This month, I have been contemplating the impact of technology on mental health. Recently, we have seen the emergence of BORG drinking, a trend stemming from social media in which college students consume gallon jugs filled with alcohol, caffeine, and electrolytes, which reportedly reduces hangovers. However, it carries the same risk as other forms of binge drinking and can result in dehydration and alcohol poisoning.
Social media can also be incredibly damaging to young people's body image, thanks to the prevalence of filters that radically alter people's faces and bodies. While these filters were originally used to add cat whiskers or other humorous and benign effects, they now enhance people's skin, widen their eyes, and create an unattainable beauty standard that affects the self-esteem of young people, especially girls.
However, technology can also be used to enhance mental health. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, could be used to support those with mental health concerns. Although it will never replace human-led therapy, it could begin to bridge the gap and make mental health care more accessible to those in need.
How do you feel about the impact of technology on mental health?
Monthly Blog Round-Up
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BORG drinking, which stands for blackout rage gallon, is a new social media trend that has emerged on college campuses. The new drink craze, which has spread primarily through Tik Tok, has parents and university staff concerned about the safety of young people who are trying it.
The BORG trend has swept across social media with reports that it reduces hangovers and keeps you more hydrated than other forms of alcohol consumption. However, health professionals have responded with concerns that it’s just another form of binge drinking.
Somatic experiencing therapy was developed specifically for the treatment of trauma, which is medically diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is caused by an experience or several experiences that are so overwhelming and distressing that a person is unable to cope. The traumatic event usually triggers the stress response known as fight, flight, or freeze. The stress response causes a number of somatic reactions: hormones such as cortisol are released; cardiac, digestive, and respiratory functions are adapted; and the heart rate changes.
Somatic therapy, also known as somatic experiencing therapy, treats mental and emotional health problems, including trauma, through the connection of mind and body. This embodied approach releases stress, tension, and trauma from the body.
Unlike many other treatments for mental health issues, such as cognitive behavioral (CBT) and dialectical therapies, somatic therapy integrates body-focused techniques and modalities such as meditation, dance, grounding, and breathwork into talk-therapy sessions.
Stress can be an incredibly powerful motivating force, sometimes pushing us to overcome things we couldn't imagine. However, it can also become damaging and unhelpful when it becomes chronic and affects day-to-day functions. This blog post focuses on the various ways in which chronic stress can affect our mental, emotional, and physical health.
We have all experienced stress in one way or another because it is a natural reaction to scary or overwhelming situations.
