Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Research and Development in Medical Education 2322-2719 15 1 2026 01 01 Lived Experiences of Adolescents with High Media Literacy in Facing Mental Health Challenges in the Virtual Space: A Phenomenological Study 33426 33426 10.34172/rdme.33426 EN Tahereh Hosseinabadi https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6858-4901 Abbas Naseri Taheri https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2672-5814 Ali Jafari https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9204-8105 Journal Article 10.34172/rdme.33426 2026 02 14 2026 05 19 Introduction: Concerns about the impact of social media on adolescent mental health are increasing. Although social media literacy is considered a protective factor, little is known about how adolescents with high literacy experience and manage these challenges. Methods: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), 12 adolescents aged 15–18 years from Tehran with high social media literacy participated in semi-structured interviews and digital diary activities. Data were analyzed thematically using MAXQDA, and trustworthiness was ensured through Lincoln and Guba’s criteria. Results: Five interconnected themes emerged: infrastructural awareness, coping arsenal, liberating agency, paradoxical existence, and identity transformation. Participants demonstrated critical understanding of platform mechanisms, employed self-regulation strategies, engaged in active resistance and peer education, experienced tensions between awareness and emotional engagement, and developed a digital identity centered on critical and responsible use. Conclusion: High social media literacy extends beyond technical competence, fostering agency and resilience while simultaneously generating new psychological tensions that should be addressed in educational and mental health interventions.