Social Media's Effect on Mental Health and Psychosis - AI Podcast

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Health, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 28 April 2025

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Story at-a-glance

People with delusion-prone disorders, including body image issues and narcissism, are more likely to overuse social media, worsening symptoms
Online interactions confuse self-perception and trigger or amplify delusional thinking, especially in those already at risk for psychosis
Most mental health tools ignore social media use, leading to missed diagnoses and ineffective support
You can protect your mental well-being online by tracking emotional triggers, curating your feed and prioritizing real-world connection
Cutting back on social media use builds self-awareness and emotional resilience while rewiring habits that support healthy identity

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's Cellular Wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen
0:06.1	summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. No reading required.
0:10.8	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:15.0	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's Cellular Wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster, and today we'll be exploring how social media
0:22.4	shapes your mind. Joining me is Ilara Sky, who shares a strong interest in natural health,
0:28.3	and is here to offer insights into how online behaviors can affect our mental well-being.
0:33.6	Elara, thank you for being here. Thank you for having me, Ethan. It's always important to look at how our environment shapes us,
0:40.3	and social media is a huge part of most people's lives today.
0:43.8	It's not just about entertainment.
0:45.8	It can genuinely alter how we perceive ourselves and those around us.
0:49.9	Let's start with an overview.
0:51.8	Studies suggest that social media use can worsen symptoms for those who already struggle
0:56.3	with delusion-prone disorders, including body image issues or narcissistic tendencies.
1:02.7	One of the reasons is that social media allows people to craft an idealized version of
1:06.8	themselves.
1:08.2	Over time, this curated version can feel more real than their actual identity.
1:12.9	What do you think about that dynamic, Alara? That curated identity can create something
1:17.6	called the delusion amplification loop. Essentially, a person feels insecure, posts content to seek validation,
1:25.5	receives likes or comments, gets a temporary boost, and then craves
1:29.9	that boost again. This cycle can be especially damaging for individuals with conditions like
1:34.9	psychosis or narcissism because it magnifies fears, fantasies, or distorted self-perceptions
1:41.5	instead of helping them cope. And there's also the issue of missing body language cues, or tone of voice in online exchanges.
	...

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