September 29, 2025 • 24 mins
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Screen time impacts our mental health in significant ways, with research suggesting particular risks for teens who spend more than three hours daily on social media.
• Higher social media usage linked to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and stress
• Teens more vulnerable to negative mental health effects than adults
• Using social media to escape negative feelings raises mental health risks
• Limiting social media to 30 minutes per day can lower depression and anxiety
• Open conversations about online experiences help teens develop healthy digital habits
• Unrealistic images and constant comparisons on social media harm self-worth
• Adults experience similar but less pronounced negative effects from excessive screen time
• Maintaining real-life relationships outside digital spaces provides important balance
• Screen time isn't benign—moderation is key to protecting mental wellbeing
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References
1. Associations Between Time Spent Using Social Media and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among US Youth. Riehm KE, Feder KA, Tormohlen KN, et al. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;76(12):1266-1273. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.2325.
2. Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health Within Adolescent and Student Populations During COVID-19 Pandemic: Review. Draženović M, Vukušić Rukavina T, Machala Poplašen L. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023;20(4):3392. doi:10.3390/ijerph20043392.
3. Annual Research Review: Adolescent Mental Health in the Digital Age: Facts, Fears, and Future Directions. Odgers CL, Jensen MR. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines. 2020;61(3):336-348. doi:10.1111/jcpp.13190.
4. Addictive Screen Use Trajectories and Suicidal Behaviors, Suicidal Ideation, and Mental Health in US Youths. Xiao Y, Meng Y, Brown TT, Keyes KM, Mann JJ. JAMA. 2025;:2835481. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.7829.
5. Exploring the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Narrative Review. Saleem N, Young P, Yousuf S. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking. 2024;27(11):771-797. doi:10.1089/cyber.2023.0456.
6. Adolescents' Interactive Electronic Device Use, Sleep and Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Prospective Studies. Dibben GO, Martin A, Shore CB, et al. Journal of Sleep Research. 2023;32(5):e13899. doi:10.1111/jsr.13899.
7. Relationship Between Depression and the Use of Mobile Technologies and Social Media Among Adolescents: Umbrella Review. Arias-de la Torre J, Puigdomenech E, García X, et al. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2020;22(8):e16388. doi:10.2196/16388.
Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD & Nicole Aruffo, RN
Artwork: Olivia Pawlowski
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hi, welcome to your checkup.
We are the Patient EducationPodcast, where we bring
conversations from the doctor'soffice to your ears.
On this podcast, we try to bringmedicine closer to its patients.
I'm Ed Delesky, a familymedicine doctor in the
Philadelphia area.
And I'm Nicole Arufo.
I'm a nurse.
And we are so excited you wereable to join us here again
(00:20):
today.
I'm devastated.
We've got a hot mic because Ijust painstakingly watched.
It was the end of a greatweekend, and this is a tough
way.
It's a rough sports day.
Um I watched this slow, painfulcollapse come to fruition for my
(00:42):
New York Mets.
SPEAKER_03 (00:43):
Yeah, I mean, you know, the sky is blue, the grass
is green, the Mets lost.
SPEAKER_00 (00:52):
I don't know.
I think this hurts.
This is embarrassing.
Is well, I I don't play forthem, so I can't be so
embarrassed, but they like thisthis hurts.
Maybe it doesn't hurt as much as2015 when they lost lost in the
World Series.
Um last year I kind of expectedthem to lose.
No one expected them to bethere.
This year, they hadexpectations.
(01:15):
I'm baseball stinks.
SPEAKER_03 (01:18):
I've been trying to tell you that, bro.
SPEAKER_00 (01:21):
Baseball stinks a lot, and now I think that Pete
Alonzo might not be a metanymore.
SPEAKER_03 (01:26):
And can we talk about him for a sec?
Yeah, because it came to myattention about 12 minutes ago
that Pete Alonzo is a white guywith blonde hair.
SPEAKER_00 (01:38):
Yeah.
He's about as white as theycome.
SPEAKER_03 (01:42):
I feel like if you told me he was like a Latino of
some flavor, that would be morebelievable.
No.
Like Pete Alonzo.
I have this like kind of likethin tan, like, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
When he he like hit a the biggest home run of his
career last season, and youdefinitely knew and saw who he
was.
SPEAKER_03 (02:10):
Oh no, I had no idea what I was looking at on the TV
or paying attention.
SPEAKER_00 (02:14):
Fair.
SPEAKER_03 (02:15):
To be honest.
SPEAKER_00 (02:16):
Oh my god.
No, it's just devastating.
And like I I'm trying to come upwith words because this is
something where people listen toour words, and I am just
mortified.
And now it's late September, andall of the dedicated they just
started off so hot.
They started off so well, andthen they just stopped, and then
(02:39):
they just started losing all thegames, and they're like one of
the worst teams in baseball.
And it was just overnight, andit just everything that went
wrong could go wrong, and thenthey would come back and they
would make it seem like theywere gonna be back, and they get
paid so much money to be so bad.
And I don't know, and then if itdoesn't make any matters worse,
like I know we live in Philly,and I know people probably like
(03:01):
whatever Malik Neighbors, widereceiver, probably like star, up
and coming wide receiver, NewYork Giants, probably towards
ACL.
It yeah, they won today, butlike, oh my god.
That's fine.
No one cares about the Giants.
I know they don't.
I know they don't, but still,like it just adds insult to
(03:23):
injury, and it just I'm so sorryyou're going through this.
No, I am.
It like really, really hits mehard.
I'll hope I wake up tomorrow.
Yeah, I'm not even like I don'teven watch baseball if the Mets
are or not.
I I love football.
I love me some basketball.
Basketball's the worst.
