Former Republican Senator Bill Frist on How Climate Is a Health Issue
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist wants everyone to know that the climate crisis is a health crisis. 'After decades in medicine, in that operating room as a surgeon, and then 12 years in the United States Senate, and then a lot of time as a healthcare entrepreneur, I came to see something fundamental, that the health of our planet and our globe…and the health of the human being himself, we've regarded those as separate, when in truth, they are inseparable,' Frist said at the TIME Earth Awards in Manhattan on April 23.
Frist began his career as a physician and surgeon before joining the Senate in 1995. Since retiring, he's turned his focus to the climate crisis.
Now, he believes that to get people to connect with the climate crisis it has to be made personal. 'No one wants their child to develop asthma from polluted air, no one wants to watch a loved one suffer from a heatwave,' Frist said. 'When we view the Earth's health… through the lens of human health—we touch those individual hearts and minds and move people with that common language.'
Frist said his experience advocating—and seeing meaningful change—on big issues like reducing smoking, controlling HIV, and slashing childhood traffic fatalities, has shown him that climate action is possible—as long as people come together with a shared goal. And the will is there: 70% of Americans recognize climate change as a serious concern.
He urged doctors and nurses to 'be the messengers' of the climate crisis. 'It's those healers and doctors and nurses who are on the front lines. It's them responding to the health impacts of the natural disasters that we know are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity, the spreading of diseases from deforestation and the changing climates that we know all are occurring, and the repercussions of polluted water and soil on health.'
He closed out his speech with a message to 'lead with health.' 'Because in the end, it isn't just about saving the planet.' Frist said. 'It is about saving lives and saving people.'
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4 hours ago
- Yahoo
"Maintaining Strong Bones Has Less To Do With Drinking Tons Of Milk": Experts Are Sharing What To Foods May Negatively Impact Your Bone Density
My grandmother has osteoporosis, along with 10 million other Americans diagnosed with the disease and 43 million others with low bone mass. Not wanting to follow in her hobbled footsteps, the rest of the women in the family are taking precautions, including consuming the recommended amount of calcium (more isn't necessarily better), adding weight-bearing exercises to our exercise regimens and attending regular doctor checkups. But according to orthopedic specialists, protecting and maintaining strong bones has less to do with drinking tons of milk (those Got Milk campaigns certainly had their intended effect) and more to do with avoiding foods and beverages that can impact our bone density. Folks concerned about osteoporosis often add calcium and vitamin D to their diets, but these supplements could hurt your bone health rather than help if not taken as needed. Dr. Liz Matzkin, associate professor at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in Boston, explained: 'Although calcium and Vitamin D is important to maintain bone health, exceeding the recommended doses per day can backfire and be harmful rather than beneficial. Calcium and vitamin D requirements are age dependent, so make sure you are aware of the optimal dose for you.' She advised that, for ages 50 and over, the recommendations are 1,000 milligrams per day of calcium and 800 to 1000 international units per day of vitamin D. Below, orthopedic surgeons and specialists share the foods they avoid to help lessen their risk of osteoporosis. Alcohol Related: This Picky Eater Showdown Will Be Tough For People Without Refined Palates We don't blame you if you're totally confused about whether alcohol is a healthy or unhealthy addition to your diet. Whether you've heard it's beneficial for heart health or are concerned about its effect on the liver, Matzkin cautions that sipping a few glasses of pinot or chugging lagers can negatively affect bone health. 'An increased consumption of alcohol can alter the body's ability to absorb important nutrients that are actually beneficial to bone health, such as calcium, vitamin D and magnesium,' she explained. While calcium and vitamin D often get the spotlight in this area, our sex hormones, like testosterone in men and estrogen in women, are also critical for ensuring strong bones. Angelina Waller, a physician assistant at Advanced Orthopedics in Denver, explained that alcohol 'slows the bone remodeling cycle and disrupts hormone levels.' If you do like to imbibe, Matzkin recommends no more than one alcoholic beverage per day (which is the maximum amount women should be drinking anyway, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Older folks and those who are at risk of bone breakage should be especially cautious. 