The impact of social media addiction on sexual desire: an observational study

Abstract

Background

Excessive social media use has been linked to appearance-related concerns during sexual activity, reduced arousal and desire, orgasm difficulties, and increased sexual dissatisfaction and distress. While most research has examined general effects of social media use on sexual satisfaction, little is known about its specific impact on sexual desire or the role of associated factors. This study examined the relationship between social media addiction and sexual desire in women, and whether age, depressive symptoms, and cohabitation with a partner contributed to this association.

Methods

In this cross-sectional online study, participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling to complete an anonymous survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, social media use, sexual desire (Female Sexual Function Questionnaire; FSM), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9), and social media addiction (Social Media Addiction Scale–Student Form; SMAS-SF).

Results

Higher social media addiction scores were associated with lower sexual desire. Age, depressive symptoms, and cohabitation with a partner accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in this association, with age identified as the strongest predictor. Older adults with similar depressive symptoms and addiction levels reported significantly lower sexual desire than younger counterparts (p<.001; effect size d = 0.172). Among participants with comparable profiles, those cohabiting with a partner reported sexual desire scores 1.589 points lower than those not living with a partner (p=.001, effect size d = 0.290).

Conclusions

Social media addiction is negatively associated with sexual desire. Age, depressive symptoms, and partner cohabitation contributed to this association. These findings highlight the importance of considering psychological and relational factors when addressing the sexual consequences of social media addiction.

Introduction

Social media has become a widely used form of communication and socialization, to the extent that most young people spend more time on these platforms than engaging in activities that involve in-person socialization. Time spent on the internet and social media has increased significantly in recent years, with multiple studies reporting that over 50% of participants engage with social media for approximately 1 to 3 h per day [1, 2]. Social media facilitates social connection by enabling users to make friends and maintain relationships beyond geographic and temporal limits [3]. Additionally, individuals use social media platforms for diverse purposes such as sharing information, self-expression, offering advice, combating stigma and seeking for help and support [4–9]. However, excessive use of social media can negatively affect users’ personal, social, and professional lives [10–12]. Excessive use of Instagram and Facebook has been linked to lower self-esteem and life satisfaction, increased social comparison, elevated body dissatisfaction, perfectionism, and self-criticism, and greater symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress [1, 2, 10, 13–17]. Individuals who spent more time on Facebook reported lower self-esteem and life satisfaction compared to those with a more moderate usage. Additionally, social media addiction has been associated with increased social comparison and feelings of envy [18].

Some authors suggest that social media use becomes problematic when individuals begin to rely on these platforms as a primary—or even exclusive—means of coping with negative emotional states [19]. Problematic social media use (PSMU) is generally understood as a pattern of use that negatively impacts psychological well-being and interferes with various aspects of life, including interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, mood or body image [1, 2, 10–12, 14–16]. Social media use becomes an addiction when it meets six core criteria): (1) Salience; (2) Mood modification; (3) Tolerance; (4) Withdrawal symptoms; (5) Conflict; and (6) Relapse [20, 21].

The key difference between excessive use and addiction lies in how much social media interferes with daily functioning and well-being. Excessive use doesn’t always mean addiction, as some people engage excessively with the Internet without major negative effects [20]. In contrast, those addicted to social media show symptoms similar to substance or behavioural addictions [22]. Moreover, the type of content consumed on social media strongly influences psychological well-being. Users who mainly engaged with appearance-focused content have reported higher self-criticism and body dissatisfaction than those who viewed content unrelated to physical appearance [2]. Thus, beyond time spent online, the nature of the content and users’ motives are key to understanding its psychological impact.

Despite the growing interest in the psychological and social effects of social media on users’ well-being, certain variables —such as sexuality — remain largely underexplored. In contrast, other closely related constructs, such as self-esteem, have been extensively studied [1, 14, 18, 23]. Human sexuality encompasses emotional, cognitive, behavioural, and physical aspects of sexual expression. It includes individuals’ sexual knowledge, attitudes, values, behaviours, identity, orientation, and relationships [24]. Sexuality is shaped by biological, psychosocial, and cultural factors, as well as by life experiences, cognitive development, social norms, religion, and historical context [25].

An essential aspect of sexuality is the sexual response cycle, traditionally divided into five phases: desire, arousal, plateau, orgasm, and resolution [26]. Sexual desire refers to the internal drive for sexual satisfaction, expressed through sensations, erotic fantasies, attraction, or pursuit of sexual activity—alone or with a partner. It can be experienced cognitively, emotionally, or interpersonally, and its intensity varies by individual and context [27]. Sexual responses and experiences, including sexual desire, are shaped and affected by a biopsychosocial interplay of emotional, interpersonal, physiological, social, and cultural factors, such as stress, anxiety, depression, body image, self-esteem, trauma, relationship conflict, education, sexual beliefs, and societal norms [27–31]. Given the multifactorial nature of sexual desire, social media addiction may affect it and warrants further study.