But like, would you ratherbasketball or baseball if you
had to pick?
unknown (03:44):
Oh man.
SPEAKER_03 (03:47):
Probably basketball.
Baseball is so boring, and it'slike so slow.
Like, I feel like I'm watchingsomething in slow motion, and
then like every once in a while,someone will like run fast or
like throw a ball really fastback and forth, and like that's
it.
SPEAKER_00 (04:05):
Yeah, it is you really have to be in it.
Like, I mean, today I washanging on every single pitch,
and it's unhealthy for me,probably, but you know, I the
average fan.
I think we've talked about thisbefore.
The average fan and baseballdon't really go that well
together.
Oh man, it's just he can't evenget into the tournament.
SPEAKER_03 (04:27):
It's just well, maybe next year.
SPEAKER_00 (04:30):
Yeah, yeah, that's what yeah, yeah, maybe next
year.
Well, um, why don't we try toappeal to a greater audience?
And um what thank God is hurt somuch.
Can you tell us?
I need to like sit here andrelax for a second.
Can you tell us a little bitabout what we're watching?
SPEAKER_03 (04:49):
Are you okay?
SPEAKER_00 (04:50):
I'm this I I wanted to do this because I feel like
it's obviously not a sportspodcast.
We have a good episode lined upfor you guys today.
But I like take my mind off ofit.
What's the spooky show we'rewatching?
SPEAKER_03 (05:03):
Uh we're watching a spooky show because it's getting
into spooky season.
SPEAKER_00 (05:08):
I also don't do well with these.
SPEAKER_03 (05:11):
I love scary things.
It's not even that scary.
SPEAKER_00 (05:14):
Give me Hubie Halloween.
Um like I can't I can't I lookI'm devastated with the sports,
and now we're watching thiscreepy show.
SPEAKER_03 (05:24):
We're gonna watch another creepy one after this,
too.
Um we're watching the what is itcalled?
Bly Manor, the haunting of BlyManor or something of that elk.
SPEAKER_01 (05:33):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (05:34):
Um it's like haunting of Hill Hell, Hill
House-esque.
Love isn't it?
From you.
I don't know that girl's actualname.
SPEAKER_00 (05:44):
Me neither.
The band Nick Lady.
SPEAKER_03 (05:48):
Yeah, we had to pick up a funny song for the haunting
of Hill House because Eddie wasso scared.
SPEAKER_00 (05:53):
I coped with scariness so she this freak pops
up on the screen, and I'm like,oh, there she is.
The band Nick Lady.
SPEAKER_03 (06:00):
No, all I like seriously love scary movies so
much, but I gotta say, like, ifour kids one day start to like
talk to these imaginary friendslike in their closet, like we're
sending we're selling the house.
No, yeah, absolutely not, orwe're sending the kid back.
We'll drop it off at thehospital.
SPEAKER_00 (06:18):
Yeah, oh my god.
Yeah, I no, this little girl isfreaky.
She is, she's spooky.
I can't, it's mysterious, and Ilike the mystery component
because like I can't.
I you probably have it figuredout already.
I can't figure out what's goingon.
Um, and like the spookiness isit comes in the moments, right?
(06:41):
There's the looming music,there's the dark, shadowy
scenes, and it's confusing.
So like, what the heck is this?
We got a couple big realizationsin these like last recent
episodes.
Yeah.
Give me Hubie Halloween, though.
I oh my god, I would much preferwatching that guy do his thing.
(07:02):
And then for dinner, you made ohgosh, yeah.
I I mean I you personally lovethis, and you love when you make
it, but I love it.
It's uh you made a homemadeCaesar dressing and you made
chicken cutlets and you chopthem up with some salad, I guess
like what leafy?
Is that uh it's romaine.
Romaine.
SPEAKER_03 (07:22):
Yeah, chicken Caesar wraps is what he's getting at.
SPEAKER_00 (07:24):
That's what I'm trying to say.
It was a chicken Caesar wrap,and it was delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (07:28):
Yeah.
We get and you have to make thedressing like thick.
There are a couple differentways to make a Caesar.
But I've been making it becausewe kind of like it thick when we
do like a chicken Caesar wrap.
Sounded like watery and liquidy,you know?
SPEAKER_01 (07:43):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (07:45):
But and usually if you're doing like a more of a
thick dressing, the recipe willcall for mayo, which uh Yeah, I
think everyone knows you're nota mayo girl.
SPEAKER_00 (07:54):
I hate oh my god, it also not a regular salad
dressing girl, hence we'remaking our own, which is
delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (08:02):
Mayo is the devil's condiment.
Um but isn't Aoli a devil'scondiment.
Besides that, um, it's not thehealthiest.
So I've been making it with umfat-free Greek yogurt because
you like to just eat condimentsas if they are like a side dish.
(08:24):
And I cannot sit and watch youeat like one whole cup of a
mayo-based condiment.
SPEAKER_00 (08:31):
Yeah, it's a problem.
They're just so tasty.
SPEAKER_03 (08:34):
So it's just like Greek yogurt and it's healthy,
so it's so tasty.
SPEAKER_00 (08:38):
I I I think I came across a guy recently and he
like said something about like aweird, a weird thing he was.
Oh yeah, this guy was like, ohyeah, so you know, I'm like, oh,
what do you eat during the day?
And he's like, yada yada yada.
Yeah, when I'm making dinner, Itake like a shot of olive oil.
Is that cool?
And I was like, my my brother inChrist, why are you doing that?
(09:01):
And then I thought, you'd be thepot killing calling the kettle
black.
SPEAKER_03 (09:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (09:06):
Like you, I I drink your condiments that you make.
Like the usually got this likelemon-based dressing, salad
dressing on the counter, and I Iwalk by it and I think about
drinking it every time.
