Today we're joined again by Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, psychologist and one of the country’s foremost addiction and mental health experts, to discuss screen addiction and the dangers of screen time on our brains. We start off with some of the science of how screens affect our brains, hindering the development of our prefrontal cortex, and the social contagion aspect of social media with the rise of TikTok "ticks," trans anxiety, depression. Ultimately, Dr. Kardaras explains why what he calls "toxic psych metrics" are spiking. We also talk about the differences between television and tablets/phones and why screen time in the past had vastly less dramatic effects than screen time these days does. We discuss the rise in ADHD diagnoses, hyper-fragility, and forming our identities around the internet. What are the consequences of our reality being online, and is it too late for parents to correct their kids' screen time habits? We'll cover these questions and more.

You can get Dr. Kardaras' books here:

Digital Madness: How Social Media Is Driving Our Mental Health Crisis--and How to Restore Our Sanity

Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids - and How to Break the Trance

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Timecodes:

(01:08) Introduction to Dr. Kardaras

(01:53) Effects of screens on the brain

(11:10) TV vs. tablet effects / attention spans

(15:48) Delayed exposure & identity

(18:25) Generational differences & relationships

(27:55) Hyper-fragility & societal bipolar disorder

(35:50) Gender dysphoria / DID / affirmation

(45:14) What are the consequences of reality being online?

(48:15) Is it too late? & advice for parents

(53:54) After-interview thoughts

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Links:

New York Post: "How social media is literally making teens mentally ill" https://nypost.com/2022/09/17/how-social-media-is-literally-making-teens-mentally-ill-doctor/

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Relevant Episodes:

Ep 502 | Facebook Whistleblower: Dem Operative or Hero? | Guest: Rachel Bovard https://apple.co/3NGBxiI

Ep 740 | How Porn Changes the Brain, Kills Intimacy & Harms Society | Guest: Sam Black https://apple.co/42qCIai

Ep 779 | TikTok Is Spying on You: Here’s Why It Matters | Guest: Kara Frederick https://apple.co/3pbmgwj

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Ep 803 | The Science Behind Screen Addiction | Guest: Dr. Nicholas Kardaras | Part 2