Social media addiction has been associated with poor erectile function, difficulty achieving orgasm, decreased sexual arousal and desire, increased pain during intercourse, and sexual distress. These effects were not influenced by age, however, the impact of social media addiction on sexual dissatisfaction was mediated by the relationship between sexual dissatisfaction and mental health [32]. PSMU has been linked to poorer sexual functioning, with noted gender differences. In women, PSMU was linked to reduced desire and arousal, less lubrication, orgasm difficulties, and increased dissatisfaction and distress. In men, no significant link was found with sexual desire. Associations between smartphone overuse and sexual functioning were weaker overall but still present. A different study found that problematic Instagram use was linked to sexual dissatisfaction and appearance-related concerns during sex with a partner. The current pressure to meet unrealistic beauty standards and constant exposure to idealized images may have decreased sexual desire and self-esteem among users [33]. By promoting narrow representations of male and female sexuality, social media can reinforce gender stereotypes that shape how people perceive and express their sexuality [33, 34].

Beyond social media use, research has also examined more direct forms of sexually explicit online content consumption, such as pornography, where findings regarding sexual satisfaction and functioning are more heterogeneous. Sexual satisfaction in heterosexual couples is also influenced by consumption of explicit content such as pornography. Male consumption of explicit content correlated with lower satisfaction for both partners. In contrast, when women viewed such material, male partners reported higher satisfaction, interpreting it as an effort to improve the relationship’s sexual quality [35]. A different study found that viewing passion or romance themed pornography was linked to greater sexual satisfaction, whereas consuming pornography depicting power, control, or rough sex was associated with lower sexual satisfaction and poorer sexual function among cisgender men [36]. These results highlight that the relationship between pornography use, and sexual well-being varies according to the type of content consumed. In a similar way, the type of content encountered on social media may also play a role in shaping sexual desire and sexual functioning, beyond mere exposure or overall usage levels.

The abovementioned studies suggest that PSMU can negatively impact multiple aspects of sexuality. While most research has focused on general effects of PSMU on sexual satisfaction or its impact on different components of the sexual response cycle, few studies have examined variables that may help predict the relationship between social media addiction and specific sexual difficulties This study aims to address that gap by investigating the link between social media addiction and sexual desire. Additionally, we explore whether age, depressive symptoms, and cohabitation with a partner predict this relationship.

Methods

Study design and participants

In this quantitative cross-sectional observational study participants were recruited anonymously and voluntarily through a non-probability snowball sampling method. The questionnaire was promoted through one of the authors’ mental health–focused Instagram profile, which has over 175,000 followers. Some followers further amplified the study’s reach by sharing the survey in their own Instagram stories. Additionally, other authors distributed the survey via email and WhatsApp. When opening the link, the Google Forms’ data protection information was provided, allowing participants to accept its privacy policy according to the Declaration of Helsinki. A subsequent paragraph provided participants with information about the study’s objectives and emphasized the assurance of anonymity and voluntary participation. All participants provided written informed consent prior to their participation in the study. An anonymity code was generated to ensure participants could not be identified by the researchers. This code was composed of responses to the following: (1) First letter of the participant’s first name, (2) Last letter of their first surname, (3) Last letter of their second surname, (4) Last digit of their birth year, and (5) Last digit of their age.

The approximate time required to complete the questionnaire was also detailed, estimated at around 15 to 20 min, based on the understanding that response quality tends to decrease beyond this time frame, and survey completion rates significantly drop [37]. The inclusion criteria required participants to be adults of Spanish or Latin American nationality, as this ensured linguistic and cultural consistency across the sample. This criterion was also aligned with the validation context of the Social Media Addiction Scale–Short Form (SMAS-SF), which has been tested exclusively in Spanish-speaking populations from Spain and Latin America. Exclusion criteria included diagnosis of severe mental disorders (such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, major depressive disorder, or addictions), sexual dysfunctions, or neurological diseases. Individuals were instructed not to complete the questionnaire if they had previously received a diagnosis of a severe mental disorder, including major depressive disorder, from a physician or clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. In contrast, depressive symptoms were assessed in all participants using the PHQ-9 questionnaire. This distinction allowed us to examine variation in subclinical depressive symptoms while excluding individuals with clinically diagnosed disorders, ensuring severe mental disorders were effectively excluded without limiting investigation of the relationship between subclinical depressive symptoms and sexual desire.