I'm just like, hmm, that isgonna taste good.
I'm just like, let me do it.
(09:27):
Or let me go to the yeah, and dothis yogurt.
Like, let me just take aspoonful.
Helps the medicine go down.
No, it's so good.
Wow.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (09:46):
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly.
SPEAKER_01 (09:53):
No, it's not easy to tell you goodbye.
Take a chance.
Take a change and break go away.
That was beautiful.
Thank you.
Bray Go away.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
I love these t-shirts.
SPEAKER_03 (10:18):
Just put your white one in the wash.
SPEAKER_00 (10:20):
Really?
No, these like these Abercrombieshirts are great.
No free advertisements, but Ilove them.
You just need like a standardt-shirt every once in a while.
You just need something to throwon and wear around the house.
SPEAKER_03 (10:41):
Dress it up or dress it down.
SPEAKER_00 (10:43):
You bet.
Put on some socks, put on someshorts, put on some jeans.
T-shirt's versatile.
It's a good t-shirt.
It's a plain black t-shirt.
SPEAKER_03 (10:55):
I think you have four of them now in that same
one.
SPEAKER_00 (10:57):
I do.
I've got cream.
I've got or tan, if you will.
I've got brown.
SPEAKER_03 (11:04):
I think the tan one is a different style.
The black one, the brown, red,and now there's a white one.
The red.
Yeah, they're all the same.
SPEAKER_00 (11:15):
I'm a big fan.
I like it.
I like it.
And I'm also looking forward tothe brownies that you made.
That was a surprise.
SPEAKER_03 (11:24):
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
I was hopeful that like um I was I was hopeful that
you would have something specialmade, and you certainly came
through.
I love your brownies.
They're addicting.
SPEAKER_03 (11:36):
So I only made a half a batch.
SPEAKER_00 (11:37):
Yeah, that you don't pull any punches on.
You're not like, ooh, it makessomething like healthy in this
way.
Like, no, we are full in there.
Swimwear brownie.
They are so good.
SPEAKER_03 (11:49):
Yeah, they are good.
SPEAKER_00 (11:50):
Is it dark chocolate?
Are there dark dark chocolatefeatures to this one?
SPEAKER_03 (11:54):
Uh I don't think so.
I think it was just cocoapowder.
SPEAKER_00 (12:02):
Yeah.
You know, I did recently havethis uh French toast, and it had
like a sweet cream cheese ontop.
Um whipped cream.
And that was delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (12:18):
Was it like a cream cheese frosting esque?
SPEAKER_00 (12:21):
Kind of, but it was like um less frosting and more
like whipped.
Um normally when I go out tobreakfast, I get I like reach
for the savory, but this time Iwas like, no, I need I need
something.
I need like a sweet treat.
I needed a sweet treat in theform of breakfast, like a
dessert.
So that was that was delicious.
(12:42):
Yeah.
All right.
Did you remember it?
All right.
Well, let's get to it.
So, what are we gonna talk abouttoday, Nick?
SPEAKER_03 (12:54):
Today we're gonna talk about some screen time and
mental health.
SPEAKER_00 (12:58):
Yeah, so it turns out we have like about seven
sources here for our data andevidence, and it's something
everyone thinks about, I think,but needs more study.
But we're gonna start theconversation here today.
Do you know how much time youspent on your phone today?
(13:19):
And was it more than you meantto?
But most teens and adults, Ithink everyone would agree, use
smartphones and social mediaevery single day.
Am I right or wrong?
SPEAKER_03 (13:34):
Oh, yeah, every single day.
I mean, my screen time's highbecause I like use it at work,
but I'm also scrolling on TikTokfor hours, I'm pretty sure, a
day.
SPEAKER_00 (13:42):
Right, right, right.
Exactly.
So, what we know is that thesetechnologies can have both
positive and maybe some negativeeffects on mental health.
And so we invite you on thisjourney today while we kind of
weave our way through what eachof those are for different
populations of people and whatwe should think about.
(14:04):
So, as our um resident pediatricwonderkin extraordinaire.
Oh my god.
Tell us what you think, or tellus what we know a little bit
about screen time and socialmedia in preteens, adolescence.
SPEAKER_03 (14:23):
Well, we do know that spending more than three
hours per day on social media isunfortunately linked to higher
rates of depression, anxiety,stress, or even suicidal
thoughts or behaviors.
SPEAKER_00 (14:36):
Yeah, that's rough.
And it's um, so we got threesources here.
Um, the sources are in the shownotes if you're interested.
And that's a lot.
Um, three hours is also not avery large threshold to cross, I
think.
SPEAKER_03 (14:53):
Mm-mm.
Yeah, it's really easy to getthere, I think.
SPEAKER_00 (14:57):
I think so too.
And also, like, I think ourlived experience when we were
teens is different than what'sout there right now.
SPEAKER_03 (15:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:06):
Like, I don't remember having a smartphone
until way later.
And I feel like they are muchmore commonplace earlier now.
Not to like shake my fist and belike, get off my lawn back in my
day.
So, what we also know is thatno, there's the three-hour mark
right there, but we also knowthat addictive or problematic
use and use that kind of lookslike a feeling like unable to
(15:29):
stop, or using the device lateat night.
Or this one is a this one's abig one.
I think I noticed this a lot, isusing them to escape negative
feelings raises these risks thatyou said, like depression,
anxiety, stress, etc.
That uh the other two areobvious, and like you can look
(15:49):
at someone and say, like, oh,the lights on in the room, or
like you can ask them, you canlook at the data on the phone
and see like someone's on thephone late at night.