'Lastly, if you consume too much alcohol, there is a higher risk of falling and injuring or fracturing a bone,' Matzkin said. A 2018 study found a link between alcohol consumption and hip fractures. Caffeine Related: If Your Fruit And Vegetable Knowledge Is Actually Good, Prove It By Getting 22/27 Of These Questions Right While America runs on coffee, it doesn't fuel our bones. And not just coffee. Add energy drinks, soda, tea and supplements or any product with caffeine to the hit list. Just like alcohol, the idea isn't abstention but moderation. 'Caffeine has been shown to increase calcium loss and decrease calcium absorption, both of which negatively influence bone health,' Matzkin said. 'Consider decaffeinated coffee or tea options if you just need something to warm you up or, even better, a tall glass of water.' The Food and Drug Administration recommends no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (about 4-5 cups of coffee), which is a good guideline to use for bone health too. The bone builder vitamin D is also affected by caffeine, which can interfere with absorption. 'Caffeine causes decreased calcium absorption and increased calcium loss in the urine,' Waller said. Soda, particularly cola, is also a culprit of bad bone health. A 2006 comparative study found that drinking cola (including diet versions!) was associated with significantly lower bone mineral density in women. The level of consumption is related to the problem: The more cola the women drank, the more significant its impact. 'Soda contains sugars and can also contain phosphoric acid and caffeine,' Matzkin said. 'All of which fail to have any health benefits and, if consumed in large quantities, will result in negative health consequences.' Wheat Bran It may come as a surprise that heart-healthy wheat bran can have a negative effect on bone health. 'Wheat bran has high levels of phytates, which can prevent calcium absorption,' Matzkin explained. Many people eat wheat bran because it's high in dietary fiber, which is essential for keeping you regular, decreasing heart disease and even preventing colon cancer, all important considerations for many Americans. Thankfully, if you're a consumer of oat bran (which is different from wheat bran), it doesn't have the same deleterious effects on bones as wheat bran, according to Matzkin, as it doesn't contain high levels of phytates. Phytates are a type of anti-nutrient naturally found in plants. Many of your favorite veggies and legumes (from kale and cabbage to beans and peanuts) contain compounds that reduce the absorption of other nutrients. Pseudoscience makes a big deal out of avoiding these compounds, but for the most part, there's no reason to avoid these otherwise-healthy foods. Beans, spinach and beets also contain anti-nutrients that can decrease calcium absorption, but soaking (in the case of dried beans) or cooking (for raw spinach and beets) lessens their impact, according to Waller. 'Beans and wheat bran contain phytates, and spinach and beets contain oxalates that decrease calcium absorption as they bind to the calcium,' she said. If you want to reduce the phytates in wheat bran, you can try soaking, sprouting or fermenting it. Since it has tons of other benefits, there's no need to completely remove it from your diet, just moderate your intake. 'As with almost all foods, moderation is key,' Matzkin said. 'No need to completely eliminate wheat bran from the diet, but understanding that it can affect [calcium] absorption should prompt supplementation with other [calcium]-rich foods.' Salt Whether your tastes run salty or sweet or salty-sweet, the white stuff is typically associated with high blood pressure rather than bone loss. But it really should be a consideration for bone health, especially for older and at-risk groups. 'Be aware of salt that can be hidden in meats, snacks and processed foods such as cold cuts,' Matzkin said. 'Consuming excessive amounts of salt (more than 2,300 milligrams per day) can lead to calcium loss from your bones.' According to a 2018 study by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, increased sodium consumption significantly increased the risk of osteoporosis. To put that in perspective, 2,300 milligrams per day is equal to 1 teaspoon of table salt, according to the FDA. On average, Americans are eating 1.5 times that amount. This post originally appeared on HuffPost. 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HIV/AIDS: Facts about the viral infection that attacks the immune system
