Mental Health in the Digital Age: The Good, The Bad, and The Future

From doom scrolling to video games, we're constantly hearing how digital technologies are ruining our mental health, but do these claims hold any credence? To try and get to the bottom of this question, Bey and Kirsten sit down with three different guests - trauma researcher Roxanne Cohen Silver, author Jordan Shapiro, and the Franklin Institute's own Dr. Jayatri Das - to investigate the 24 hour news cycle, fears around kids using new technology, and the potential of chatbots and VR in mental health treatment.

Links for today's episode:

Learn more about Dr. Roxanne Cohen Silver and her extensive research into the effects of stressful news consumption
Learn more about Dr. Jordan Shapiro and his books on parenting in the modern age

Resources for today's episode

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
NAMI, for non-crisis mental health needs
VOICES Center for Resilience for support following a mass tragedy

More Episodes

Season 4

13 - The Curious Cosmos with Derrick Pitts (A So Curious Bonus Episode)

12 - Let's Dance! Why Music Makes Us Move

11 - Science in Concert: How Musical Performance Works

10 - Wild Voices: In Tune with the Animal Kingdom

9 - Remember That Song? Music and Memory

8 - The Music-Language Link

7 - In Tune With the Body: Music in Athletic Performance and Healthcare

6 - Music of the Future: Tech Innovations and Inventions

5 - The Musical Mind: Synesthesia, Auditory Illusions, and Brain Function

4 - Sound Medicine: Music and Mental Health

3 - The Sound of Music: Timbre, Synthesizers, and Orchestration

2 - The Origins of Music: From Evolution to Acoustics

1 - I Love This Song! Music Taste and the Brain

Season 3

15 - Is Marriage Worth It? (A So Curious! Classic Episode)

14 - How Do Dating Algorithms Make Us Feel? (A So Curious! Classic Episode)

13 - First Impressions: From Frog Sex to Gaydar, What’s the Science? (A So Curious! Classic Episode)

12 - What Does It Mean To Be "Well"? The Science Behind the Buzzword

11 - Life After Loss: The Science of Grief

10 - Food and Mental Health: A Two Way Street

8 - Cracking the Code on Stress: Uncovering Its Effects on Our Mind and Body

7 - Beyond Happy Pills: A Science-Based Exploration of Mental Health Medication

6 - Chemical Messengers and Brain Builders: Unlocking the Secrets of Hormones and Genes

5 - Decoding Mental Health: Breaking Down the Labels and Language We Use

4 - Paws for Mental Health: Exploring the Power of Animals and Environment on our Wellbeing

3 - Unpacking the Link Between Identity and Mental Health

2 - The Science and Psychology of Emotions: Insights from Experts

1 - From Ancient Beliefs to Modern Understanding: The Evolution of Mental Health

Season 2

12 - Ghosting: How Rejection Affects Our Bodies & Brains

11 - Is Marriage Worth It?

10 - How Porn Affects Our Brains

9 - Beyond Monogamy: Exploring Ethical Relationships and Sexual Fulfillment

8 - Sex Ed: In Our Classrooms, Communities and Culture

7 - Relationships in the Media

6 - Sexual Health and Medicine Access: A Roundtable Discussion

5 - Quantifying Love: The Biology of Romantic Love

4 - Hookup Culture in Today's World

3 - How Do Dating Apps Make Us Feel? Connecting Through Algorithms

2 - Tech & Relationships: Dates in the Metaverse, Sex Robots, and AI Sex Toys: Is this the Future?

1 - First Impressions: From Frog Sex to Gaydar, What’s the Science?

Season 1

12 - Death

11 - Who Gets to Be a Part of Advancing Science?

10 - Organ Donation and 3D Printing Human Organs

8 - Redefining Health and Wellness with A Dietician and a Farmer

8 - What is Biohacking? From Bodybuilding to Bacterial Shoes

7 - What’s Fair When it Comes to the Brain?

6 - Using Magnetic Fields to Treat Depression

5 - Making Sense of Smell

4 - Really Big Ideas: How Do We Generate them? What Are They?

3 - Making Art & Living Well with Prosthetics and Assistive Tech

2 - Medicine, but Really Personal

1 - What do you think of Adderall?