Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
Hello,
I am Dr. Marie Beatrice Hyppolite. I hold a doctorate in Health Science with emphasis on Global Health and master’s degree in social work. I have over 14 years of experience in the field of health and human services.
This podcast is primarily focused on mental health and the quality-of-life elements that affect it such as divorce, death, domestic violence, trauma, toxic relationships, and single parenthood to name a few. It is no secret that mental health challenges continue to profoundly impact modern society although not enough discussion is given due to stigma. Research has shown an increase of 25 % in mental health crises after COVID-19. It is important to have honest, uncomfortable conversations about mental health while being supportive. Although we are interdependent, change begins with the individual, hence “your world.”
I welcome you to join me on my journey and look forward to your responses.
Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
The Digital Divide: Social Media's Impact on Youth
The digital landscape has fundamentally transformed how young people interact, communicate, and develop their sense of self—with profound implications for their mental wellbeing. This eye-opening conversation with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolit and returning guest Marc Bonhomme explores the complex relationship between social media and youth mental health through both personal observation and compelling research.
Remember when teenagers gathered in rooms and actually talked to each other? Today, those same social scenarios find young people physically present but mentally absent, each absorbed in their digital devices. This shift hasn't merely changed social dynamics—it's rewired how an entire generation thinks, feels, and connects. As Mr. Bonhomme poignantly observes, "The currency of the 21st century is essentially attention, and people will do anything for it now." This pursuit of validation through likes and comments creates a dopamine-driven cycle that shapes behavior in increasingly concerning ways.
The statistics tell a troubling story: 90% of teens report social media negatively impacts their mental health, with girls 25% more likely than boys to experience these effects. Sleep disruption, diminished productivity, cyberbullying, and declining confidence levels represent just a few of the challenges young people face in navigating digital spaces. Yet the picture isn't entirely bleak—social media also provides creative outlets and connection opportunities that many teens value. The key question becomes how to maximize these benefits while protecting vulnerable developing minds.
Parents play a crucial role in this digital balancing act. Our conversation emphasizes the necessity of active monitoring, implementing appropriate controls, and maintaining open dialogue about online experiences. "I would recommend that every parent just have a continuous dialogue," Bonhomme advises, "keeping the door of communication open." In an age where even toddlers have access to tablets and smartphones, this vigilance has never been more important. Join us for this essential discussion about safeguarding our children's mental health in the digital age—and discover practical strategies to help them thrive both online and off.
Hello everyone, I'm Dr Beatrice Ippolit and this is your World. Hello everyone, this is Dr Beatrice Ippolit, with you again for a brand new episode with your World. Today we have the privilege to have our friends back to the studio. Mr Mark Bonham, you know this is your third time on the show.
Speaker 2:That is correct and again, it is an honor.
Speaker 1:Welcome back.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:So today we want to talk on a very specific subject, a subject that many people talk about, a subject that is very significant to parents and everybody in society, if I may put it that way, and we want to talk today about the impact of social media on youth mental health, and we have Mr Bonhomme with us today to kind of help us bring light on that subject.
Speaker 2:You have the mic, mr, mr bono thank you again for having me on your show, doctor. It's always a pleasure. Um, let me just begin by saying, uh, as someone who spent a lot of time on this planet without social media, I can really see the difference in terms of how it is impact and how it has shaped the psyche of of our society. And, uh, and how it has shaped the psyche of our society, and I would say, in some ways, the results have been very mixed, a lot of it unfortunately negative. I think that there are things that we're seeing in terms of behaviors, in terms of attitudes now, that are being shaped by social media, that are not always wholesome, and so one thing that I recall is that when I was a kid, you'd have a group of six or seven teenagers in the room and they would all be engaged with each other. They'd all be talking to each other, they'd all be interacting, and this was all very healthy. But now you get those same teenagers in a room and everyone is just staring down at their devices, everyone's staring down at their phones.
