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Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

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Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#541

Post by z3c0 »

qwery wrote: post #175
rgbrenner wrote: post #145

The author had it right in the first paragraph. In the 90s version of this hysteria, Congress passed a law that would have prevented access to education medical information, dirty curse words, and other filth from being published on the internet to protect the children. The federal government fought a case all the way to the Supreme Court to enforce it. If they had won that case, the internet would look very differen…

> But these are communications platforms. While technically true, this is a gross misrepresentation. Calling these sites and apps "communications platforms" makes them sound like they're just a mail service or a telephone. This is akin to referring to a casino as "the town square". > That's a freedom you and everyone else can take advantage of also. This "can" is only true in a strict legal sense, of course.

I see the "town square" analogy used a lot, but it's ignoring the actual purpose: it's an advertising platform, run by advertisers for advertisers. The presumed function of communication (something it certainly was started for) is purely for keeping the attention of users to sell to advertisers.

As a town square, it's more akin to Times Square.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#542

Post by NoPicklez »

cdogl wrote: post #176
NoPicklez wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone has the ability to exercise personal accountability for how much they gamble, smoke, eat junk food, play video games, use social media etc. However, if these consumer products become so addictive, or are designed to be so engaging and as a result people are by and large struggling to exercise personal accountability and it is causing adverse health outcomes. Then the government should step in, either should…

The simply binary of government or individual choice eliminates the middle ground where almost all change happens: the collective aggregate result of cultural change within the community. We don’t have to pick one extreme to change the world!

I never said it was binary, but we’re talking about governments stepping in to help. The government cannot and will have the capacity to come in and solely fix the problem.

Collective change is required and that could include the help of Government, but currently the Government isn’t doing anything, which is the premise of this post. Should they step in and if so, to what degree and how much can they really do.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#543

Post by incomingpain »

This is cherry picked data trying to cut off at 2001 or later. Go look at self-harm data which included the 1980s and 1990s. Self-harm has been climbing since the late 1990s.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428496/figure/...

Haidt is cherry picking his data because if you point to late 1990s, there was no social media and therefore the crisis cannot be put on social media.

In my opinion, social media is helping this situation, not causing the situation.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#544

Post by luzojeda »

doctorpangloss wrote: post #156
ryandrake wrote: post #39

If parents really want to set a good example, they ought to also quit their smartphones and Social Media--or at least hide it better. Kids are really good at identifying hypocrisy. When they see their parents glued to their phones and scrolling Instagram all day, after being told "Oh, don't do that, it's not good for you" they know their parents are full of shit. And, the trouble is: Most of these adults are addicted…

Well the author isn't doing a good job. He's complaining about social media on a thing we're only reading because of social media. Media critics: the biggest hypocrites.

But it's a post in substack. Not an Instagram reel or tiktok video.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#545

Post by _heimdall »

ergonaught wrote: post #526
_heimdall wrote: post #520

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Some backward people don't understand that "being isolated and doom scrolling all day" or "getting tons of destructive cosmetic surgeries" or "Amway" can also be a torally fine purpose in life. I really can't tell if this is a sarcastic comment or not, so just to be clear none of these examples are examples of purpose. How one spends their time isn't purpose, it's just a description of their day.

I think the main point is that it isn’t anyone else’s business how an individual chooses to spend their time. Absence some other criteria for concern, “I don’t like that they do this therefore they must stop doing it” is a line of thinking that desperately needs to be eradicated from human culture.

Sure, though I do also think its reasonable for those who love for someone to be concerned if someone seems depressed or similar.

I didn't actually read the OP as a concern focused on what their sister does, but a concern of why she may be spending her time that way.

