Dr. Jonathan Haidt: How Smartphones & Social Media Impact Mental Health & the Realistic Solutions

[@madligm]

My six year old heard this podcast in the car with me while I drive him back and forth from camp. I'm still in tears over the fact that he thanked me for keeping him away from screens, and said he loved me. I honestly didn't even think he was actively listening to everything that was being said, but this was life changing.

[@TSis76]

😮❤

[@Alex1611AD]

Wow, that's beautiful! Thanks for sharing. God bless you!

[@carolf81]

That means they have their attention span on point😉 You are a great mom!!🥰

[@lewisappleyard8758]

My 3 year old came to me and said "dad, sometimes people chat shit on the internet for approval because 6 year olds aren't coherent enough to understand this stuff" he brought a tear to my eye, love him to bits

[@temmschild]

My 1yo boi also thanked me and told me he can use this podcast on his phd

[@jamesbell7246]

I'm a school teacher. Getting this across to kids and parents is CORE

[@carriefu458]

I teach high school chemistry and this is the reality that we are all facing... 😳😭🥺

[@TheHealthConscounist]

whats sad is that the generation that was raised in the early 2000s late 90s were the guineapigs for this internet thing... no wonder i am going through so much struggle in my life and mental health issues possibly caused by the internet i was given with no restrictions as a child together with videogames without a second thought on age restriction for any of the content... basically P*rn anytime i ever wanted 3 times a day ever since i was 10 years old till mid 20s that i decided to stop watching it for good

[@adelineellen]

I think information like this should be by choice to learn and understand

[@tidepride86]

@@kl2176 lol "guess you really need some insights into girls".....yea....that tone with strangers will definitely get them sympathetic to your views.

[@mariomario1462]

No it isnt. It's nonsense and you should be ashamed of yourself for spreading misinformation

[@aarkinsahu970]

Hi Dr. Andrew Huberman. I am 17 and I found this video really really interesting. Social media has never been the oh so love for any teen. And I say this because I have the experience of feeling a void, a sense of loneliness with the social media. The endless hours of scrolling reels, time flying by has all taken a toll on me. Through this video, It certainly helped me and I messaged my friends, I will quote this " i don't feel social media truly fulfilling and hence I am quitting it." I have completely deleted my social media account. I will come back to this comment a month later and tell you all how I feel. I feel oh so excited now. Thank you Andrew for your interest in science.

[@ogunkazel8716]

I deleted both Facebook and Instagram 4-5 years ago. I am not missing a bit. I can actually allocate that time something more meaningful. All the best my friend. And watch out for reels, it is causing train your brain to attention deficit because content is changing every 30 -50 secs. The fact that you are here at this early age, listening Huberman tells me you are in good direction. All the best my friend 💪

[@shilpajain2276]

​@@ogunkazel8716can you suggest how do you quit it entirely , because I keep relapsing and end up in the same loop ?

[@ogunkazel8716]

@@shilpajain2276 I first got it frozen for 2 months and then I noticed I dont actually lose by not having them. My mental health has improved significantly, there was nothing wrong with mental health to start with but at least I stopped comparing myself with other people and feeling there is something wrong with me, everyone else is figured out, only me left behind. As well as I got rid off all those convincing thoughts that "yeah, my parents and my friends are following me from Instagram or Facebook, they see my life, people are connecting me here". And then one day I just deleted it. Hardest part, Facebook warns you that you cant retrieve your photos once you delete and you actually have attachments to those photos but I actually didnt care that much. One of best decisions I took.

[@carmenbenitez141]

I am glad that I am 50 y/o. I have the ability to connect and disconnect from social media easily. The only social media I use is X and KZbin but I am careful to set boundaries around them. I mainly use it for information that otherwise I would have to pay for, like this lectures or discussions. Take breaks from technology so often so you could learn how to be with it and without it. Stay committed to your journey!

[@tarunce995]

👍 agreed

[@nikitakorobkin2874]

When I was 13, I went to a summer camp. Phones were banned. You got them for 1.5 hours every day to call parents. Otherwise, children were forced to find other ways to entertain themselves. We had actual conversations, played chess when really bored, participated in fun events, just hanged out at the beach. It was one of the best periods of my life. It felt like actually living. And when I got back home, it felt surreal. Two completely different realities.