But to use it to like escape afeeling, I could see how that
could be a really subtle, toughto measure thing that can really
like I mean, it I it's like acoping mechanism, but it might
(16:13):
not be a good one.
So while we're talking aboutother risks and negative things,
it we also find that this leadsto poor sleep, opportunities for
cyberbullying, really like unduecomparisons.
Comparison is the thief of joy,and it's rampant on social
(16:33):
media, so that in itself isprobably unhealthy.
And seeing unrealistic imagesonline can also make all of
these problems worse, which alsodoesn't surprise me.
I, you know, when you are you'relike succumbed to the thoughts
of every other person who's likeever come around, right?
(16:54):
And like you're comparingyourself to them in likely
edited photos in what isprobably an impossible way or
impossible threshold to hit.
So, I mean, we listed a lot ofthings that can make social
media problematic for teens.
(17:14):
We know it's worse in teens thanit is for adults, and we're
gonna talk about that too.
But I mean, there are somebenefits, right?
We know there are some possiblebenefits, right?
Like you learn a ton on socialmedia, so do I so does everyone.
SPEAKER_03 (17:27):
Oh my gosh, I learned so much on social media.
Everything great I've everlearned came from social media.
SPEAKER_00 (17:33):
Right.
That's a benefit.
I'm just kidding.
Well, no, that's like, butthat's a huge benefit, right?
Or like people feel connected,you stay connected with friends,
you see what they're doing.
That's a huge way, huge benefit,um, especially in times of
isolation.
So that's a huge benefit.
Or it can connect people whoneed support in different
groups.
(17:53):
Like I've seen countless supportgroups also fraught with peril,
but like people who need helpand like finding like-minded
communities which can betherapeutic for people.
So there are some benefits.
It seems like the list ofbenefits is like a lot less than
the studied negative things, butyou know, that's sort of where
we're at.
So then it comes to like whatmay help in this, because it
(18:17):
seems like most things landingin the middle somewhere is
probably the best way to go.
And are there certain things, orlike if a if a parent is
thinking about a teen, whatcertain things can they do to
talk about like healthy internetuse and healthy device use?
SPEAKER_03 (18:42):
So we can limit social media time for about 30
minutes per day, which willlower the risk of depression and
anxiety.
Um, definitely getting enoughsleep, so not doom scrolling in
bed, because that will for afact make your sleep worse and
ruin the next day.
Yeah.
(19:02):
Getting enough sleep.
Um, and having supportive likereal life relationships outside
of the online world.
SPEAKER_00 (19:11):
This part is like mostly for like parents, I
think.
Um, because this section's aboutteens.
So like talking openly aboutonline experiences and like
including both positive andnegative feelings that come out
of that.
Because I mean, there's a wholeworld out there that a teen is
like exposed to when they'relooking at stuff.
Like, I mean, there are toolsand things like on apps to help
(19:34):
limit what people see, but likeit's a great big world out there
to like start experiencing atsuch a young age when there's
like so much impressionabledevelopment to be done.
So just being open andcommunicating about that is
probably really important.
Um, I've seen this in the officeas a thing because like in a lot
of pediatric visits, I've beentrying to ask about a screen
(19:56):
time.
And a lot of moms like bring outlike visual tools.
Like we just talked about ourscreen time that our phones
track in the beginning, but likethey bring it out and like, oh,
bring out your screen time andshow the doctor like how much
you used.
And I think that brings it toreal life.
That like visual helps for thekid to see like what they're
doing and if that's good, bad,or could use some improvement.
(20:21):
I think I feel like everyone canprobably use less screen time.
And I mean, it's probably a goodidea to get ahead of talking
with um teens and preteens aboutunhealthy comparisons that will
inevitably happen and sense ofself-worth.
Because like photos online, likeespecially with AI and stuff
(20:41):
like they're doctored and notnot to give bad names to
doctors, but like you know,they're not a lot of them aren't
real.
And you see things that neverreally existed, or people that
don't exist, or people that arelike enhanced, or like a
lifestyle that's enhanced.
(21:02):
Yeah.
So like it it's good to getahead of that stuff to kind of
say, like, this is isn't it maylook like it's being portrayed
to you as real life, but it'snot.
SPEAKER_02 (21:15):
It's not.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:17):
So that's just a couple thoughts that we're
having based on these resourcesthat we kind of looked at for
you.
So moving the conversation overto adults, we similarly know
that higher problematic use ofsmartphones and social media is
also linked to symptoms ofdepression, anxiety, poor sleep
in adults, but the effects areusually smaller than in teens.
(21:38):
Of course, these are allpopulation-based studies, large
swaths of people, but and itcould be different on an
individual basis, but it issomething that is noticed.
And so adults who use socialmedia in a way that feels out of
control or interferes with theirdaily life tend to be more
likely to have mental healthproblems.
(21:58):
So that's not to say that theydon't have benefits.
There are some benefits withsocial media.
They can also help adults stayconnected.
Everyone's very busy.
They can help friends and familystay connected and find support,
access helpful information.
Look, I love fantasy football.
Fantasy football helps me stayconnected to some of my closest,
oldest friends.
As a form of social media insome ways, that's a huge
(22:20):
positive.
But like we've talked about,there's a lot of negatives that
go along with it.
So everything in moderation.
So, you know, essentially thethe things to do, we talked
about them already.
The things for helping a kid,helping a teen or preteen curb
their social media use comes ina similar vein to adults with
(22:40):
social media use.
And I think the big takeawayfrom this episode is that it's
not benign.
And it seems like there is anassociation, and I think people
are trying to look at it more tosee how this digital world
affects mental health.
(23:01):
It's becoming more clear that weshould limit it to some degree.
But I think we need more.
But today we wanted to start theconversation so that we give you
something to think about thatmaybe you can't fly too close to
the sun.
