In This Episode
Society has been turned on its head by social media. People are losing days and years of their lives scrolling through social media instead of living actual lives. Clinical psychologist, Dr. Melissa Hunt has done a thorough study of the effects of social media on both mind and body. She breaks down the study for us, plus explains why exactly social media has been so detrimental instead of bringing us joy. She also points out the toll that our ‘on demand’ culture has taken on our ability to be patient, the kind of vitriol that people spew at each other thanks to the anonymity of the internet, and gives parameters for healthy use of social media.
Topics Discussed
- Why is SM detrimental
- How it doesn’t show one’s real personality
- The details and results of her study of college students
- Dating apps as an example
- Why does it make us feel bad
- The concept of ‘upward social comparison’
- Getting a false sense of familiarity
- Sites are designed to be addictive
- The mental damage of ‘on demand’
- The actual magnitude of the issue
- The physical toll of being so sedentary
- Effects of blue light on sleep
- Consumerism leading to unhappiness
- What the distance and anonymity of the internet has done to society
- How to use SM and still be happy
- Gut health mention
All About Melissa Hunt
Melissa Hunt is a licensed clinical psychologist who serves as the Associate Director of Clinical Training in the department of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her clinical practice in cognitive-behavioral therapy, she conducts research on the best approaches for stress management, and into the causes and treatment of depression, anxiety disorders and chronic health problems, especially GI disorders. As a clinical scientist, her emphasis is on translating basic psychological science into treatments that are effective, acceptable, and accessible to patient populations.
Resources
- https://www.amazon.com/Reclaim-Your-Life-IBS-Scientifically/dp/145491887X/
- http://melissahunt.net/
- mhunt@upenn.edu
- Download a transcript of this podcast
