Are smartphones harming a generation? The research isn’t fully conclusive, but the warning signs are growing.
Dr. Alexandra Gold, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and faculty member at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the rising rates of anxiety, depression, violence and suicide among teens — and what role, if any, social media and smartphone use might be playing. While current studies haven’t proven a direct cause between phone use and mental illness or violence, many experts — including Dr. Jonathan Haidt in his book, The Anxious Generation — believe the digital environment our youth are growing up in is deeply affecting their emotional well-being.
This video explores:
– What parents can realistically do in a world where screens are everywhere
– Why the science is still catching up to what many teens are already feeling
– What we have yet to research when it comes to the use of smartphones