All procedures contributing to this work complied with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and with the Declaration of Helsinki (1975), as revised in 2013. All procedures involving human subjects were approved by the University of Comillas Research Ethics Committee (MPGS_2021_012).

Assessment instruments

Sociodemographic and personal data questionnaire

A custom-developed questionnaire was used to collect the following information of the participants: age, gender, sexual orientation, education level, place of residence, employment status, marital status, number of children, therapy attendance, medication use, use of psychotropic drugs, anxiety-depressive symptoms in the past month, increased social media use perception in the last month (“Have you noticed an increase in your social media use over the past few months?” - Yes/No), perception of the relationship between increased social media use and sexual desire (“Have you ever noticed any relationship between an increase in your social media use and your sexual desire?”- Yes/No), number of daily hours spent on social media in the past month, main purpose of social media use (Select one: Work, Entertainment, Both or Other), cohabitation with a partner, and the number of sexual encounters in the last month. In addition to the variables analyzed, we collected information on participants’place of residence, medication use, and number of sexual encounters to provide a more comprehensive characterization of the sample and for potential exploratory purposes. However, these variables were not included in the current analyses, which focused specifically on those most directly relevant to sexual desire and social media addiction.

Female sexual function questionnaire (FSM) (38)

We employed the Spanish-translated and validated version of this self-administered questionnaire to assess female sexual functioning. The FSM consists of 14 items evaluating multiple dimensions of sexual response, including sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and sexual discomfort or pain, with reference to experiences during the previous four weeks. Responses are provided on a Likert-type scale (“never,”“rarely”,“sometimes”,“often”, and “almost always/always”), with higher scores indicating better sexual functioning. Although the FSM yields a global sexual functioning score, for the purposes of this study we focused on three items that specifically assess sexual desire. These items were:

• Item 1: Over the past 4 weeks, have you experienced sexual fantasies (thoughts, images, etc.)?

• Item 2: Over the past 4 weeks, have you had thoughts or desires to engage in any type of sexual activity?

• Item 4: Over the past 4 weeks, during sexual activity, when you or your partner touched or caressed you, did you feel sexually aroused? (For example, feeling “turned on” or a desire to continue or advance further in sexual activity.)

Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) (39)

We employed the Spanish-translated and validated version of this self-administered questionnaire [40]. This questionnaire was used to detect depressive symptoms. It consists of 9 items corresponding to the 9 criteria for major depression disorder of the DSM-IV, with symptoms measured over the past two weeks. Respondents answer the items using a Likert-type, where 0 means “Never” and 3 means “Nearly every day.” The score is obtained by summing the total across the 9 items. Scores below 5 indicate minimal symptoms/absence of depression; scores between 5 and 9 suggest mild depression; 10 to 14 indicate moderate depression; scores of 15 to 19 suggest moderately severe depression; and scores from 20 to 27 indicate severe depression.

Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form (SMAS-SF) [41]

This self-administered scale has been validated in Spanish and Latin American populations [42]. It comprises 28 items grouped into four subscales: satisfaction/tolerance, problems, obsession with being informed, and the need/obsession to stay connected. The scale follows a Likert format with five response options ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” The total score is obtained by adding responses from all items. Scores below 58 are not considered problematic, while scores between 58 and 87 indicate excessive use of social media. A score above 87 points suggests potential problematic use.

Statistical analysis

Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 26 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Descriptive statistics were used to provide an overview of the sample’s sociodemographic characteristics. Categorical variables were summarized using frequencies and percentages, while continuous variables were summarized using means and standard deviations (SD). Non-normally distributed continuous variables were summarized using medians and interquartile ranges (IQR; P25–P75). Student’s t tests, ANOVA test and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated for our dependent variable (sexual desire). Additionally, the effect size was computed using Cohen’s d or Eta-Squared (ɳ²), depending on the number of categories of the variable. Subsequently, a linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between sexual desire (dependent variable) and social media addiction, time spent on social media, and depressive symptoms (independent variables). Assumptions of linear regression were evaluated, including linearity, independence, normality, homoscedasticity, and the presence of outliers and influential cases.

Adjustment was performed for variables that showed statistical significance (p < .05) in the univariate analyses and/or were considered clinically relevant. Variables such as relationship status, living with a partner, and age showed differences in their distribution in relation to sexual desire. Age and living with a partner were included in the linear regression model to estimate the adjusted effect of social media addiction on sexual desire. The magnitude of the effect was evaluated using the unstandardized regression coefficient (B) and its 95% confidence interval.