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK FACTS ABOUT HIV What it is: A lifelong viral infection that weakens the immune system, if left untreated Prevention methods: Taking preventive medicines called PrEP, using condoms, and avoiding needle sharing Treatments: Medicines called antiretroviral therapy (ART) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a germ that causes a lifelong infection that slowly weakens the immune system. Though the infection is lifelong, medicines can keep the virus in check and help people reach lifespans of near-normal length. However, when people don't have access to those medicines, HIV infections progress to an advanced stage called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is fatal within about three years if not treated. When a person has AIDS, most of their key, disease-fighting immune cells are lost. This loss of immune protection leaves the person vulnerable to deadly infections and cancers. Although an HIV diagnosis was once a death sentence, scientists have developed treatments that suppress the virus and enable people to live long lives without transmitting the disease to others. Additionally, there are now effective preventive medications that can dramatically reduce the risk of getting HIV in the first place. There is not yet a widespread cure for HIV/AIDS, although a handful of people have been cured of the infection or are in long-term remission thanks to special stem-cell transplants, specially cell transplants from people who have genes that make them resistant to the virus. Scientists are exploring potential avenues for a cure, which could someday mean that people who contract HIV could be rid of the infection rather than having to take medication for life to manage the disease. HIV/AIDS remains a major public health threat worldwide, with an estimated 39.9 million people living with the disease at the end of 2023. Around 630,000 people died from illnesses related to AIDS the same year; by weakening the immune system, AIDS opens the door to these fatal diseases. HIV can spread through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, although it's important to note that not all bodily fluids can transmit the virus. Bodily fluids that can spread HIV include blood, semen, preseminal fluid, vaginal secretions, breastmilk and rectal discharge (liquid from the anus that's not blood or stool). HIV is not transmitted through saliva, sweat or tears. It's also not spread through the air or through casual contact, such as hugging, shaking hands or sharing food. For transmission to occur, the bodily fluids containing HIV must come into contact with mucous membranes — tissues that line cavities in the body, like the vagina, anus or mouth. The fluids can also transmit HIV when they come into contact with cuts or sores, or when they're introduced to the bloodstream via contaminated needles, for instance. Most people who contract HIV get it through unprotected anal or vaginal sex — meaning sex without a condom or without HIV-preventing medications. People can also contract the virus by sharing the equipment used to inject drugs, such as needles or syringes. Babies can get HIV in the womb, during childbirth or from breastfeeding, if their mother has HIV. People living with HIV who take medicines called ART can suppress the virus to the point that it can't spread via sex. These "virally suppressed" people also have a much lower chance of transmitting HIV to their kids via pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. They are also less likely to spread the virus via shared injection equipment, although experts aren't sure exactly how much the risk is reduced. The symptoms of HIV vary depending on how far the disease has progressed. The virus can spread from one person to another at any stage of the infection, unless the infected person is taking ART and has reached "viral suppression" (see glossary). The initial stage is called "acute HIV infection." Within two to four weeks of contracting the virus, many people develop a flu-like illness involving symptoms like fever, headache, rash and sore throat. These symptoms can last from a few days to a few weeks. Some people have no symptoms at this stage, however. The viral load, or amount of HIV in the blood, at this stage is very high. The second stage of the disease is "chronic HIV infection," during which the virus continues to multiply but at a slower speed than during acute infection. This stage is also called "clinical latency" or "asymptomatic HIV infection," as many people don't feel sick during it. People can remain in this stage of the disease for 10 to 15 years, though some pass through it more quickly. As the virus multiplies, levels of an important type of immune cell — CD4 T lymphocytes — decline. Without treatment, the disease will eventually enter its most advanced stage: AIDS. This can come with a wide range of symptoms, including rapid weight loss; recurring fever; night sweats; extreme tiredness; prolonged swelling of the lymph nodes; diarrhea; sores of the mouth, anus or genitals; and blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose or eyelids. It can also trigger neurological problems, like memory loss. AIDS raises the risk of severe bacterial infections and cancers, including lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma. It can also worsen viral infections, such as hepatitis B and mpox. Without any treatment, people with AIDS typically survive about three years. HIV and AIDS are related, in that AIDS is the most advanced stage