Regardless, my point was just that doom scrolling, as an example, isn't purpose. If we're collectively losing the what the concept of purpose even is we really are in trouble.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#546

Post by raziel2p »

noduerme wrote: post #418
raziel2p wrote: post #390

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's a bit reductionist to say it's devoid of purpose and meaning. Have you asked her what she feels her purpose/meaning is? You can disagree with it (I would as well), but I wouldn't assume she doesn't find any purpose/meaning in it. If she gets angry about it, then probably there is something deeper going on. Or, you're just asking the wrong way (if you come in assuming there's no meaning/purpose to her lif…

When someone is obsessed or drugged to the point that you can't have a rational conversation and they're too angry or volatile to approach with any criticism, then it's not really your fault for coming at them the wrong way. Sometimes caring about someone means showing them that what they think they want is garbage that's hurting them. That will probably hurt their feelings, and they might lash out at you for it, but…

I agree with everything you wrote, but also think that if you actually care about the other person getting better, you have to be pragmatic. Set and respect your own boundaries, but tough love does not work on everyone.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#547

Post by NoPicklez »

hgomersall wrote: post #276
jimz wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except "struggle" is entirely subjective. In fact, outside of a few things that causes physical dependence (which vary in length except they all, eventually at least, end), the concept of addiction as used by the government does not necessarily match up to how those in the particular field of research would. Government makes laws and laws prefer bright line rules. Something like "did you, without authorization, use t…

Addiction is well defined in research and it certainly does not preclude things that don't cause "physical dependence" by which I assume you use to mean psychoactive drugs. Wikipedia has a better definition right at the top than I can offer: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addiction The crucial point is it is characterised by neurological changes that lead to short circuited reward pathways. The idea of addiction to…

Exactly, completely agree.

And whilst many things in life can have this property and need to such that we get enjoyment out of particular aspects of life.

There are particular things which short circuit reward pathways to a greater degree. Such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, video games, smartphone addiction.

Smart phone/video games are designed to constantly reward us as much as possible

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#548

Post by m_fayer »

lynx23 wrote: post #236
thegrim000 wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny .. earlier today there was a front page HN post about the federal government mandating safer circular saws. It seemed like the majority of users in the thread were in favor of the federal government mandating technology changes to prevent harm from being done to the population. Now for this issue, there's harm being done to children, and the majority of users in the thread seem to be against government int…

Because it is the parents responsibility to set boundaries for their children. It can be complicated at times, granted. But that doesn't make it less of their job. Heck, I got my first CD player with 14. Yes, I felt left out at school, but... guess what, I didn't die. Children need to learn that there are rules, and someone else dictates them. Throwing tantrums is a typical reaction that needs to be weeded out as a p…

As we make parenting harder and harder in lots of creative and sadistic ways, more and more people are taking your advice. That’s got its own problems, it turns out.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#549

Post by JackMorgan »

delichon wrote: post #528
pelagicAustral wrote: post #491

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My brother is essentially the male version of this, just swap the cosmetics for video game DLCs. He's early 20's, no job, no interest in work, no interest in getting out of the house, no interest on anything... talking to him is the most frustrating experience ever, nothing comes out of him, no emotion... I talked so many times, tried to get an idea of what might drive him: travelling, learning, walking around in the…

This described my brother too. He killed himself four years ago, after about thirty years of just that kind of depression. And I was my little brother's keeper damn it, so it's my failure. Ever since I keep reliving it and wondering what I could have done. All I come up with are fantasy scenarios in which I somehow make us both wildly successful. But even that's a stretch given his outlook. I fantasize about some kin…

You are not responsible for another's illness. Nor their choices.

Don't get stuck ruminating on the past , possibly infecting yourself with the same disease. Instead maybe pour that love and attention on those still around you. Care for those still with you. You are not at fault, you can't change the past, but you can change the future.

Re: Yes, social media is a cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness

#550

Post by unclebucknasty »

XorNot wrote: post #310
maxioatic wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was about table saws, not circular saws. There’s a big difference between the two. Table saw accidents often result in losing fingers and it’s not that difficult to mess up while using one. There’s a well known, proven, easy solution to table saw accidents called SawStop. It’s basically as obvious to use as a seat belt is if you want to be safe. The only problem is those table saws are very expensive. Social media…

I think this could be aptly summarized as "you can't accidentally slip and become depressed" using social media. You can absolutely slip and lose one or several fingers or your entire hand using a table saw. The more pertinent comparison would be alcohol IMO: none of the people who want "something" done about social media seem to have a problem with the widespread, massive use of alcohol within society and the incred…

>I think this could be aptly summarized as "you can't accidentally slip and become depressed" using social media

I think the point is exactly that you can.

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