Results

Table 1 presents the sociodemographic characteristics of the sample. The initial sample consisted of 512 women (91.1%) and 50 men (8.9%). Due to the low proportion of men, the sample was not considered representative by sex; therefore, only the female sample was included in subsequent analyses. Participants’ age ranged from 19 to 63 years, with a mean age of 38.02 years (SD = 10.06). Most participants identified as heterosexual (90.8%), while 7.5% identified as bisexual, 2.3% as homosexual, and one participant (0.2%) selected “other”. Regarding educational level, nearly half of the sample had completed postgraduate studies (48.2%), 39.6% held a university degree, 9.4% had completed high school, and 2.7% had completed obligatory education. Less than one third of participants (24.0%) were attending therapy at the time of questionnaire completion, 38.3% had attended therapy in the past, and 37.7% had never attended therapy. Additionally, 28.3% of participants were taking psychotropic medication. Regarding relationship status, 23.2% were single, 29.3% were in a relationship, 42.0% were married, 5.3% were separated, and 0.2% were widowed. Furthermore, 63.5% reported living with their partner, and 45.1% had children. Finally, with respect to sexual activity in the previous month, 38.7% of participants reported 0–1 instances of sexual intercourse, 22.7% reported 2–3, 19.7% reported 4–5, and 18.9% reported more than five instances of sexual intercourse.

Table 1.

Sociodemographic data

Variables	Total N = 512
Age
Less than 30 years	117 (22.9%)
More than 30 years	395 (77.1%)
Educational background
Obligatory education	14 (2.7%)
High school	48 (9.4%)
University degree	203 (39.6%)
Post graduate studies	247 (48.2)
Employment status
Employed	411 (80.3%)
Unemployed	80 (15.6%)
Collecting unemployment	19 (3.7%)
Retired	2 (0.4%)
Therapy attendance
In therapy	123 (24%)
Attended in the past	196 (38.3%)
Never attended	193 (37.7%)
Psychotropic medication (Yes)
	122 (23.8%)
Relationship status
Single	119 (23.2%)
In a relationship	150 (29.3%)
Married	215 (42.0%)
Separated	27 (5.3%)
Widowed	1 (0.2%)
Living with partner (Yes)	325 (63.5%)
Children (Yes)	231 (45.1%)
Instances of sexual intercourse in the last month
0–1	198 (38.7%)
2–3	116 (22.7%)
4–5	101 (19.7%)
More than 5	97 (18.9%)

Participants’ responses regarding social media use and its perceived effects are presented in Table 2. A total of 228 participants (44.5%) reported an increase in their social media use in recent months, while 101 participants (19.7%) reported that their social media use had affected their sexual desire. Among these participants, 48.5% indicated that increased social media use was associated with increased sexual desire. The primary purpose of social media use was entertainment, reported by 340 participants (66.4%), followed by combined use for entertainment and work, reported by 162 participants (31.6%).

Table 2.

Descriptive data of social media use and sexual desire

Variables	Total N = 512
Daily time of use of SM
Less than 1 h	13 (2.5%)
1–2 h	154 (30.1%)
2–3 h	247 (48.2%)
4–5 h	82 (16%)
More than 5 h	16 (3.1%)
Perception of increased SM use in the last months (Yes)	228 (44.5%)
Perception of relationship between SM and sexual desire (Yes)	101 (19.7%)
Perception that SM has increased sexual desire	49 (48.5%)
Perception that SM has decreased sexual desire	52 (51.5%)
Reason for using SM
Work	3 (0.6%)
Entertainment	340 (66.4%)
Both	162 (31.6%)
Other	7 (1.4%)

SM Social media

The mean FSM sexual desire score was 9.80 (SD = 2.43), with scores ranging from 2 to 15. The mean PHQ-9 score was 7.29 (SD = 5.04), ranging from 0 to 26. The SMAS-F yielded a mean score of 55.30 (SD = 14.02), with scores ranging from 28 to 99. The mean BSMAS score was 11.51 (SD = 4.72), with a range of 6 to 30.

Table 3 presents the mean scores and standard deviations of sexual desire (column 2) according to sociodemographic variables (age, daily time spent on social media, use of psychotropic medication, relationship status, and cohabitation with a partner). The table also reports the effect sizes of these variables on sexual desire, as well as the correlation coefficients between depressive symptoms (measured by the PHQ-9) and social media addiction (measured by the SMAS-SF) with sexual desire (measured by the FSM).

Table 3.