of an HIV infection, and therefore, the HIV virus causes both conditions. AIDS can also be called a "stage 3 HIV infection." AIDS is defined in part by a very low CD4 count of fewer than 200 CD4 cells per cubic millimeter (mm3) of blood. Generally speaking, the CD4 counts of healthy teens and adults are around 500 to 1,200 cells/mm3. Anything below 500 cells/mm3 is considered low, and 200 cells/mm3 marks the threshold for an AIDS diagnosis. Doctors also diagnose AIDS by considering a patient's history of "AIDS-defining illnesses." These are medical conditions often seen in people with AIDS because their immune systems can't fight the illnesses off. They include "opportunistic" infections — those caused by germs that wouldn't necessarily harm a person with a well-functioning immune system. Such infections include a fungal infection called extrapulmonary cryptococcosis, recurrent blood infections with Salmonella bacteria, the parasitic infection toxoplasmosis, and lower respiratory infections caused by the herpes simplex virus. The bacterial disease tuberculosis poses a major risk to people with AIDS, and it is currently the leading cause of death for people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. AIDS-defining illnesses also include cancers such as Kaposi's sarcoma, Burkitt's lymphoma and invasive cervical cancer. Others include HIV encephalopathy, which affects brain function, and HIV wasting syndrome, which causes extreme weight loss and weakness. Complications of AIDS-defining illnesses raise the risk of death, but the degree of risk varies among diseases. At all three stages of the infection, HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) — combinations of medications that drive down the amount of HIV in the blood. Different ART drugs work in different ways to keep the amount of virus, or viral load, in check. They are available as daily pills or as shots given periodically throughout the year, depending on the person's treatment plan. It's key for patients to take their medication as prescribed, because missing pills or shots can open the door for the virus to multiply, as well as develop drug resistance, which causes the medication to work less well. ART medications can also interact with other drugs and carry some risk of serious side effects, so patients work with their medical providers to figure out which drug combination is best for them. The goal of ART is "viral suppression," which describes when a person's viral load falls low enough that there are 200 or fewer copies of the virus's genetic material per milliliter (mL) of blood. Historically, tests weren't sensitive enough to detect levels of HIV below that threshold, so doctors called this level "undetectable." Studies also found that people who reach viral suppression can't transmit the virus via sex; have a lower chance of spreading the virus through pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding; and likely have a lower chance of spreading it through needle sharing. This is why the slogan "undetectable equals untransmittable," or "U = U," was coined. Nowadays, some tests for HIV are extremely sensitive, so they can detect viral loads significantly below 200 copies/mL. However, experts emphasize that 200 copies/mL is still the critical threshold at which transmission risk becomes extremely low. If a person with HIV/AIDS develops another medical condition, such as an AIDS-defining illness, the individual would receive treatment for that condition in addition to their ART regimen. There is no widespread cure for HIV/AIDS. However, a handful of people have been cured of their HIV infections through stem cell transplants, and a few more are considered "potentially" cured via the same process. Stem cells can develop into different types of cells in the body. In certain cancers that affect blood cells, stem cell transplants can be used to replace the cells lost in the course of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. Each individual who has been cured of HIV also had one of these cancers, so their doctors searched for stem cell donors who carry a rare gene that makes them resistant to HIV infection. By swapping in cells from an HIV-resistant individual, the procedure essentially locks the virus out of the patient's CD4 cells. There is one exception to this rule: A person known as the "Geneva patient" was potentially cured of HIV after a stem cell transplant, but the donor didn't have this special genetic resistance. It's unclear exactly why the man entered long-term remission from the infection after this procedure, but scientists are investigating. There have also been a couple of cases in which people's own immune systems somehow rallied against the virus and controlled it without treatment; these people are known as "elite controllers." Scientists hope to learn from both the stem cell recipients and from elite controllers to discover cures that could reach far more people with HIV/AIDS. Meanwhile, some researchers are exploring the use of gene-editing tools like CRISPR to cure the infection, while others are investigating the use of drugs and modified immune cells. