Social media use among young people has spiked exponentially. In an age of information overload, social media spirals and triggering online content, these stats beg the question – how is social media affecting young people’s mental health? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 15% of U.S. children aged 5-17 received treatment for mental health conditions in 2021, and the nation is undergoing what experts call a “national youth mental health crisis.” Clinical psychologist Sheryl Ziegler and public relations CEO Jennifer Hellman join host Roshini Rajkumar to outline how social media behemoths like TikTok are responding to this mental health crisis, how parents and schools are reacting, and what legislators can do about this issue. Dr Z calls the situation worse than a crisis, an actual “state of emergency.” Should states ban social media apps? How early is too early for children to start using? How can parents better manage their kids’ social media usage?

Host: Roshini Rajkumar
Guests: Dr. Sheryl Ziegler and Jennifer Hellman