by Responding to a Wall Street Journal op-ed asking whether today’s politics are making children depressed, a psychologist said that social unrest and unhealthy diets actually cause mental health problems.
“Children are like violins, and they play their parents’ stress,” said Dr. Daniel Amen to Unfiltered host Dan Bongino.
“With the societal turmoil and the political divide, there are a lot of very unhappy children and when you mix that with the incredibly horrible diets we feed kids today – just think of the Happy Meal – and the social media addiction, that you have, you see why anxiety, depression and suicide in children have increased so much.”
Bongino underscored the impact social media has had on the latest generation, the first to essentially grow up with its ubiquity all their lives, and questioned what harmful effects it could have on children.
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Statues of the Democratic Mule and Republican Elephant symbolize America’s two-party political system in front of the Willard Hotel. (Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Bongino referred to public “social ratings” and other situations being circulated on social media platforms.
“There’s no question that brain health is increasing dramatically, mental health issues — kids who spend most of their time on social media and often get these toxic political messages — have actually found it to thin the cortex or alter their brain in negative ways. ” he said.
“Actually, your brain isn’t fully developed until around 25, so damaging a child’s brain can have lifelong repercussions.”
TEENAGERS ARE DANGERED BY SELF-DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL HEALTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA
dr Daniel Amen (Fox News)
Bongino asked if this means that children psychologically process crises differently than adults.
Amen said they can, adding that limiting exposure to social media and intense politics, along with other precautions, can help children grow up healthier.
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In the Journal’s op-ed, James Freeman wrote that “liberal intellectuals” are reportedly wondering whether progressive policies are having a negative impact on mental health, adding that the debate has been sparked by recent insights into adolescent mental health.
“There are undoubtedly many factors contributing to a tragic increase in reports of mental health problems,” Freeman said. “Could politics be among them?”