Speaker 2:So what's happening here? So we're seeing this big shift in terms of social behavior, or less socialization, and people becoming more introverted. Okay, now, I'm a natural introvert. That's not an issue for me. But when I'm in a social situation, I can still socialize, I can still navigate, but what I'm seeing now more and more with young people is a diminishing of social skills, young people that don't even understand the basics of socializing. I mean, it's really something when I'm standing in a public place and there's a young person who's standing in front of me who doesn't even know how to respect my personal space, because this was something that he never learned. So oftentimes what's happening now is young people, sadly, are being raised by the images and the ideas that they're receiving from social media, and this is not proving to be very healthy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you mentioned something that is very important, referring when you used to be a child, the way that you used to interact with other kids.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And even during summertime, so you will see a lot of kids outside playing with each other.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:So now it's like, even when you see kids outside, they will be either with a tablet or a phone or, if they are in the same room, everybody will be playing a game. So it's like we may be together in the same room, but we're not interacting with each other.
Speaker 2:Exactly.
Speaker 1:So it's very sad, and not even with kids. You know the focus today is going to be on youth, but adults as well.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:It's like you know nowadays. So you go to a restaurant or somebody invites you to hang out, so by the time you make it to the place, everybody you know have their phone ready to scroll through and be on TikTok or Facebook, instagram and you name it.
Speaker 2:Yes, and this behavior has become so commonplace that when originally people behaved this way, it was considered rude, but now it's so commonplace that people now expect this behavior. But one of the things that I have concerns with is what social media has basically given us is it's given us a whole new currency, right, and I believe that the currency of the 21st century is essentially attention and people will do anything for it now.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's not even about the money anymore, it's about the likes, it's about the attention and it's almost like this dopamine rush that people are getting when they know that everyone is watching their content.
Speaker 1:And when they post something on social media. If they didn't get the amount of likes that they were expecting to have or to receive, they will be complaining about it. That's right. That's right, or to receive.
Speaker 2:They will be complaining about it. That's right. That's right. And I'll give you a surefire sign that social media has definitely changed the way people interact and engage. You take someone like former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Right, mike Tyson is enjoying a plane ride, he's minding his business, and then this guy comes up behind him, sitting in the seat behind him, and begins to harass him. Now there was a time when people knew not to do that with Mike Tyson. They knew that his hands were registered lethal weapons and not to bother this guy. So the guy keeps pestering Mike Tyson to the point where Tyson reacts. And clearly he was doing this because he was recording it and trying to get attention on social media. Okay, now right.
Speaker 2:It's very sad because now people are doing things that put themselves at risk and they'll do anything just to get the attention. So now we have people like that. We have people that go around pranking people and sometimes pranking people in the worst ways. I mean, I've seen prank videos where people are walking up to someone's significant other and touching them and things like that, which of course, you're gonna have fights breaking out over that, you know while you may have a zillion of likes on on whichever social media that you decide to post that yes but while you're doing it, so you don't know the amount of danger that you are putting yourself into Absolutely, and so these people don't care about the risks that they're taking.
Speaker 2:All they want is that attention, and it just seems to be the thing that people are getting off on now.
Speaker 1:Based on the research that we've conducted and the statistics, it's very significant on the outcome of the actual subject Right, right, right.
Speaker 2:Well, back to the subject, as far as how social media hits, impacts adolescents. We've seen a lot of not only behavioral but mental health issues arise from this right, like anxiety, depression, young people becoming more socially withdrawn. Okay, because one thing that happens with social media is that when you're looking at other people and what they're doing, mind you, these are people just putting their best foot forward. They're only showing you the positive aspects of their lives, and sometimes they'll even exaggerate, so you'll think that someone is living this perfect life and then, unconsciously, you may begin comparing yourself to that person and as you compare yourself to that person and maybe you have certain shortcomings that you perceive that you don't think that your life is as good as theirs you begin to feel depressed.