Like too much of anything is badat the end of the day.
(23:21):
All right, thank you for comingback to another episode of Your
Checkup.
Hopefully, you were able tolearn something for yourself, a
loved one, or an iPad kid.
Check us out on our Instagram,find us on Threads.
You can send us an email, yourcheckuppod at gmail.com.
Go back and listen to our otherepisodes if you wish.
But most importantly, stayhealthy, my friends.
Until next time, I'm Ed Delesky.
SPEAKER_03 (23:43):
I'm Nicole Rufo.
SPEAKER_00 (23:44):
Thank you and goodbye.
SPEAKER_03 (23:45):
Bye.
SPEAKER_00 (23:51):
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(24:13):
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information tailored to you.
In short, I'm not your doctor.
I am not your nurse.
And make sure you go get yourown checkup with your own
personal doctor.
Hi, welcome to your checkup.
We are the Patient EducationPodcast, where we bring
conversations from the doctor'soffice to your ears.
On this podcast, we try to bringmedicine closer to its patients.
I'm Ed Delesky, a familymedicine doctor in the
Philadelphia area.
And I'm Nicole Arufo.
I'm a nurse.
And we are so excited you wereable to join us here again
(00:20):
today.
I'm devastated.
We've got a hot mic because Ijust painstakingly watched.
It was the end of a greatweekend, and this is a tough
way.
It's a rough sports day.
Um I watched this slow, painfulcollapse come to fruition for my
(00:42):
New York Mets.
SPEAKER_03 (00:43):
Yeah, I mean, you know, the sky is blue, the grass
is green, the Mets lost.
SPEAKER_00 (00:52):
I don't know.
I think this hurts.
This is embarrassing.
Is well, I I don't play forthem, so I can't be so
embarrassed, but they like thisthis hurts.
Maybe it doesn't hurt as much as2015 when they lost lost in the
World Series.
Um last year I kind of expectedthem to lose.
No one expected them to bethere.
This year, they hadexpectations.
(01:15):
I'm baseball stinks.
SPEAKER_03 (01:18):
I've been trying to tell you that, bro.
SPEAKER_00 (01:21):
Baseball stinks a lot, and now I think that Pete
Alonzo might not be a metanymore.
SPEAKER_03 (01:26):
And can we talk about him for a sec?
Yeah, because it came to myattention about 12 minutes ago
that Pete Alonzo is a white guywith blonde hair.
SPEAKER_00 (01:38):
Yeah.
He's about as white as theycome.
SPEAKER_03 (01:42):
I feel like if you told me he was like a Latino of
some flavor, that would be morebelievable.
No.
Like Pete Alonzo.
I have this like kind of likethin tan, like, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00 (02:01):
When he he like hit a the biggest home run of his
career last season, and youdefinitely knew and saw who he
was.
SPEAKER_03 (02:10):
Oh no, I had no idea what I was looking at on the TV
or paying attention.
SPEAKER_00 (02:14):
Fair.
SPEAKER_03 (02:15):
To be honest.
SPEAKER_00 (02:16):
Oh my god.
No, it's just devastating.
And like I I'm trying to come upwith words because this is
something where people listen toour words, and I am just
mortified.
And now it's late September, andall of the dedicated they just
started off so hot.
They started off so well, andthen they just stopped, and then
(02:39):
they just started losing all thegames, and they're like one of
the worst teams in baseball.
And it was just overnight, andit just everything that went
wrong could go wrong, and thenthey would come back and they
would make it seem like theywere gonna be back, and they get
paid so much money to be so bad.
And I don't know, and then if itdoesn't make any matters worse,
like I know we live in Philly,and I know people probably like
(03:01):
whatever Malik Neighbors, widereceiver, probably like star, up
and coming wide receiver, NewYork Giants, probably towards
ACL.
It yeah, they won today, butlike, oh my god.
That's fine.
No one cares about the Giants.
I know they don't.
I know they don't, but still,like it just adds insult to
(03:23):
injury, and it just I'm so sorryyou're going through this.
No, I am.
It like really, really hits mehard.
I'll hope I wake up tomorrow.
Yeah, I'm not even like I don'teven watch baseball if the Mets
are or not.
I I love football.
I love me some basketball.
Basketball's the worst.
But like, would you ratherbasketball or baseball if you
had to pick?
unknown (03:44):
Oh man.
SPEAKER_03 (03:47):
Probably basketball.
Baseball is so boring, and it'slike so slow.
Like, I feel like I'm watchingsomething in slow motion, and
then like every once in a while,someone will like run fast or
like throw a ball really fastback and forth, and like that's
it.
SPEAKER_00 (04:05):
Yeah, it is you really have to be in it.
Like, I mean, today I washanging on every single pitch,
and it's unhealthy for me,probably, but you know, I the
average fan.
I think we've talked about thisbefore.
The average fan and baseballdon't really go that well
together.
Oh man, it's just he can't evenget into the tournament.
SPEAKER_03 (04:27):
It's just well, maybe next year.
SPEAKER_00 (04:30):
Yeah, yeah, that's what yeah, yeah, maybe next
year.
Well, um, why don't we try toappeal to a greater audience?
And um what thank God is hurt somuch.
Can you tell us?
I need to like sit here andrelax for a second.
Can you tell us a little bitabout what we're watching?
SPEAKER_03 (04:49):
Are you okay?
SPEAKER_00 (04:50):
I'm this I I wanted to do this because I feel like
it's obviously not a sportspodcast.
We have a good episode lined upfor you guys today.
But I like take my mind off ofit.
What's the spooky show we'rewatching?
SPEAKER_03 (05:03):
Uh we're watching a spooky show because it's getting
into spooky season.