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) – Combinations of medications that lower the amount of HIV in a person's blood. These drugs, given as pills or shots, prevent the viral infection from progressing to AIDS and dramatically lower a person's risk of complications and of transmitting the virus to others. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – Medicines that people at risk of being exposed to HIV take to prevent the infection. Viral load – The amount of HIV in a person's blood. This is measured in terms of the number of HIV RNA molecules — the virus's genetic material — found in a milliliter of blood. It's an important way to measure how well ART is working. Viral suppression – When a person's viral load falls to 200 copies/mL or lower. Viral suppression is the goal of ART, as it both lowers a person's likelihood of spreading the virus and extends their lifespan by preventing the infection from progressing to AIDS. CD4 T lymphocyte – A type of white blood cell that helps coordinate the actions of other immune cells to fight infections. HIV infects CD4 cells and uses them to multiply while the virus depletes the number of CD4 cells in the body. Image 1 of 4 In the 1980s and 1990s, groups organized "die-ins" to protest the lack of U.S. government attention to the ongoing HIV/AIDS crisis. Die-ins were also conducted to push for support for research to uncover effective treatments and, once treatments were discovered, to demand that those drugs be released to the public. The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power — known as ACT UP — was a major force behind such protests and remains an active organization today. Image 2 of 4 Kaposi's sarcoma, an example of an AIDS-defining illness, characteristically causes big, purple patches or nodules to appear on the skin and mucous membranes. Image 3 of 4 The public health slogan "U = U," depicted on this sign, refers to the fact that people living with HIV who have undetectable viral loads cannot transmit the virus to others via sex. It stands for "undetectable = untransmittable." Image 4 of 4 The "Berlin patient," pictured here, was the first person cured of HIV via a stem cell transplant. His name was later revealed to be Timothy Ray Brown. Brown went on to launch a foundation under his name that was dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS. We could end the AIDS epidemic in less than a decade. Here's how. In a 1st, HIV vaccine triggers rare and elusive antibodies in humans Nearly 3 million extra deaths by 2030 could result from HIV funding cuts, study suggests
Forbes
9 hours ago
- Forbes
Stressed, Scrolling On Social, And Stuck? Here's What To Do About It.
Have you ever found your focus and your mood completely derailed after getting sucked into a social media scrolling session? Maybe it started innocently enough with something like researching vacation destinations. Maybe you went looking for a dinner recipe. Or maybe you found yourself going down a rabbit hole looking up physical or mental health symptoms you've been having. Social media scrolling has been linked to poorer mental and physical health and decreased work ... More productivity. LifeStance Health recently surveyed over 1,000 U.S. adults to uncover how being constantly online connectivity impacts Americans' mental well-being and relationships. One of the most startling findings was that so many participants reported relying on social media for mental health advice, despite concerns about its credibility, with a whopping 50% of Gen Z-ers self-diagnosing mental health conditions based on social media content (but sometimes hesitating to actually seek professional help afterwards). And then before you know it, forty-six minutes have passed and you're totally overstimulated, treading water in a puddle of your own stress-sweat and you somehow need to get yourself back on track so you can get on with your day. As becoming 'chronically online' has become the norm for so many, this can play a big role in wellbeing. 26% of respondents shared that they check social media within five minutes of waking up, and the same portion spends four hours or more daily on social media. Gen Z (45%) and millennial respondents (39%) were found to be the most likely to be constantly connected, compared to Gen X (25%) and baby boomer (14%) respondents. These social media time-sucks and mood-dips can be disruptive no matter what time of day or night they occur, but when they hit in the middle of your day, it can significantly throw you off course. Here, experts share their insights and tips for how to cope when you're overstimulated by social media. Health experts agree that spending too much time on social media can have a negative impact on ... More overall wellbeing. Dr. Caroline Fleck, a psychologist and author of Validation, quips, 'If i wanted to set up conditions that would lead someone to develop major depression disorder, I'd have them lie down, limit their sunlight exposure, and put them in a space where it's very easy to compare themselves to other people—social media offers all of those things.' According to Srini Pillay, M.D., a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, chief medical officer of Reulay and author of 'Tinker Dabble Doodle Try: Unlock the Power of The Unfocused Mind', being chronically online can cause severe cognitive decline. He cites a March 2025 article published in Brain Science indicating that excessive exposure to low-quality digital content, especially through social media and video platforms, causes a phenomenon known as 'brain rot'—a term recently crowned Oxford's Word of the Year. 