Background: The prevalence of mental illness is increasing in Sweden every year, with an increased prescription of psychotropic drugs. Today, most of the Swedish population has a smart phone and access to social media. At the same time there is a doubling in children exposed to cyberbullying. In an American study it was found that after the introduction of smart phones, there was a doubling of mental illness.

Aim: The aim was to investigate young people's experiences of how social media affected their mental health.

Method: The study used eleven studies found trough a systematic search on Cinahl and Psycinfo. The articles were analyzed using Friberg's model for analysis of qualitative studies, resulting in the identification of two themes and five subthemes.

Results: The results of this study showed that young people's mental health could be affected both positively and negatively by social media. They had direct effects in the form of a need to be available and a pursuit of likes and unattainable ideals. Which created anxiety and worry among the young people. Furthermore, the study found that there were positive experiences in the form of inspiration and sharing of coping strategies. But also, negative experiences in the form of stalking, blackmailing, and cyberbullying.

Conclusion: There were both positive and negative experiences of how social media use could affect mental health. From strengthened social relationships, to compulsive overuse that negatively affected the sleep. The results of the study can be applied to nursing work when it comes to detecting early symptoms of decreased mental health and reduce the burden on healthcare. By understanding the impact of social media, you can promote the health of young people.