Despite being a complete social media addict (sigh), I’ve written repeatedly about the negative impacts that social media can have on your mental health. However, one of the key, unanswered questions has always been this: Is the relationship casual? That is, does social media use cause loneliness, does loneliness cause an increase in social media … Continue reading Does social media cause depression?
I’ve written about it before, and now there is even more proof: A new study has linked social media and depression I caught this article in Forbes, which notes: The team calculated that for every 10% rise in negative social media interactions a person experienced, their risk of depression rose significantly—by 20%. For every 10% … Continue reading New study links social media and depression
Despite my own personal obsession with social media, I have written repeatedly about how bad it can be for your mental health. That being said, I remembered something the other day: Social media changed my life in a very important way. It was through someone else’s stupidity, but that still counts! Allow me to refer … Continue reading Three ways social media can be good for your mental health…I guess….
I had the pleasure of giving a presentation on Social Media & Depression for the Interlace Cultural y Desarollo Integral Mexicano de Lehigh Valley, a Mexican cultural group in my hometown. In the presentation, I talk about the frighteningly strong connections between Social Media & Depression. The actual presentation is below. But here are the … Continue reading A presentation: Social Media & Depression
As I’ve written before, social media can be really, really, really bad for your mental health. This is for a variety of reasons, including: It inspires unrealistic comparisons between yourself and others. It creates unrealistic and unhealthy expectations of how someone should be living their life. It can lead to increased feelings of isolation. It can inspire … Continue reading How to look at social media and not want to throw your phone out a window
Before I was a State Representative, my full time job was to work for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Among other things, I ran the Chamber’s social media, while also teaching small business owners how to make more money by using Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn. I used to do presentations on a pretty … Continue reading Social media is (mostly) terrible for your mental health
NPR has great article on the mental health “epidemic” in colleges, inspired by The Stressed Years of Their Lives by Dr. Anthony Rostain, which looks at the mental health crisis among college students. College students, like other demographics, are seeing major increases in mental illnesses. Among the rather depressing (no pun intended) statistics: 44% of college … Continue reading The Canary in the Coal Mine: Mental Illness in College Students
Does the internet help with depression in the long term? Social media definitely doesn’t. But, that’s not to say that all social media is evil. Some of it is downright wonderful. One of the most popular social media/internet forums is Reddit. Reddit, for those of you who don’t know, is one of the longest running … Continue reading I’m just gonna try to make you smile for a second: Here are seven subreddits you should look at
This entry originally appeared in November 2017, and for Thanksgiving, but I think the lessons certainly still apply. To all who celebrate, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! —- Gobble gobble! Now that the obligatory greeting is out of the way, here’s another: Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that, for whatever struggles you are currently enduring, you … Continue reading Mental Heath & The Holidays
Two articles jumped out at me over this weekend. The first was this extremely long and in-depth look at a major suicide study done decades ago, which showed that even the occasional letter from a therapist can get someone through a crisis and significantly reduce suicide rates. The second touches on the topic you’ve all … Continue reading Two major mental health trends, with one unifying theme