'Symptoms include emotional numbness or fogginess, memory issues, poor decision-making, and a distorted sense of self—fueled by dopamine-driven feedback loops that keep users locked in.' Other researchers have found that chronic online users usually multitask and get side-tracked by constant notifications, which can lead to poor attention, memory, and decision-making, he adds. Physical health issues like increases in inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), more physical symptoms and more visits to a doctor or health center for physical illness have also been noted in research. 'While social media can foster connection and provide emotional support, especially for marginalized groups,' explains Dr. Pillay, it is also linked to a range of potential health challenges. These include increased risk of anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and body dissatisfaction—especially among girls—largely due to social comparison, problematic use, and content exposure.' He adds that excessive use may displace vital health-promoting activities 'like sleep, physical activity, and real-world social interaction.' The neglect of physical health can contribute to or exacerbate mental health issues. And by the way, this isn't just impacting individual wellbeing. Pillay, who is also a leadership development expert who works with Fortune 500 companies to help them build more resilient, agile, creative and productive teams, shares that according to research from McKinsey & Co., employee disengagement and attrition could cost a median-size S&P 500 company between $228 million and $355 million a year in lost productivity. 'Over five years, that's at least $1.1 billion in lost value per company. The multitasking that occurs while working and engaging social media may slow people down, hamper creativity, and increase anxiety, thereby impacting engagement.' Taking breaks and getting outside can help you get back on track with your day after a disruptive ... More scrolling session. Prentis Hemphill, a therapist focused on embodiment and the author of What It Takes to Heal, encourages starting by acknowledging how social media is actually designed to hijack your attention. 'I think it's good for us to know and understand that the design of social media has us consuming a lot of information and experiences of other people, but the speed at which we can do that doesn't align with the speed at which our body processes emotion and experiences. So if we end up in that scrolling vortex, we usually experience some kind of overwhelm.' That information about your mental state gives you a starting place. 'Once we notice we're triggered or overwhelmed, that's a time to take a step back.' They encourage checking in with yourself about exactly what you're feeling. 'This can give you clues as to which actions you can take. Discern exactly what it is you feel.' When we recognize what we're feeling and what's contributing to the uncomfortable feelings, explains Dr. Fleck, 'we get some information about what the antidote would be.' In many cases, she says, the inverse can be helpful. If you're scrolling inside, get outdoors, if you're in a climate with sun. 'You can even just sit outside without your phone.' Or if you've been sitting down while scrolling, 'flip that on its head and get some movement. These are just some physiological ways of regulating your body.' Considering how social media impacts your thoughts is also helpful, she says. 'On social media, you're being told to buy this and do that. You're getting the fundamental messaging that you're not enough. Self-validation is so important. You can say to yourself, 'I don't need anything other than what I am and what I have. I am enough.' You can validate, of course I'm feeling bad—I'm comparing myself to people who are photoshopped to the nth degree. Recognize that it's a distorted reality.' Sometimes being honest with yourself about what you're looking for on social media can also offer valuable clues, explains Dr. Fleck. 