Short Wave The Toll Of Social Media On Mental Health
16 snips
Aug 5, 2024 Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR science correspondent, dives into the concerning rise of depression and anxiety among teens, linking it to the explosion of social media. She uncovers alarming statistics showing a shift from 50% to 95% of teens regularly using social media over just over a decade. Doucleff highlights the increasing loneliness felt by Generation Z and discusses how platforms like Facebook have influenced mental health trends. The conversation wraps up with a compelling call for reflection on personal social media use for better well-being.
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Smartphone Hypothesis
- Psychologist Jean Twenge noticed a sharp rise in teen depression and anxiety around 2011-2012.
- She hypothesized that smartphones, which became widely used around the same time, were a contributing factor.
Tech as a Scapegoat
- New technologies have historically been blamed for youth problems, often without strong evidence.
- Examples include radio crime dramas, comic books, and television.
Shifting Socialization
- Time spent with friends in person has declined sharply since 2010.
- Social media use has soared during the same period.