SPEAKER_00 (05:08):
I also don't do well with these.
SPEAKER_03 (05:11):
I love scary things.
It's not even that scary.
SPEAKER_00 (05:14):
Give me Hubie Halloween.
Um like I can't I can't I lookI'm devastated with the sports,
and now we're watching thiscreepy show.
SPEAKER_03 (05:24):
We're gonna watch another creepy one after this,
too.
Um we're watching the what is itcalled?
Bly Manor, the haunting of BlyManor or something of that elk.
SPEAKER_01 (05:33):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (05:34):
Um it's like haunting of Hill Hell, Hill
House-esque.
Love isn't it?
From you.
I don't know that girl's actualname.
SPEAKER_00 (05:44):
Me neither.
The band Nick Lady.
SPEAKER_03 (05:48):
Yeah, we had to pick up a funny song for the haunting
of Hill House because Eddie wasso scared.
SPEAKER_00 (05:53):
I coped with scariness so she this freak pops
up on the screen, and I'm like,oh, there she is.
The band Nick Lady.
SPEAKER_03 (06:00):
No, all I like seriously love scary movies so
much, but I gotta say, like, ifour kids one day start to like
talk to these imaginary friendslike in their closet, like we're
sending we're selling the house.
No, yeah, absolutely not, orwe're sending the kid back.
We'll drop it off at thehospital.
SPEAKER_00 (06:18):
Yeah, oh my god.
Yeah, I no, this little girl isfreaky.
She is, she's spooky.
I can't, it's mysterious, and Ilike the mystery component
because like I can't.
I you probably have it figuredout already.
I can't figure out what's goingon.
Um, and like the spookiness isit comes in the moments, right?
(06:41):
There's the looming music,there's the dark, shadowy
scenes, and it's confusing.
So like, what the heck is this?
We got a couple big realizationsin these like last recent
episodes.
Yeah.
Give me Hubie Halloween, though.
I oh my god, I would much preferwatching that guy do his thing.
(07:02):
And then for dinner, you made ohgosh, yeah.
I I mean I you personally lovethis, and you love when you make
it, but I love it.
It's uh you made a homemadeCaesar dressing and you made
chicken cutlets and you chopthem up with some salad, I guess
like what leafy?
Is that uh it's romaine.
Romaine.
SPEAKER_03 (07:22):
Yeah, chicken Caesar wraps is what he's getting at.
SPEAKER_00 (07:24):
That's what I'm trying to say.
It was a chicken Caesar wrap,and it was delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (07:28):
Yeah.
We get and you have to make thedressing like thick.
There are a couple differentways to make a Caesar.
But I've been making it becausewe kind of like it thick when we
do like a chicken Caesar wrap.
Sounded like watery and liquidy,you know?
SPEAKER_01 (07:43):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (07:45):
But and usually if you're doing like a more of a
thick dressing, the recipe willcall for mayo, which uh Yeah, I
think everyone knows you're nota mayo girl.
SPEAKER_00 (07:54):
I hate oh my god, it also not a regular salad
dressing girl, hence we'remaking our own, which is
delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (08:02):
Mayo is the devil's condiment.
Um but isn't Aoli a devil'scondiment.
Besides that, um, it's not thehealthiest.
So I've been making it with umfat-free Greek yogurt because
you like to just eat condimentsas if they are like a side dish.
(08:24):
And I cannot sit and watch youeat like one whole cup of a
mayo-based condiment.
SPEAKER_00 (08:31):
Yeah, it's a problem.
They're just so tasty.
SPEAKER_03 (08:34):
So it's just like Greek yogurt and it's healthy,
so it's so tasty.
SPEAKER_00 (08:38):
I I I think I came across a guy recently and he
like said something about like aweird, a weird thing he was.
Oh yeah, this guy was like, ohyeah, so you know, I'm like, oh,
what do you eat during the day?
And he's like, yada yada yada.
Yeah, when I'm making dinner, Itake like a shot of olive oil.
Is that cool?
And I was like, my my brother inChrist, why are you doing that?
(09:01):
And then I thought, you'd be thepot killing calling the kettle
black.
SPEAKER_03 (09:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (09:06):
Like you, I I drink your condiments that you make.
Like the usually got this likelemon-based dressing, salad
dressing on the counter, and I Iwalk by it and I think about
drinking it every time.
I'm just like, hmm, that isgonna taste good.
I'm just like, let me do it.
(09:27):
Or let me go to the yeah, and dothis yogurt.
Like, let me just take aspoonful.
Helps the medicine go down.
No, it's so good.
Wow.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (09:46):
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly.
SPEAKER_01 (09:53):
No, it's not easy to tell you goodbye.
Take a chance.
Take a change and break go away.
That was beautiful.
Thank you.
Bray Go away.
SPEAKER_00 (10:14):
I love these t-shirts.
SPEAKER_03 (10:18):
Just put your white one in the wash.
SPEAKER_00 (10:20):
Really?
No, these like these Abercrombieshirts are great.
No free advertisements, but Ilove them.
You just need like a standardt-shirt every once in a while.
You just need something to throwon and wear around the house.
SPEAKER_03 (10:41):
Dress it up or dress it down.
SPEAKER_00 (10:43):
You bet.
Put on some socks, put on someshorts, put on some jeans.
T-shirt's versatile.
It's a good t-shirt.
It's a plain black t-shirt.
SPEAKER_03 (10:55):
I think you have four of them now in that same
one.
SPEAKER_00 (10:57):
I do.
I've got cream.
I've got or tan, if you will.
I've got brown.
SPEAKER_03 (11:04):
I think the tan one is a different style.
The black one, the brown, red,and now there's a white one.
The red.
Yeah, they're all the same.
