https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0239133 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal... > Recent accounts sug

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0239133 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal... > Recent accounts suggest that levels of social anxiety may be rising. Studies have indicated that greater social media usage, increased digital connectivity and visibility, and more options for non-face-to-face communication are associated with higher levels of social anxiety [32–35]. The mechanism underpinning these associations remains unclear, though studies have suggested individuals with social anxiety favour the relative ‘safety’ of online interactions [32, 36]. However, some have suggested that such distanced interactions such as via social media may displace some face to face relationships, as individuals experience greater control and enjoyment online, in turn disrupting social cohesion and leading to social isolation [37, 38]. For young people, at a time when the development of social relations is critical, the perceived safety of social interactions that take place at a distance may lead some to a spiral of withdrawal, where the prospect of normal social interactions becomes ever more challenging.