they talked about art, culture and history.

At Elite Tutors, we work with students on far more than academic content. We support the habits, focus and confidence that allow them to thrive. If you are concerned about your child’s concentration, anxiety or motivation, please do get in touch. These challenges are real, and they are also addressable.