Speaker 2:Okay, and this is what's happening with a lot of young people now. They'll see their best friend or their friends living their best lives and thinking that they're somehow missing out, right, and that's what they also call it. They call it what is it? Fmo fear of missing out Right, or FOMO? It's called FOMO fear of missing out. So there's this fear that people have and this is both with young people as as well as adults where other people living better than they are and they're not living up to their true potential and which is not a good thing yes you know, and quickly let me go through all the negative impacts, and positive aspects as well, of the problem.
Speaker 1:So, according to research, social media impact on youth mental health is a very complex issue with both positive and negative impacts. So we're going to go quickly through the statistics for the negative impact, if we were to consider that first. So mental health concern and 90% of teens say social media has hurt their mental health, with girls 25% more likely than boys, which is 14%. Sleep disturbance 45 percent of teens say social media platform hurts the amount of sleep they get. Of course, the amount is always higher among girls compared to boys. For girls it's 50 percent while it is 40% for boys.
Speaker 2:Not to stop you for a minute, but why do you think it might be higher with girls?
Speaker 1:I think emotionally, girls tend to react different compared to boys.
Speaker 2:Okay, I would say that's true, but I would also say it's also because girls in general are more social. They depend more on social validation. That's very important to them and so oftentimes when that's lacking, it can create serious problems. I mean, we've heard of the mean girls phenomenon, right, where if you have a girl who's placed in an environment like a high school or wherever where a lot of the girls are very hostile towards her, that that could cause a real problem for her. Okay, very important, but she doesn't feel accepted.
Speaker 1:That's the validation you know. So they are seeking for that validation and there is no guarantee, when you put yourself out there, that you're going to have, you're going to get it that you'll be accepted? You know, some people may choose to validate you by giving you their likes hey, you're pretty, you're cute or what have you. But some people may like you know who cares.
Speaker 1:That's right, that's right and some people may choose to be mean, even if you tend to post something that is very delightful or beautiful. But if somebody choose to be mean, there's nothing you can do about it. There is nothing that you can do about it and unfortunately, we have young people who will take you know. So it's crazy. And productivity and confidence 40% of teens report that social media hurts their productivity and 34% say it affects their confidence. Cyberbullying 40% of teens have encountered abusive behaviors online, including cyberbullying and threats.
Speaker 2:Now let me touch on that for a minute, because I recall, before social media there was no such thing as cyber bullying, it was just bullying. And when I was a kid, bullying meant that someone literally came up to you okay and punched you in the mouth and took your lunch okay and stole your money or your sneakers punched you in the mouth and took your lunch okay and stole your money or your sneakers absolutely okay.
Speaker 2:This was considered bullying. And so to me, when I, when I even look at these terms like cyber bullying, how could you sit in front of a computer screen right and take what someone says that much to heart, when they're in no position to physically harm you? It really shows you how dependent we become on these devices on these machines Because emotionally, that will have an impact on you.
Speaker 1:You mentioned the physical aspect of it. You know when you were to be in school. But even there were kids who will be mean to you by using inappropriate words.
Speaker 2:Of course you know calling you ugly ugly.
Speaker 1:You know all type of names but those kids were physically.
Speaker 2:But those kids were physically in my presence. Those kids are physically in front of you.
Speaker 1:So I think it's going to impact you a lot more but physically, while they may just not to touch you, but verbally they could have hurt you very bad of course, and I think you know the cyber bullying term came along, the fact that, hey, you know you are. I think you know the cyber bullying term came along, the fact that, hey, you know you are doing it virtually, you know, using like a computer, a phone, a tablet and having people calling you names. People tend to be mean.
Speaker 1:Not only calling you names, but even creating memes, you know on social media because it's like recently I saw a clip from somebody I know who he basically was addressing the bullying that is being going on on social media, where people feel really comfortable to attack others Right, you know, and saying they even and sometimes have a second thought about it and not at all.
