In today's podcast, we explore the connection between social media, mental health, and today's youth.

Hi, I'm your host, Dr. Josh Fader, the editor-in-chief of the Carlatte Child Psychiatry Report

and co-author of the Child Medication Fact Book for Psychiatric Practice, Second Edition,

2023, and the other book Prescribing Psychotrophics.

And I'm Mara Government, a licensed clinical social worker in Southern California with a private

practice and an avid reader of the Carlet Psychiatry Reports. Today, we tackle the mental health impacts of screen time,

the double-edged sword of self-diagnosis on social platforms

and the rise of cyberbullying.

We'll discuss sexting, online hate, and how marginalized youth navigate digital spaces.

Most importantly, we focus on solutions, helping kids, parents, and clinicians foster healthier,

safer, supported relationships with technology.

What are some of the pros and cons you see with social media use for teens and adolescents? Well, let's start with the pros. The positive impacts

include reduced stigma for mental health treatment and increased awareness. Social media platforms

can provide connection and identity

validation for marginalized groups. A great example is the neurodiverse community where people find

each other and hang out. Also for the gender diverse community, it's another place where people

find each other and interact in ways that they otherwise don't always find like at school.

But on the flip side, the negative impacts include exposure to misinformation,

cyberbullying incidents that often mirror school dynamics,

but they're much bigger because there's a bigger audience,

and viral challenges or glorification of harmful behaviors that can increase self-harm or risky actions.

Yes, research shows that increased social media use is moderately associated with poorer mental health outcomes.

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