Today—a closer critical look at the relationship between smartphones and mental health. One of the themes we’ve touched on more than any other on this show is that American teenagers—especially girls—appear to be “engulfed” in historic rates of anxiety and sadness. The numbers are undeniable. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is published by the Centers ... Show More
Apr 14
The Whole World Is Fighting About Energy
The two biggest stories in the world right now—the war involving Iran and the rise of artificial intelligence—are, at their core, the same story: energy. The Iran conflict has become a war of competing energy blockades, with Iran squeezing American allies and America squeezing Ir ... Show More
1h 4m
Apr 10
‘The Job Market for Young People Is Brutal’
Something weird is going on with the elevated unemployment rate for young people today, but no one knows what exactly it is. For the last year, as the unemployment rate for recent college graduates has crept up ominously, one of the questions I’ve reported more deeply than any ot ... Show More
1h 7m
May 2023
We Need To Talk About Teens, Social Media And Mental Health
This week, the American Psychological Association issued its first-of-kind guidelines for parents to increase protection for children online. It comes at a time of rising rates of depression and anxiety among teens.This episode, NPR science correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff looks ... Show More
13m 12s
Aug 2022
Inside the Adolescent Mental Health Crisis
<p><i>This episode contains discussions about suicide, self-harm and mental health issues.</i></p><p>In decades past, the public health risks teenagers in the United States faced were different. They were externalized risks that were happening in the physical world.</p><p>Now, a ... Show More
29m 2s
Nov 2021
Keeping teens safe on social media, with Linda Charmaraman, PhD
The vast majority of U.S. teens have access to a smartphone and at least one social media account, and recent headlines seem to confirm parents’ worst fears about the effects of all that time spent online. But psychologists’ research suggests that there are nuanced answers to the ... Show More
28m 23s
Oct 2020
Are the Kids Alright? — with Jonathan Haidt
We are in the midst of a teen mental health crisis. Since 2011, the rate of U.S. hospitalizations for preteen girls who have self-harmed is up 189 percent, and with older teen girls, it’s up 62 percent. Tragically, the numbers on suicides are similar — 151 percent higher for pret ... Show More
40m 35s
Jun 2024
Jonathan Haidt: Why Social Media Has Caused a Collapse in Mental Health & #1 Way to Solve Your Anxiety
<p>How are smartphones linked to anxiety?</p> <p>What mental health issues are linked to excessive social media use?</p> <p>Today, let's welcome Jonathan Haidt is a renowned social psychologist, professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, and a widely publi ... Show More
1h 22m