Speaker 1:And sometimes people who don't even have a second thought about it, not at all. And sometimes people don't even know you, mr B. Let's say, for example, my child may post something on the internet that you don't like, but that does not give you, or should not give you, any right, you know to just Well, that shouldn't compel me to react to it, right?
Speaker 2:Maybe I could just keep scrolling.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:But when you kind of like pause for a second and write mean things to address my comment that does, or my pause, or my comment that does not sit with your expectation One thing that we have to understand, you know it's like that's life that we have to understand. You know it's like that's that's life, as much as you probably will lack, a prefer for your expectation to be met.
Speaker 2:but the reality of life, you know, will show you the opposite of course you know, and it's okay for people to not always agree with you, right? To have a different point of view exactly yes that's how that's healthy, in my opinion.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's important, but I was conducting the research. They came out with some positive impacts of social media. They say social media create connection and creativity. Like 63% of teens say, social media gives them a place to show off their creative side and 74% feel more connected to their friends. That's one positive aspect. And they say the support system you know, 52% of teen who report social media makes them feel like they have people who can support them through rough times. So though they listed that as a positive aspect, I still have a question toward that.
Speaker 2:What's that?
Speaker 1:So my question is like those people that you feel connected with, those are the people that you never seen, them not even once in your life, them not even once in your life but you feel so connected and you feel that you can listen and be educated by them. Right? So I still have a question mark. I respect that's the result of research, but I still have a question mark you know next to it, right?
Speaker 2:I think that I I totally can see how a child could feel supported if they have, uh you know, friends, uh you know, online that they can talk to and interface with, but I still think, ultimately, it's no um substitute for a genuine live community composed of real people in real time, you know, because it's nothing like being in front of someone, being able to see their physical reactions when you communicate with them, as opposed to simply just typing messages on a screen, you know, and so, um, like I was telling you before, I think that a lot of the social deficits that we're seeing now are a result of children having less time interfacing with real, you know, in real time with people you know, even with their own siblings, absolutely, you know.
Speaker 1:So you see, like siblings who will not even bother to interact with other siblings while they they will spend the entire day you know, interacting with people they never met then and they will never encounter in in throughout their lifetimes exactly, and let me expound a little further.
Speaker 2:I think one of the problems also with social media is that, given that we've come a long way as far as technology goes, I think that we live in a society where we've gotten very accustomed to quick fixes, okay, Immediate gratification. So when people are engaging each other now it's not so much about developing a meaningful connection with someone as much as about being stimulated right, and so it's like people are always looking for that next dopamine hit. And when you get those likes and I remember there were clinical studies that where they actually found out that the likes were causing a dopamine rush- right, so each time you see those likes, they literally stimulate the brain in that
Speaker 1:way, so you know, so like I said, because that gave you the validation that you were seeking for.
Speaker 2:That's right. That's right. And this actually becomes addictive. So people are constantly posting more and more material so they can get likes and, like I said, I just think that what's happening now is that people have gotten moved away from genuine connection and are really more about just seeking constant stimulation, and I think this is one of the downsides of social media.
Speaker 1:It is. And to continue with the stats. So it say, girls are more likely to report negative experience on social media, including feeling overwhelmed by drama. So it's too much drama.
Speaker 1:Right right, you know so, and boys can be, you know, can do their own drama, but you see it more likely, you know, on the girl's side, yes, and then they suffer with the pressure. Like you just mentioned, black teens you have 49% of black teens who says that they use social media to get information about mental health and 34% say it makes them feel like they have a place to be creative. Right, my question now to you as much that those kids may find social media be very positive to them, I understand that mentally it's been taking a toll on their mental health. What role do you take, take, parents play or should play, into helping their own children?