'If you're getting into scrolling while you're working, most likely what you need in that moment is a break from the mental stimulation of the work you're doing.' However, instead of giving ourselves a break, we flood our nervous system with these messages, she says, 'and it makes us feel keyed up and burnt out at the same time. Instead of restoring our faculties, we've exhausted them. So if the function is to regulate or distract, if you notice this pattern more than once, it becomes about, 'What can I do' to change this pattern.' Hemphill adds, 'Carving out some time and space to be with your focus and train your focus as best you can makes it a little easier to you do have to refocus or shift, having a mini ritual, such as a mini meditation, to help you be intentional about that transition to where you're back in the driver's seat of your attention can help you. A lot of us don't transition back—our minds are still in that other space but we have work to do. This helps us get back into our bodies.' Some other examples they share are taking a deep breath and going outside to connect with nature and your body. Dr. Pillay adds that deliberately seeking positive online experiences can help in the shrt term too. 'For example, if laughing babies make a person happy, they might search for a video online to switch their mood instantly. Or if a particular song puts them in a better mood, they might listen to that song immediately.' He also points to a study that demonstrated that affirming one's values is rewarding to the brain. 'This works especially if you think about what you want to honor in the future.' Your mindset around social media has been shown to play a role in how it impacts you. Dr Fleck encourages being honest with yourself about why you're scrolling. To go back to the example of someone looking up symptoms, she says, 'When we look up symptoms on social media, sometimes we're seeking some degree of, 'Is there anybody out there who's feeling what I feel?' What we're seeking there is some signal that what we're going through is real and overwhelming and hard. But that isn't always the type of validation that serves us. It would be so much healthier to have someone to talk to rather than validation that things are as bad as they seem.' If you've noticed that some people you know will tell you they find social media uplifting while others find it draining, the reason for that likely lies within, explains Dr. Pillay. 'Recent research suggests the answer lies not in the platforms themselves, but in the mindsets we bring to them. In a large-scale, multi-study investigation involving over 2,000 participants, scientists introduced the concept of social media mindsets—core beliefs about how much control people feel over their use and whether they view it as helpful or harmful to their lives.' 'The study found that people with a sense of agency and a positive outlook on social media's role in their lives tend to enjoy greater psychological and relational well-being,' he says. 'In contrast, those who feel out of control and believe social media harms them report higher levels of distress.' Those who felt like they could control when they scrolled and could take a break whenever they wanted fared better than those who felt like it was out of their control. 'As you rethink your digital health behaviors,' says Dr. Pillay, 'consider that changing your mindset may just change your relationship with social media—and yourself. Health experts recommend setting healthy boundaries with social media and building in restorative ... More daily practices. The Lifestance survey data reflects that an increasing number of people are considering using digital detoxes as ways to disconnect, with 76% of respondents reporting that they find the idea of a digital detox appealing, with Gen Z (84%) and millennial (83%) respondents most interested compared to respondents from other generations. Over a quarter of respondents stated that they actually believe a permanent TikTok ban would positively impact their mental health. 'I think these questions of how we manage social media in our lives are so important,' says Hemphill. 'I think it's so important for us to have identities and lives that are full beyond social media.' They encourage exploring how you can cultivate a sense of autonomy when we have such strong algorithms driving negative emotions like insecurity and fear. Hemphill recommends designating specific times and spaces for social media. 'Setting blocks of time can help you set a reliable place and time where you know you can go in and come out. There are also places that are sacred spaces. I don't scroll on social media when I'm with my kid or my partner. I also try to have other practices during my day and hold certain spaces sacred where social media can't enter. You can also fill out your own social media experience with the types of content you want to see.' Matthew Solit, LCSW, Executive Clinical Director at LifeStance Health, adds, 'Be careful with online mental health content and self-diagnosis. While it may seem more comfortable, it is not reliable. Wellness takes work and that work is most likely actualized through working in direct partnership with mental health professionals. The mental health challenges that can be fueled by excessive internet use, 'doom-scrolling' and overstimulation are real. If your thoughts involve harming yourself or others, please seek help immediately.'