[@tsgosser]

That was the 1970's and 80's that I grew up in.

[@andrewthomas695]

Sadly, there is no going back. Way too much money to be made.

[@infiniteworfare5089]

i had very good times in video games as well. they were the best periods of my life. just do both social media and video games.

[@jessicalovescraig]

It is changing humanity.

[@robdielemans9189]

Boredom is such a valuable ingredient for finding things out about yourself.

[@HareKrishnaPerth]

Watching this on my smartphone.

[@daveyboy4715]

Scrolling on my smartphone with this in the background

[@Screw_This]

Only you and everybody else.

[@nevergiveup5939]

Why are we here in this life? Why do we die? What will happen to us after death??

[@nrvous_250gt]

​@@nevergiveup5939 to live, to love be loved, to create things, to help others do the same. To experience things from your unique perspective amd learn something from it. That's what I think.

[@Respect2theFallen]

Exactly 😂🤣😂

[@thevirtuouscollector]

I haven't watched the full podcast yet but what cured my social media, phone and doom scrolling addiction were 3 non-cognitively demanding things (be warned, this might make you laugh at how pathetic I am!) 1-- Portable games console. Unlike social media, a single player videogame has a finite play time with an actual ending. You play a game to indulge in it's gripping story, keep your brain active and your hands busy. Avoid multiplayer online games and go for the ones with great stories. 2-- Carry a notebook around. Journal, write down your thoughts, unleash your inner passion or frustrations, always have a small note book ready at all times and 3-- Carry a small action figure. Yes you heard that right, I have a small pose-able figurine of Batman I carry around like a demented dork that I do action poses whenever I feel like wasting time on my phone. The satisfaction of seeing Batman doing the Gangnam Style pose is usually adequate enough to quell my cravings for something novel on social media at the cost of my friends and family mocking me. Now go forth and be as insane as I am! At least you'll be cured from the endless doomscrolling without relying on drugs!

[@tobiassoar]

These are all excellent steps to take. I’ve done very similar things. It’s all about having dedicated tools for specific things: Journalling = notebook Music = modern Walkman Games = Steam Deck Reading = Books or Kindle

[@supersonicsenses]

This cracked me up. Great techniques. Thanks for the mental imagery 😊

[@mathias5578]

I usually do Duolingo to fight the wish to scroll.

[@Fab666.]

Welcome back to the 90s 😂

[@nickh.9816]

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully it helps someone else.

[@charliebrens3349]

I am 77. Spent all my 20s in Europe. No phone. No TV. No car. Maybe the 10 best years of my life.

[@crh251]

I hear you. I am 60. I spent my 20s going to college, moving to Japan to work and live for several years, and after that I spent a year traveling the world solo with a backpack. All without a cellphone. I never watched TV either and had no car. It was the best years of my life too.

[@edwardflandeiii5091]

Cause U WERE involved.....Just Love.

[@Tate525]

I swear to God man, life feels like a movie when you go off social media yes this includes all video streaming platforms like KZbin as well, yes KZbin is also a social media. I cold turkey quite all medias of our age for a year straight and i am only back on KZbin since last one and half year, very hard to go back to Facebook and Instagram, let's not even talk about the other brain melt app.

[@charliebrens3349]

@@Tate525 saturation. Over stimulation. All 24/7. The Only tv I do is football. KZbin only social media.

[@percypol30]

Now you are 77 scrolling 😂😂😂

[@sarahfisher3457]

Born in 89 here and a parent to 3 young children. Something that stood out to me is the fact that parents feel obligated to give their kids a phone because “everyone else’s” kids have one. This feels like a new phenomenon. When I was a kid I was always complaining that I am the only one that doesn’t have this or do that and my parents basically said “so what.” Parents today seem to feel an obligation to assist their children to conforming to peer pressure for acceptance and I wonder if this is the product of adult and parent social media use. This episode is such a blessing as I can get ahead of some of these conversations in my home before they come up. Thank you again for a phenomenal episode!

[@zaks7306]

But how to deal with the genuine distress kids feel at being the only ones without phones?

