In this podcast episode, Tara welcomes Dr. Joel “Gator” Warsh, a pediatrician and advocate for holistic health and integrative medicine. They discuss the impact of excessive screen time and social media on mental health, particularly in children and teenagers.

Drawing from a study by Sapien Labs, Dr. Joel explains how the study found a correlation between the age of first smartphone and poorer mental health outcomes, such as self-harm. He likens the situation to the historical shift in attitudes towards smoking, urging us to address the issue of excessive screen time and social media use among children and teenagers. Dr. Warsh explains how dopamine plays a large part in device addiction and how to seek out dopamine naturally. 

Dr. Warsh also shares practical tips on how parents can set boundaries for their children's device usage. From having designated phone-free times to encouraging other hobbies, he provides a roadmap for parents to navigate this digital age. He also discusses the issue of poor posture caused by screen time and suggests exercises and ergonomic adjustments to mitigate the problem.

If you’re struggling with screen time in your home, you should listen to this episode!

Links:

www.instagram.com/@drjoelgator

www.raisingamazingplus.com

https://sapienlabs.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Sapien-Labs-Age-of-First-Smartphone-and-Mental-Wellbeing-Outcomes.pdf

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