In Episode 81, Dr. Dan and Dr. Huber tackle a tough and essential teen parenting topic: the link between social media and depression.  

Dr. John Huber is the Chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a non-profit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues.  Dr. Huber has been a mental health professional for over twenty years (including working as a school psychologist) and has worked with children, families, teens, adults, and veterans.  He is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and a practitioner with privileges at two long term acute care hospitals. Dr. Huber has appeared on over three hundred top tier radio shows (NBC Radio, CBS, Fox News Radio) and thirty national television programs (ABC, NBC, Spectrum News). In addition Dr. Huber is the host of “Mainstream Mental Health Radio” which is heard nationwide and features interviews with today’s top mental health professionals.

Today’s episode is inspired by a recent study stating that "Social Media Use [is] Linked To Depression Among Teens" and that social media use plus screen time can lead to an increase in depression and anxiety among teens and adolescents. In the study, researchers measured how much time students spent in front of social media, television and computers. The data revealed the more time kids spent engrossed in digital screens, their symptoms of anxiety and depression became more severe.

 Dr. Dan talks to Dr. Huber about the study, depression among teens, teen behaviors, and how social media affects their mental health.  They focus on questions and topics including:

What are some things parents can look out for if they think their child is depressed?

What anxiety looks like vs. depression in teens that are struggling? How are they related?

How do you think that social media has changed the way people interact with each other and develop relationships with each other?  

Common red flags in teen behavior such as: isolation, decrease in eye contact, irritability, and more.

How do you think the way that information flows in social media deviates from the way it did in previous traditional societies?  And related: should you monitor your teen’s digital world? Should you limit a teen’s screen time? How can you let your teen self-regulate but also be involved?

Many people are taught to be wary of mental health labels. Dr. Huber works to reduce the stigma of “mental health” treatment. His goal is to empower the young person to make positive changes in his/her life before a crisis evolves.  In particular his work changes lives and helps our children break the stigma (and even shame) of mental health and seek treatment proving that we can all embrace each other and our differences as part of the human condition.

The show ends with Dr. Huber’s great Parent Footprint moment about his own childhood.

Watch this free video to learn more about Dr. Dan and Parent Footprint Awareness Training®.