In today’s episode, we cover social media’s impact on mental health with Dr Brian Primack. Brian is the dean of the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, the professor of public health and medicine, and is the author of You Are What You Click: How Being Selective, Positive, and Creative Can Transform Your Social Media Experience.

Science is showing us that social media use in any dose can have detrimental effects on our mental health, so what can we do to ensure we have a positive experience on social media and protect ourselves and those we care about its effects?

What to Listen For

Introduction – 0:00

What amount of social media use won’t increase the risk for mental health issues?

Social Media vs Traditional Media – 11:37
What does “You are what you click” mean?
How are social media algorithms working against your mental health and what can you do about it?
What are the two things we can control while using social media that limit the harm it does to us?

Do different platforms have different impacts? – 21:47
Does the number of social media platforms you use impact your risk for mental health issues?

What can you do to have a positive experience on social media so you’re not negatively impacting your mental health every time you log in?
How much impact does social media use have on your quality of sleep and what can you do about it?

The damage of constantly comparing yourself to others – 31:00
Why is it bad for you to constantly be looking at the highlight reels of other people's lives and what strategies can you use to overcome the harm?

What effect do parasocial relationships have on your mental health?

Social media, misinformation, and disinformation – 42:17
How do the algorithms used by social media lead to drastically different perceptions of who you know and the world around you?

What can we do to guard our own mental health as well as the people we care about who aren’t aware of the dangers of social media use?

The simplest way to prevent the harm done to us by social media use is to stop using social media altogether. But that’s easier said than done for many people, so what can you do if eliminating social media from your life isn’t feasible?

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Resources from this Episode

You Are What You Click by Brian Primack

Brian Primack’s website

You Are What You Click Personality Quiz

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