Differences in association with sexual desire (N = 512)

Variables	M (SD)	Effect Size	p-value
Age
Less than 30 years	10.18 (2.38)	0.172 a	0.050
More than 30 years	9.68 (2.40)
Daily time of use of social media
Less than 2 h	9.66 (2.28)	0.00172 b	0.646
2–3 h	9.89 (2.28)
More than 3 h	9.81 (3.01)
Psychotropic medication
No	9.86 (2.35)	0.150 a	0.156
Yes	9.31 (2.94)
Relationship status
Single	10.45 (2.57)	0.0322 b	0.001
In a relationship	9.79 (2.23)
Married	9.40 (3.40)
Separated	10.00 (2.62)
Widowed	13.00 (0.00)
Living with partner
No	10.26 (2.45)	0.290 a	0.001
Yes	9.53 (2.39)
PHQ-9		r = -.127 c	0.004
SMAS-SF		r = -.086 c	0.049

PHQ-9  Patient Health Questionnaire 9, SMAS-SF Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form

^a Cohen’s d size effect: <0.1 negligible; 0.1–0.3 small effect; 0.3–0.5 medium; >0.5 large effect

^b Eta-Squared (ɳ2) size effect: ~ 0.01 small effect; ~ 0.06 medium; ~ 0.14 or higher large effect

^c Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient

In addition, a linear regression analysis was conducted to examine whether depressive symptoms, measured by the PHQ-9, social media addiction, measured by the SMAS-SF, and time spent on social media predicted sexual desire scores on the FSM. Time spent on social media was not significantly associated with sexual desire (B = 0.094, ß = 0.027, p = .538). In contrast, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with sexual desire (B = -0.061, ß = -0.127, p = .004), while social media addiction marginally missed the significance threshold (B = -0.015, ß = -0.086, p=.051).

Depressive symptoms were negatively associated with sexual desire, such that higher PHQ-9 scores were associated with lower FSM sexual desire scores. Specifically, an increase of 10 points in depressive symptoms was associated with a decrease of 0.61 points in sexual desire (95% CI: −1.03 to − 0.20). The punctual estimate (B = -0.015, ß = -0.086, p=.051) between social media addiction and sexual desire is negative with a 95% confidence interval that included zero (Table 4 Model 1).

Table 4.

Multiple Linear Regression Models predicting sexual desire

Variables			Estimate (B)	SE B	standardized ß	t	95% IC	p-value			Adjusted R-squared
Model 1
SMAS-SF			-0.015	0.008	-0.086	-1.959	[-0.030 ; 0.000]	0.051			0.006
Model 2
SMAS-SF			-0.007	0.008	-0.043	-0.893	[-0.024 ; 0.009]	0.372			0.014
PHQ-9			-0.053	0.023	-0.110	-2.291	[-0.098 ; -0.008]	0.022
Model 3
SMAS-SF			-0.015	0.008	-0.084	-1.743	[-0.031 ; 0.002]	0.082			0.047
PHQ-9			-0.056	0.023	-0.115	-2.446	[-0.100 ; -0.011]	0.015
Age			-0.046	0.011	-0.191	-4.305	[-0.067 ; -0.025]	< 0.001
Model 4
SMAS-SF			-0.014	0.008	-0.081	-1.696	[-0.030 ; -0.002]	0.090			0.054
PHQ-9			-0.059	0.023	-0.122	-2.604	[-0.104 ; -0.015]	0.009
Age			-0.037	0.011	-0.152	-3.195	[-0.059 ; -0.014]	0.001
Living with partner			-0.536	0.235	-0.106	-2.286	[-0.997 ; -0.075]	0.023

PHQ-9 Patient Health Questionnaire 9, SMAS-SF Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form

In the adjusted model, depressive symptoms and social media addiction accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in sexual desire. After controlling for social media addiction, each one-point increase in depressive symptoms was associated with a 0.375-point decrease in sexual desire.

The second regression model indicated that depressive symptoms and social media addiction were significant predictors of sexual desire. Among individuals with the same level of social media addiction, a 10-point increase in depressive symptoms was associated with a 0.53-point decrease (B = -0.053, ß = -0.110, p=.022) in sexual desire. In other words, higher depressive symptoms were associated with lower sexual desire, even after controlling for social media addiction (Table 4, Model 2).

When age was included in the model as a dichotomous variable, participants in the older age group reported sexual desire scores that were 0.046 points lower (B = -0.046, ß = -0.191, p<.001) than those in the younger age group (Table 4, Model 3). This indicates that, among individuals with comparable levels of depressive symptoms and social media addiction, older participants reported lower sexual desire than younger participants.

When living with a partner was included in the model, sexual desire was 0.536 points lower (B = -0.536, ß = -0.106, p=.023) compared to participants not living with a partner (Table 4, Model 4). This effect remained after controlling for depressive symptoms, social media addiction, and age, suggesting that cohabitation with a partner was associated with reduced sexual desire independent of these other variables.