SPEAKER_00 (11:15):
I'm a big fan.
I like it.
I like it.
And I'm also looking forward tothe brownies that you made.
That was a surprise.
SPEAKER_03 (11:24):
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
I was hopeful that like um I was I was hopeful that
you would have something specialmade, and you certainly came
through.
I love your brownies.
They're addicting.
SPEAKER_03 (11:36):
So I only made a half a batch.
SPEAKER_00 (11:37):
Yeah, that you don't pull any punches on.
You're not like, ooh, it makessomething like healthy in this
way.
Like, no, we are full in there.
Swimwear brownie.
They are so good.
SPEAKER_03 (11:49):
Yeah, they are good.
SPEAKER_00 (11:50):
Is it dark chocolate?
Are there dark dark chocolatefeatures to this one?
SPEAKER_03 (11:54):
Uh I don't think so.
I think it was just cocoapowder.
SPEAKER_00 (12:02):
Yeah.
You know, I did recently havethis uh French toast, and it had
like a sweet cream cheese ontop.
Um whipped cream.
And that was delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (12:18):
Was it like a cream cheese frosting esque?
SPEAKER_00 (12:21):
Kind of, but it was like um less frosting and more
like whipped.
Um normally when I go out tobreakfast, I get I like reach
for the savory, but this time Iwas like, no, I need I need
something.
I need like a sweet treat.
I needed a sweet treat in theform of breakfast, like a
dessert.
So that was that was delicious.
(12:42):
Yeah.
All right.
Did you remember it?
All right.
Well, let's get to it.
So, what are we gonna talk abouttoday, Nick?
SPEAKER_03 (12:54):
Today we're gonna talk about some screen time and
mental health.
SPEAKER_00 (12:58):
Yeah, so it turns out we have like about seven
sources here for our data andevidence, and it's something
everyone thinks about, I think,but needs more study.
But we're gonna start theconversation here today.
Do you know how much time youspent on your phone today?
(13:19):
And was it more than you meantto?
But most teens and adults, Ithink everyone would agree, use
smartphones and social mediaevery single day.
Am I right or wrong?
SPEAKER_03 (13:34):
Oh, yeah, every single day.
I mean, my screen time's highbecause I like use it at work,
but I'm also scrolling on TikTokfor hours, I'm pretty sure, a
day.
SPEAKER_00 (13:42):
Right, right, right.
Exactly.
So, what we know is that thesetechnologies can have both
positive and maybe some negativeeffects on mental health.
And so we invite you on thisjourney today while we kind of
weave our way through what eachof those are for different
populations of people and whatwe should think about.
(14:04):
So, as our um resident pediatricwonderkin extraordinaire.
Oh my god.
Tell us what you think, or tellus what we know a little bit
about screen time and socialmedia in preteens, adolescence.
SPEAKER_03 (14:23):
Well, we do know that spending more than three
hours per day on social media isunfortunately linked to higher
rates of depression, anxiety,stress, or even suicidal
thoughts or behaviors.
SPEAKER_00 (14:36):
Yeah, that's rough.
And it's um, so we got threesources here.
Um, the sources are in the shownotes if you're interested.
And that's a lot.
Um, three hours is also not avery large threshold to cross, I
think.
SPEAKER_03 (14:53):
Mm-mm.
Yeah, it's really easy to getthere, I think.
SPEAKER_00 (14:57):
I think so too.
And also, like, I think ourlived experience when we were
teens is different than what'sout there right now.
SPEAKER_03 (15:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (15:06):
Like, I don't remember having a smartphone
until way later.
And I feel like they are muchmore commonplace earlier now.
Not to like shake my fist and belike, get off my lawn back in my
day.
So, what we also know is thatno, there's the three-hour mark
right there, but we also knowthat addictive or problematic
use and use that kind of lookslike a feeling like unable to
(15:29):
stop, or using the device lateat night.
Or this one is a this one's abig one.
I think I noticed this a lot, isusing them to escape negative
feelings raises these risks thatyou said, like depression,
anxiety, stress, etc.
That uh the other two areobvious, and like you can look
(15:49):
at someone and say, like, oh,the lights on in the room, or
like you can ask them, you canlook at the data on the phone
and see like someone's on thephone late at night.
But to use it to like escape afeeling, I could see how that
could be a really subtle, toughto measure thing that can really
like I mean, it I it's like acoping mechanism, but it might
(16:13):
not be a good one.
So while we're talking aboutother risks and negative things,
it we also find that this leadsto poor sleep, opportunities for
cyberbullying, really like unduecomparisons.
Comparison is the thief of joy,and it's rampant on social
(16:33):
media, so that in itself isprobably unhealthy.
And seeing unrealistic imagesonline can also make all of
these problems worse, which alsodoesn't surprise me.
I, you know, when you are you'relike succumbed to the thoughts
of every other person who's likeever come around, right?
(16:54):
And like you're comparingyourself to them in likely
edited photos in what isprobably an impossible way or
impossible threshold to hit.
So, I mean, we listed a lot ofthings that can make social
media problematic for teens.
(17:14):
We know it's worse in teens thanit is for adults, and we're
gonna talk about that too.
But I mean, there are somebenefits, right?
We know there are some possiblebenefits, right?
Like you learn a ton on socialmedia, so do I so does everyone.
SPEAKER_03 (17:27):
Oh my gosh, I learned so much on social media.
Everything great I've everlearned came from social media.
SPEAKER_00 (17:33):
Right.
That's a benefit.
I'm just kidding.
Well, no, that's like, butthat's a huge benefit, right?
Or like people feel connected,you stay connected with friends,
you see what they're doing.
That's a huge way, huge benefit,um, especially in times of
isolation.
