MENTAL HEALTH

41 US states are suing Meta for getting teens hooked on social media. Here’s what to expect next. In the United States, 41 states have filed lawsuits against Meta for allegedly driving social media addiction in its young users (under the age of 18), amid growing concerns about the negative effects of platforms. The lawsuits allege Meta has been harvesting young users’ data, deploying features to promote compulsive use of both Facebook and Instagram, and misleading the public about the negative effects of these features. What might we expect to happen next? And are there potential consequences for Australia? Leveraging whistleblower revelations The most significant suit, filed in a federal court in California, involves 33 states. The claim is based on breaches of state consumer protection ...

Think therapy is navel-gazing? Think again. Midway through a recent lecture about my psychology research, a bright graduate student voiced a familiar question. “I have heard psychotherapy makes people more self-absorbed,” they said. “So how can you encourage a practice that has such a negative social impact?” I am often struck by these negative stereotypes, despite growing demand for counseling – particularly amid the pandemic. The well-entrenched image seems to be that psychotherapy is an indulgent, narcissistic cocoon where therapists enable patients to “navel-gaze” and blame others for their problems. Full disclosure: I have seen examples of this during my 27 years in practice. But most patients are genuinely trying to improve close relationships, recover a sense of meaning and purpose ...

Racial trauma has profound mental health consequence – a Black clinical psychologist explains and offers 5 ways to heal. Since European expansion into the Americas, white people have demonized Black people and portrayed them as undesirable, violent and hypersexual. Originally, the intent of this demonization was to legitimize the conquest and sale of African people. One consequence of this negative portrayal has been the documented psychological impact on Black people themselves. It includes self-hatred, internalized racism and an erosion of Black consciousness within the Black community. During the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. recognized the consequences of racist stereotypes and tried to change the language and symbols of racism. “Somebody told a lie one day,” King said. “They couche...

The Darker Side Of Psychology When you think about psychology what first comes to mind may be that 101 class you took in college to satisfy a requirement, or perhaps an article you have recently read or a snip-it you saw on Youtube. Which usually characterizes a group of psychologists, somewhere, who have done a statistical analysis of humans doing whatever. Predictably, you would have found that most of their subjects fell within the fat lump of the bell curve. While a few individuals, are probably out there right now, doing anything and everything you can imagine. It has most likely always been that way. Primates are curious, if nothing else. It’s been a hallmark of our species, and may stem from our perennial desire to transcend the limits of our experience. Moreover, a shrinking numbe...

Obsessive compulsive disorder is more common than you think. But it can take 9 years for an OCD diagnosis. Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a misunderstood mental illness despite affecting about one in 50 people – that’s about half a million Australians. Our new research shows how long and fraught the path to diagnosis and treatment can be. This initial study showed it takes an average of almost nine years to receive a diagnosis of OCD and about four months to get some form of help. What is OCD? OCD affects children, adolescents and adults. About 60% report symptoms before the age of 20. One misconception is that OCD is mild: someone who is extra tidy or likes cleaning. You might have even heard someone say they are “a little bit OCD” while joking about having beautiful stati...

OCD Is a Bully, But You Can Stand Up to It! This article is based on the concept of standing up to OCD as if it is a school bully. It introduces concepts into a well-known and widely used technique that is employed by therapists for helping those with OCD. This article is also stipulates the hard work and effort that is required by people who suffer OCD to manage this potentially crippling disorder. This article also shares true insights and realities of effectively managing OCD. OCD is misunderstood. It is often misunderstood by the general public/the general community and sometimes even those working in the mental health sector, however it should be acknowledged that nurses and other workers indeed generally have a solid understanding of mental health problems and many workers have a...

This course asks, ‘What is mindfulness?’ – but don’t expect a clear-cut answer. Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “What is Mindfulness?” What prompted the idea for the course? As a professor of religion and ethics, particularly Asian traditions, I had already been interested in teaching a course about mindfulness. Its popularity seems to be surging: I see “Mindful” on magazine racks, and almost everyone I’ve met at my university has used the word at some point. But oftentimes people say to be “mindful” when they mean “pay attention” or “don’t forget”: being “mindful” of a slippery road, say, or telling students to be “mindful of the deadline.” I started wondering what other people me...

Social Media Isn’t the Main Reason Teens Are Depressed. Politicians and media are in their latest wave of ascribing young people’s mental health problems to anything but their real source: dysfunctional adults. The “dangers” of social media lend themselves to alarmist headlines, especially when there are high-profile cases of abuse or violence with a social media component. That’s why many commentators, advocates, and Congress members are simply blaming teens for their increased stresses and advancing proposals to ban persons under age 16 from social media like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Like many policy efforts when it comes to youth, this misses the mark and ignores the real crises afflicting teenagers. The real crises the most troubled teens face involve their parents’ rising...

From trippy drugs to therapeutic aids – how psychedelics got their groove back. For many years, drugs such as LSD, psilocybin and Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) were viewed only as highly dangerous drugs. However, in recent years they have had a bit of rebrand. Now they’re believed by some to have the power to heal, to reconnect us with nature – even resolve political tensions. Use of these drugs is on the rise. At the start of the pandemic in 2020, the UK Home Office released data showing a 230% rise in confiscations of LSD compared to the previous year. The pandemic itself might be changing drug preferences. Almost half of those using magic mushrooms reported using more during the pandemic according to a recent survey. The changing view of psychedelics can in part be attributed to the renewe...