Discussion

The present study investigated the relationship between social media addiction and sexual desire, as well as the influence of depressive symptoms, age and living with a partner. We found that social media addiction was negatively associated with sexual desire, although this association did not reach statistical significance. As social media addiction scores increased, sexual desire scores decreased. When analyzing relevant variables, we observed that depressive symptoms, age, and cohabitation with a partner accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in this association. Among these, age accounted for the largest proportion of variance in the association between social media addiction and sexual desire. Specifically, participants experiencing depressive symptoms and social media addiction who were over 30 years old or lived with their partner reported lower sexual desire scores compared to those with similar symptom levels who were younger or did not cohabit with their partner.

These findings align with and extend previous research suggesting that problematic or excessive social media use may interfere with behavioural patterns or leisure activities that typically support sexual desire. Prior studies have shown that increased time on digital platforms can reduce opportunities for shared intimacy, sufficient rest, and emotional connection—factors known to facilitate sexual desire [43]. Similarly, problematic internet and social media use has been linked to lower marital and sexual satisfaction, an effect attributed to increased distraction and reduced attention toward one’s partner [44]. Prior research has also reported that ] SMU is associated with poorer sexual functioning in women and men [45]. Although that study examined different dimensions of sexual functioning, the central conclusion aligns with our results that higher levels of social media addiction were associated with lower sexual desire in our sample. While we did not explore gender differences, our findings support the idea that problematic or addictive social media use may undermine sexual desire, likely through mechanisms involving reduced intimacy, decreased partner attention, and changes in daily habits. This negative association was particularly evident among individuals living with a partner or being over 30 [42, 43].

In our study, depressive symptoms, age, and cohabitation with a partner accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in the association between social media addiction and sexual desire. The results of the linear regression model indicated that individuals with higher levels of social media addiction and depressive symptoms exhibited lower sexual desire compared to those with social media addiction but lower levels of depressive symptoms. Previous literature has shown a clear association between increased depression symptoms and reduced sexual desire, and even a reduction in libido in the presence of this condition [29]. The presence of depressive disorders negatively affects libido due to neurochemical alterations in serotonin and dopamine systems, both of which play a crucial role in sexual desire [46, 47]. Furthermore, evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship between major depression and sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction affects up to 70% of individuals with major depression, with low sexual desire being one of the most common symptoms. This relationship indicates that depression can contribute to reduced sexual desire, while sexual dysfunction may, in turn, exacerbate or trigger depressive symptoms [48]. Our findings suggest that while depressive symptoms alone may contribute to reduced sexual desire, social media addiction could further exacerbate pre-existing difficulties in sexual functioning. The premorbid psychological state of social media users may play a crucial role in understanding the impact of social media addiction on sexual desire. Conversely, social media addiction may not have the same negative effect—or at least not to the same extent—on individuals without depressive symptoms.

Also, our results indicated that participants over the age of 30 who experience depressive symptoms and social media addiction exhibited lower sexual desire compared to younger participants (under 30 years old) with similar levels of depressive symptoms and social media addiction. Previous literature has demonstrated that although many older adults still value sexual activity as an important aspect of their lives, their frequency and interest in sexual activity declines with age due to a combination of psychological, biological, and social factors [49–52]. The reduction of sexual desire has also been explained by the reduction of hormone levels as individuals get older, such as testosterone in men and estrogen in women [53]. Other studies investigating sexual desire in women have found a decrease in the quality of sexual relationships over time because sexual desire is greater at the beginning of a relationship and declines as the relationship progresses [54]. If older individuals already experience a natural decline in sexual desire, the effects of social media addiction and depressive symptoms could exacerbate this trend.

Moreover, variations in social media engagement across age groups may help account for the observed differences in sexual desire between younger and older participants in our study [23]. One study conducted in a young adult population (mean age = 32.28 years) identified the main motivations for social media use, ranked from most to least important: surveillance (seeking information and knowledge), intrapersonal motives (e.g., passing time, recording daily life, escaping everyday challenges), network expansion (e.g., expressing thoughts and forming new connections), and relationship maintenance (e.g., staying in touch with friends and family). Similarly, younger users, particularly those aged 18–29, have demonstrated stronger motivations for decreasing loneliness, meeting people, maintaining relationships, and social inclusion through social media compared to individuals aged 30–69 [55, 56]. These results may indicate that younger individuals (under 30) are more likely to use social media in socially interactive ways—such as through dating apps or networking platforms—which can foster emotional connections and help sustain interest in sexual activity. In contrast, older individuals may engage with social media more passively, which may increase the risk of social isolation and exacerbate depressive symptoms, potentially contributing to reduced sexual desire.