So that's a huge benefit.
Or it can connect people whoneed support in different
groups.
(17:53):
Like I've seen countless supportgroups also fraught with peril,
but like people who need helpand like finding like-minded
communities which can betherapeutic for people.
So there are some benefits.
It seems like the list ofbenefits is like a lot less than
the studied negative things, butyou know, that's sort of where
we're at.
So then it comes to like whatmay help in this, because it
(18:17):
seems like most things landingin the middle somewhere is
probably the best way to go.
And are there certain things, orlike if a if a parent is
thinking about a teen, whatcertain things can they do to
talk about like healthy internetuse and healthy device use?
SPEAKER_03 (18:42):
So we can limit social media time for about 30
minutes per day, which willlower the risk of depression and
anxiety.
Um, definitely getting enoughsleep, so not doom scrolling in
bed, because that will for afact make your sleep worse and
ruin the next day.
Yeah.
(19:02):
Getting enough sleep.
Um, and having supportive likereal life relationships outside
of the online world.
SPEAKER_00 (19:11):
This part is like mostly for like parents, I
think.
Um, because this section's aboutteens.
So like talking openly aboutonline experiences and like
including both positive andnegative feelings that come out
of that.
Because I mean, there's a wholeworld out there that a teen is
like exposed to when they'relooking at stuff.
Like, I mean, there are toolsand things like on apps to help
(19:34):
limit what people see, but likeit's a great big world out there
to like start experiencing atsuch a young age when there's
like so much impressionabledevelopment to be done.
So just being open andcommunicating about that is
probably really important.
Um, I've seen this in the officeas a thing because like in a lot
of pediatric visits, I've beentrying to ask about a screen
(19:56):
time.
And a lot of moms like bring outlike visual tools.
Like we just talked about ourscreen time that our phones
track in the beginning, but likethey bring it out and like, oh,
bring out your screen time andshow the doctor like how much
you used.
And I think that brings it toreal life.
That like visual helps for thekid to see like what they're
doing and if that's good, bad,or could use some improvement.
(20:21):
I think I feel like everyone canprobably use less screen time.
And I mean, it's probably a goodidea to get ahead of talking
with um teens and preteens aboutunhealthy comparisons that will
inevitably happen and sense ofself-worth.
Because like photos online, likeespecially with AI and stuff
(20:41):
like they're doctored and notnot to give bad names to
doctors, but like you know,they're not a lot of them aren't
real.
And you see things that neverreally existed, or people that
don't exist, or people that arelike enhanced, or like a
lifestyle that's enhanced.
(21:02):
Yeah.
So like it it's good to getahead of that stuff to kind of
say, like, this is isn't it maylook like it's being portrayed
to you as real life, but it'snot.
SPEAKER_02 (21:15):
It's not.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:17):
So that's just a couple thoughts that we're
having based on these resourcesthat we kind of looked at for
you.
So moving the conversation overto adults, we similarly know
that higher problematic use ofsmartphones and social media is
also linked to symptoms ofdepression, anxiety, poor sleep
in adults, but the effects areusually smaller than in teens.
(21:38):
Of course, these are allpopulation-based studies, large
swaths of people, but and itcould be different on an
individual basis, but it issomething that is noticed.
And so adults who use socialmedia in a way that feels out of
control or interferes with theirdaily life tend to be more
likely to have mental healthproblems.
(21:58):
So that's not to say that theydon't have benefits.
There are some benefits withsocial media.
They can also help adults stayconnected.
Everyone's very busy.
They can help friends and familystay connected and find support,
access helpful information.
Look, I love fantasy football.
Fantasy football helps me stayconnected to some of my closest,
oldest friends.
As a form of social media insome ways, that's a huge
(22:20):
positive.
But like we've talked about,there's a lot of negatives that
go along with it.
So everything in moderation.
So, you know, essentially thethe things to do, we talked
about them already.
The things for helping a kid,helping a teen or preteen curb
their social media use comes ina similar vein to adults with
(22:40):
social media use.
And I think the big takeawayfrom this episode is that it's
not benign.
And it seems like there is anassociation, and I think people
are trying to look at it more tosee how this digital world
affects mental health.
(23:01):
It's becoming more clear that weshould limit it to some degree.
But I think we need more.
But today we wanted to start theconversation so that we give you
something to think about thatmaybe you can't fly too close to
the sun.
Like too much of anything is badat the end of the day.
(23:21):
All right, thank you for comingback to another episode of Your
Checkup.
Hopefully, you were able tolearn something for yourself, a
loved one, or an iPad kid.
Check us out on our Instagram,find us on Threads.
You can send us an email, yourcheckuppod at gmail.com.
Go back and listen to our otherepisodes if you wish.
But most importantly, stayhealthy, my friends.
Until next time, I'm Ed Delesky.
SPEAKER_03 (23:43):
I'm Nicole Rufo.
SPEAKER_00 (23:44):
Thank you and goodbye.
SPEAKER_03 (23:45):
Bye.
SPEAKER_00 (23:51):
This information may provide a brief overview of
diagnosis, treatment, andmedications.
It's not exhaustive and is atool to help you understand
potential options about yourhealth.
It doesn't cover all detailsabout conditions, treatments, or
medications for a specificperson.
This is not medical advice or anattempt to substitute medical
advice.
You should contact a healthcareprovider for personalized
guidance based on your uniquecircumstances.
(24:13):
We explicitly disclaim anyliability relating to the
information given or its use.
This content doesn't endorse anytreatments or medications for a
specific patient.
Always talk to your healthcareprovider for a complete
information tailored to you.
In short, I'm not your doctor.
I am not your nurse.
And make sure you go get yourown checkup with your own
personal doctor.
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