Speaker 2:Well, I believe that any responsible parent okay should put controls on social media and if they don't have, like filters on their devices where they can control the type of content their child has access to, they should also have conversations with their child. I think quite often you have a lot of parents that simply leave the child with the device and let the child just do whatever he or she wants, and, of course, that's potentially very dangerous because you don't know what type of content that child is being exposed to and how it could be impacting them. So I think the parents need to take a more active role in terms of monitoring their child's social media interaction, their online behavior in general, and by putting tighter controls on that, I think that kids will have healthier outcomes.
Speaker 1:I'm glad that you mentioned that, because one thing that's been going on, you know, with social media, especially among, like, very young kids like three, two, even two, two, three, four, five years old, right toddler ages. So I understand. Sometimes as parents, we got caught with a zillion of activities to fulfill.
Speaker 2:Especially parents who work full time, right yeah.
Speaker 1:But you have way too often I've seen parents to get their peace or to be on social media themselves. Just throw that phone or that tablet to that child.
Speaker 2:Yes, and they use it as a pacifier. They use it as a pacifier.
Speaker 1:And that child will go through things. You know and you see the parents. They either get busy taking care of the house or they're on social media themselves, like I just mentioned prior. So while those little kids are on social media navigating only God knows- that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2:And there's nobody there to supervise them, right? So you don't know what type of content they're being exposed to and what type of ideas they're absorbing, and how they're even interpreting this information.
Speaker 2:Exactly, you know there was a time when inappropriate content, well before social media, could be concealed. It could you know, you could actually keep children away from it at one point. But now, given that children have access to every, any and everything now on their devices, that even if your child has a filter on their device, they have a friend who doesn't have a filter, so they're going to be exposed to inappropriate content whether you like it or not. So all you can do now as a parent is process with your child, have the conversations, have those tough conversations and, honestly, I feel sorry for a lot of parents today because there are a lot of very uncomfortable subjects that unfortunately they have to take on with their children now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so I believe it is important. It is vital for parents to have conversation with their kids. You know about it, so how you know. So it's like sometimes the kids may be dealing with the pressure of social media and never really took time to address that with their parents until when things really got to a place where they can do anything about it. That's when they're going to find out that their kids were dealing with this or that. So it's like we don't want it to be too late.
Speaker 2:Yes. So I would recommend that every parent just have a continuous dialogue, not just supervising their child in terms of their online activities, but just having an ongoing dialogue, having ongoing discussion and keeping the door of communication open, because sometimes parents will shut that door and then what happens is the child will then turn to their own devices, and then things get really messy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's very important. I really love that. So it's it's like be active, be proactive, if I may put it that way you know, into your kids life, because, at the end of the day, so as parents, our children should be our, our priorities, that's right we know kids, teenagers, they always try to try you, you know as teenagers.
Speaker 1:they'll test you to the core. And one thing about teenagers they always believe they know it all. Of course you know, so it's okay for them to feel that way. But just the fact that they feel that way it doesn't mean that I'm going to let you do things your way completely.
Speaker 2:Well, as a parent.
Speaker 1:it's your responsibility, that's my responsibility to reign them in to be there to make sure that I check everything. I don't want to be that controlling parent, but I will not leave you without being supervised. It's very important and one thing that I've seen with many kids, especially young kids 12, 13, 14 and up. They want to be on social media until three in the morning, until three in the morning, while the parents are sleeping and you have school the next day and you are on social media until three or four o'clock. Yes, that's a huge problem. It is a serious problem and that's why you know. I agree with you 100%.
Speaker 2:Where parents have to be more active into their children's lives, they have to be vigilant, because it's not just a matter of the child's mental or emotional health, but it's also a matter of safety, because one of the issues with social media is that, given that you know the Internet is a worldwide platform, okay, your child may be exposed to all kinds of predators. Okay, Exactly.
Speaker 2:And people who don't have the best intentions, and, before you know it, the child's inbox is blowing up with messages from all kinds of weirdos and they may be having conversations with these people, and before you know it, your child winds up missing and something happened.