Experts and many people blame social media for a long list of mental health issues, including high rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior among young Americans.

A new study published in the Lancet children's and adolescent health magazine suggests that social media is linked to mental health issues, but only in certain circumstances and for some people and not others.

For girls, the study said, repeated use of social media appeared to be detrimental to health when it led to cyberbullying and lack of sleep and sports or one of these factors.

But these factors did not have the same effect on children, and the study did not address specific ways in which social networks can harm these children.

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Frequent use of social media is harmful to health when it leads to cyberbullying and lack of sleep and sports or one of these factors
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"The message, in fact, is not the use of social media per se," said Dasha Nichols, co-author of the study, which leads the research team on child and adolescent mental health at Imperial College London. Social and other age-appropriate activities and ensure there are no specific negative things happening online. "

The study, which investigated 10,000 British teenagers over three years starting in 2013, found that social media seemed to have a stronger impact on girls, but the relationship was also present in boys.

The picture then grew more complex when researchers found that social media users routinely reported cyberbullying, lack of sleep and lack of exercise, which they thought could be responsible for most of the problem.

They found that these three factors can be predicted almost completely if the use of means of communication would harm the girl's health. Electronic bullying appeared to hurt girls, followed by lack of sleep and lack of exercise.

The epitome of the researchers' message to adolescents was to get enough sleep and not to cut off contact with friends in real life and the importance of physical activity for mental health and well-being. If young people take care of themselves in these ways, there is no need to worry about the impact of social media.

Similarly, the researchers also advised parents to encourage children to stay active and switch off their phones at night.