[@sarahfisher3457]

@@zaks7306 Dr. Haidt mentions finding a group of families with the same rules or making a pact with other families so that they aren’t isolated in their experience. I personally think that it might be a little healthy to be on the outside sometimes. Like the saying goes “if so and so jumped off of a bridge would you?” But I admittedly have yet to be humbled by the teenage years.

[@zaks7306]

I just don’t know how long it’s possible to keep a smartphone out of their hands with all the friends literally “having phone based childhoods”. I feel like the solution might be in better parental controls over the devices but honestly I am not sure it’s as easy as that

[@shodack5124]

My daughter is 11, finishing up 6th grade. She doesn't have a phone and I'm not planning to get her one until 8th grade. Luckily she does have ONE friend who's parents have a similar plan. (Most kids had phones by 4th grade) But she constantly talks about it- what she'll do when she has one, what passcode she'll have, asks about my expectations for privacy, etc. I hate the obsession, but I'm also very lucky that she communicates. She says she understands why, but would still rather have a phone. I think the communication is a key- I let her bring it up when she wants, ask what she wants, and that has helped a lot.

[@adamhope8689]

Parents are top concerned with their child's perception of them. Can't let their feeling hurt for even a second. Well guess what? You end up with nothing but a population of emotionally immature adults (children). And we wonder why the structures that have been built are falling apart 🤔

[@komred64]

Very important to note that even adults that grew up without smartphones are as hooked and affected as teenagers these days.

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

Yes my Mum who used to get up me for being addicted to my computer now comes home from work, chucks on Netflix while she plays her addictive little games on her phone, including gambling games (spending real money on them), jumps back and forth between those and Facebook and whatever else. She wiil do that all night in her bed (a bed with a remote to change the height of it) and eventually fall asleep still watching the movie or episode she put on. I'm now the one with blocker apps on my devices and I have to tell her to take a break from technology and go to the gym (she is always complaining about aches and pains which I know she gets from craning her neck into her phone all day).

[@thembimogala9704]

Absolutely true.

[@thembimogala9704]

Absolutely true.

[@AlonewithAnkit]

My mom has Schizophrenia from last 25 years. She has no mobile, no friends, and doesn't watch TV. She just sits by herself in her room, or most of the time, sleeps. She had no mobile before her illness too. But if you talk to her, she will patiently and calmly talk to you for long, listen, and most importantly, not get agitated even after a heated argument where only I get stressed. She is so much available. Her thoughts are not influenced by mobile content, social media and endless barrage of "comparison". Please allow yourself to get "BORED". BOREDOM will help you to explore more in your relationship and life as you become emotionally available for others. There's really something very peculiar about people who have been untouched by mobile and TV in their lives. Thanks Dr. Huberman and Dr. Jonathan.

[@pickupwisdom13]

Impressive and inspiring story. This shows how much it's important to reduce social media consumption so that we can value much more direct social interaction.

[@yashtapase3821]

What is schizophrenia? Please explain me in your words I'm new to hear this

[@yashtapase3821]

R you from india Considering your name

[@disha2932]

My mother has schizophrenia too. And all the words spoken by you feel like they’ve come right out of my mouth. On her good days, she is so patient and kind. I often feel I am the hot headed one in front of her. She is also a very understanding person. I often joke around saying mom is the on,y one who does use social media and doesn’t watch television. It’s truly amazing to see how people uninfluenced by social media function in their day to day life. I have also greatly reduced my socials consumption in recent times and I do find myself less overwhelmed in general.

[@slwleyland]

You and your mothers may want to research Dr. Chris Palmer and Dr. Georgia Ede’s books. Also, Metabolic Mind podcast on KZbin. KZbin is more of an educational platform for me learning about nutrition and health.

[@michaelbrooke448]

Thank you for this interview! I am a high school teacher. As a result of Dr. Haidt’s book “The Anxious Generation” my school board is considering a much more stringent electronic device policy. This policy will effectively ban phones during regular school hours. This issue is so important to me that after reading the book I bought copies for all admins and school board members paid for out of my own pocket. If you have not been in a high school in the last 10 years, you have no idea how the dynamic has changed. In the best of times teens have had a brief attention span and were socially awkward. Now, well into the smart phone/social media era, attention spans are nonexistent. Face-to-face conversations between teens happen infrequently if at all. Children (teens are still children) will sit in the presence of one another, yet be lost in their digital world. A total phone ban at school is one way to combat this trend of social media social isolation. And a side benefit is less time that I have to spend saying “little Johnny, put your phone away” and more time for learning!

