Media consumption as a key component of wellness.

Livia Kent writes in “Editor’s Note” in the July/August, 2023 issue of the Psychotherapy Networker:

We all know social media inundates teens with images of “perfect” bodies and glittering social lives, while spewing comparisons and judgments like so much toxic confetti. How much does this play into rising rates of teen anxiety and depression, or the unprecedented rates of suicide and suicidal ideation? Dare I even ask that question? It seems too simple to place all the blame on social media, which, after all, has a salutary side.

My primary care physician at my annual physical back in 2010 asked me how my practice was going and whether the recession had affected it? I said, “No, but the impact of digital media is huge.”

Ms. Kent is referring in her Editor’s note to the impact of social media on teens because the July/August 2023 issue of the Psychotherapy Networker’s theme is “Facing The Teen Mental Health Crisis”. However I find the impact of the digital media is bigger on adults than it is on teens.

Many of my adult clients have mentioned how upset they are by the constant negativity in the media and some have said they are trying to cut down on their consumption of what they perceive as a toxic stew of continuous acrimony, recrimination, grievance and outrage.

Livia Kent’s statements in her Editor’s Note struck a chord with me because I recently read Cal Newport’s book, Digital Minimalism: Choosing A Focused Life In A Noisy World. Newport writes in the introduction to the book on page xi

 “I also learned about the negative impact of unrestricted online activity on psychological well-being. Many people I spoke to underscored social media’s ability to manipulate their mood.

Newport, Cal. Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World (p. xi). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

As psychotherapists we often talk with clients about the main ingredients necessary to maintain wellness such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, social connections, and mindfulness. How often do we mention media consumption?