Past research has shown that although convenience and entertainment are common reasons for using social media, the specific motivations for use differ across platforms, and certain motives are more strongly associated with PSMU than others. One study found that intrapersonal motives for using social media, such as escaping daily life, passing time, or documenting everyday experiences—account for approximately 26% of the variance in PSMU [57]. Problematic users from this study reported significantly higher usage of multiple platforms, greater negative affect, and stronger motivations related to intrapersonal needs, surveillance, network expansion, and relationship maintenance, compared to non-problematic users. They also showed lower psychological well-being and self-esteem. Other studies have indicated that motivations vary by platform. For example, Facebook is more commonly used for social engagement, whereas Twitter is primarily used for information seeking and learning [56]. Instagram is used more for entertainment and self-expression than Facebook [4]. A recent study also showed that young people use Facebook to discuss sexual health–related concerns, such as condom use, pain during sex, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, body image, sexual practices, expectations, and dating needs, often seeking advice, information, or sharing personal experiences [58].

Taken together, these findings suggest that beyond sociodemographic variables such as age, the underlying motivations for social media use play a meaningful role in understanding problematic use. Because our study assessed social media addiction in general without distinguishing between platforms, future research should examine whether the relationship between social media addiction and sexual desire varies across different platforms and explore how factors such as user motivations may shape this relationship. Lastly, our results showed small differences in sexual desire scores based on cohabitation status among participants experiencing both depressive symptoms and social media addiction. Those who lived with their partner reported a slightly greater decrease in sexual desire compared to those who did not live with their partner, despite having similar levels of depressive symptoms and social media addiction. Past research has found that higher marital satisfaction scores have been associated with high sexual satisfaction scores, as well as greater sexual communication and emotional satisfaction in sexual interactions [59]. One study found that moderate social media use can have positive effects on an individuals’ sexuality, as they can facilitate communication and the exchange of intimacy between partners [60]. Some couples use social media to maintain emotional connection and closeness, supporting the idea that positive social media use can counterbalance negative effects if couples find a balance between online interaction and in-person activities that foster intimacy [61]. On the other hand, one study found that problematic use of social media correlated with various sexual difficulties in both men and women, including reduced sexual arousal, lower desire, and increased sexual dissatisfaction [45]. A study focused on Iranian women demonstrated that social media addiction negatively impacts sexual function, with intimacy and perceived social support mediating this relationship [62].

These findings suggest that while moderate social media use can support intimacy and communication, problematic or addictive patterns may undermine emotional closeness and sexual functioning. Addictive social media engagement can divert emotional and psychological resources away from real-life relationships, potentially leading to reduced sexual desire and fulfillment, emphasizing that its impact depends not only on individual factors but also on the quality of partner relationships. Couples who do not live together and experience social media addiction may use social media more intentionally when apart, limiting its use during shared time to preserve intimacy. In contrast, couples who live together might be less deliberate in balancing online and in-person interactions, allowing social media use to interfere more with emotional closeness and potentially amplifying reductions in sexual desire. Moreover, variations in sexual desire among cohabiting couples may not be solely attributable to living arrangements, but also to the duration and stage of the relationship. Longer-term relationships, which are more common among older individuals or cohabiting couples, may experience natural fluctuations in sexual desire due to relational dynamics, emotional distancing, or ongoing conflicts. When social media addiction and depressive symptoms are present in these individuals, they may be more prone to emotional withdrawal and social isolation, further diminishing their interest in sexual activity. Other variables, such as perceived social support or loneliness, should be examined in future studies to determine whether they play a significant role as mediating factors between social media addiction and sexual desire in cohabiting couples.

Past literature has found that increased time on Instagram and frequent comparison to others were associated with negative self-evaluations of body and appearance and reduced satisfaction with one’s sexual life. Social comparison on social media emerged as a strong predictor of body image dissatisfaction, appearance-related concerns, and lower sexual satisfaction [33]. A different study found that the amount of time spent on social media did not predict body dissatisfaction in women. However, participants who were more frequently exposed to appearance-focused content (e.g., sports, fitness, family) reported higher levels of body dissatisfaction compared to those who engaged with science-related content [2]. The pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards, coupled with constant exposure to idealized images and the tendency to compare one’s appearance to others, may contribute to body image concerns, lower self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction—factors that can ultimately lead to reduced sexual desire among users.

