Technology
Sara Johansen, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Psychiatry
Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Steven Chan, MD, MBA
Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated)
Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
Stanford University School of Medicine
Social media platforms are now used by billions of people worldwide. Although these platforms are suggested as opportunities for entertainment and social connection, numerous studies provide strong evidence that social media use can increase feelings of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and isolation. Particularly for adolescents, social media platforms can carry serious risks, such as cyberbullying, suicide, self-harm, sexualization, disrupted identity development, and impaired relationship formation. This session will explore the impact of social media platforms on mental health and suggest practical approaches for how clinicians can approach this topic with patients.