Additionally, the consumption of pornography or erotic content has been shown to impact sexual satisfaction differently depending on gender. In heterosexual couples, male consumption of such content is associated with decreased satisfaction for both partners. Conversely, when women consume explicit sexual material, male partners report increased sexual satisfaction, likely interpreting it as a sign of effort to enhance sexual intimacy [35]. A different study found that individuals who consumed pornography more frequently were more likely to see it as their main source of sexual information. This was associated with a preference for pornographic over partnered sexual excitement, as well as placing less importance on sexual communication within the relationship. Both patterns were further associated with lower sexual satisfaction [63]. Taken together, these findings highlight the complex relationship between social media use and sexual desire, which depends not only on time spent and content viewed, but also on relationship dynamics. Moderate use may support communication and exchange of intimacy, whereas addictive patterns can reduce sexual desire by diverting emotional and psychological resources away from real-life relationships. Exposure to appearance-focused content, social comparison, and consumption of pornography or erotic content can diminish sexual satisfaction by shifting excitement away from partnered interactions and reducing sexual communication. Overall, the effects of digital behaviours on sexual desire are shaped by individual, relational, and content-specific factors.

Limitations

One limitation of our study is that we examined social media addiction in general, without specifying particular platforms. As a result, we cannot conclusively determine whether the effect of social media addiction on sexual desire varies across different platforms. It is plausible that the impact of addiction to specific social media platforms may differ, with some platforms potentially showing a more negative correlation with sexual desire, while others may even have a positive correlation. This approach may offer more nuanced insights into how addiction to specific platforms influences sexual desire, thereby contributing to a more detailed understanding of the relationship between social media addiction and sexual desire.

A second limitation of our study is the lack of consideration of the type of content consumed by users. Previous research has shown that the nature of the content viewed on social media plays a significant role in how these platforms impact users’ psychological well-being. For instance, it is possible that individuals who are exposed to sexual or relationship-related content may report higher levels of sexual desire compared to those who do not engage with such content. Future studies should explore how different types of content influence sexual desire, as this knowledge could inform the development of targeted interventions and guidelines aimed at promoting healthier and more satisfying sexual lives through more conscious and intentional social media use.

A third limitation of our study is the inability to establish a causal relationship between social media addiction and sexual desire. It cannot be conclusively argued that social media addiction leads to diminished sexual desire, as it is equally plausible that individuals with lower sexual desire may engage in more problematic or addictive social media use.

A fourth limitation is the restriction of the sample to participants of Spanish or Latin American nationality. This decision may limit the generalizability of our findings to other Spanish-speaking populations or individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Moreover, Spanish and Latin American contexts differ in their social and religious views on sexuality, which may influence how social media use relates to sexual desire. Future research should therefore include more diverse Spanish-speaking and cross-cultural samples to assess the robustness and generalizability of these associations.

In addition, the use of a non-probability sampling strategy limits the external validity of our findings. The sample composition introduces further sources of bias: recruitment relied heavily on a large Instagram account belonging to one of the authors, which focuses on mental health content. Consequently, participants were likely individuals already interested in psychological topics, potentially differing systematically from the general population. Furthermore, the sample consisted predominantly of women and appeared to be disproportionately highly educated and engaged in psychotherapy, which may influence both social media use and sexual desire. These factors reduce the representativeness of the sample and restrict the generalizability of the results. Finally, the cross-sectional nature of our study limits our ability to examine changes over time, which is a key constraint compared to longitudinal designs.

Conclusions

In this study, we identified specific sociodemographic and psychological factors—namely age, depressive symptoms, and cohabitation with a partner—that influence sexual desire in the context of problematic social media use. Our findings indicate that higher levels of social media addiction are associated with lower sexual desire, and that this relationship is shaped by individual characteristics and psychological well-being. These results highlight the potential importance of addressing social media addiction when considering strategies to improve sexual desire.

From a preventive and psychoeducational perspective, potential interventions may include strategies such as reducing overall time spent on social media, promoting more mindful and intentional use, and encouraging reflection on users’ motivations and the type of content they engage with. Such approaches could be integrated into psychoeducation programs, digital well-being interventions, or psychological interventions targeting problematic social media use. Addressing the emotional, relational, and psychological correlates of social media use may help mitigate its negative associations with sexual desire. Tailoring these strategies to specific user profiles and usage patterns may enhance their potential effectiveness in individuals experiencing problematic social media use.

Authors’ contributions

AV-S, MA-AM, and RM-MR participated as principal contributors in the research design, manuscript writing, and submission. RM-MR and MA-AM participated in the content analysis and review. IS-G and PF-A conducted and reported statistical analysis. AV-S, MA-AM, and RM-MR participated in the review. MA-AM, and RM-MR contributed as supervisors of all the stages. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Funding

No funding.

Data availability

The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was approved by the University of Comillas Research Ethics Committee (MPGS_2021_012) and adhered to the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (7th revision, 2013). Informed consent was obtained from all participants after they were informed about the study’s nature and objectives. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, and no compensation was provided.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.