[@Returntotheworld]

Kids are allowed phones at my kids school ( from age 13-18 ) but if caught using it anywhere during school hours it’s confiscated immediately and not returned until the end of the school day + a detention is issued. They have a talk at least 1/2 times per year that gets more and more explicit about the dangers online as per what is age appropriate. That any school allows kids to be accessing their phone in school hours is insane to me. It needs to stop. They should be a break and sanctuary from all that noise and forcing them into real world discussions might be painful to them but very needed. I hope your school board sees sense and I am sharing with you that others schools are not allowing it and it works fine. Edit to say we are probably of the same mindset and I agree with you and am demonstrating real world example where it’s not allowed.

[@TS-fr7ch]

Yes so true. Boundaries are necessary❤

[@BlackAttack-tv5yj]

The state of Queensland (Australia) completely banned phones at school this year. Good to see the government is doing something.

[@vasiliikhaninev2119]

Another question is - do we actually need schools? :)

[@sarahh8575]

Yes, ban the iphones!

[@JosephBlanch]

I’ve listened to a few interviews with Jonathan Haidt but this is by far the most interesting one I’ve heard as Huberman and Haidt play off of each other and get each other more and more excited and they are learning from each other in real time. Incredible and such a fun interview.

[@clairenicholls8024]

Agreed 💯

[@jcstuart6978]

Giving your children a smart phone is not giving them access to the world, it's giving the world access to them.

[@B.Extreme]

Mmhhh truth that!!

[@jimdavis1566]

It's both

[@pickupwisdom13]

Can you explain a little bit more what do you mean?

[@FoursWithin]

​​@@pickupwisdom13 It means everyone from corporations to cult leaders to pedophiles to political propagandists have access to exploit the nations children

[@ReligionAndMaterialismDebunked]

:3 Yeah, I know the 90s, as I was born in 89 in Miami, FL, USA.

[@cloudbloom]

I stopped using social media (besides youtube) cold turkey three years ago and it has been such an improvement in my life. I didn't send one last message, one last post telling everyone i was getting off the apps i just literally stopped going to the sites and using the apps. It's easier to do than one might think even if you're hopelessly addicted like i was, spending ten hours a day scrolling through various groups and online communities. The only things I miss are memes and funny cat pics, the sense of community in various groups but i have real world family and friends who provide that sense of community far more than anyone I've met online aside from a handful of close friends. Make the change yourself It's far far easier than you might think! Thanks Doc for this one, love the show🙏

[@milesralls7972]

Sounds great and all but every time I try I keep KZbin and just replace the other social medias with more time spent on KZbin, I can spend 10+ hours a day on KZbin no problem.

[@pickupwisdom13]

That’s awesome

[@BlackAttack-tv5yj]

@@milesralls7972 To true. I basically spend no time on any social media websites, but I spend an unholy amount of time on youtube

[@anynimus1617]

Boredom is absolutely key to healthy brain development in children, and it is an important tool to adults as well. My husband never understood why I let the kids be bored when they were little. Bored kids quickly get creative to give their little brain the dopamine hit it wants. My kids had crafting materials at their disposal, they had a park where I let them range free, and they became creative little people. Even now, my adult son will start creating when bored. Usually cooking or baking! Win!!!

[@spa11199]

Yess!! I tell my kids when they say "I'm bored" or "it's boring" or "o don't know what to do", I say: "great, your brain is growing now! Boredom is really good for the brain". And when they ask further what they could do,I say " for whatever I propose, you'd say no or think it's not good enough so go figure out what you want to do". After few mins of dissatisfied face... They come up with the most ingenious activities & creativities 🎉🎉🎉

[@anynimus1617]

@@spa11199 i grew up in the early seventies and my parents only permitted me to watch 1-1.5 hours of television a week! Not that there was a lot to watch to begin with. We kids played outside, came up with games and stories, make believe, art sessions, theater productions, learned what plants were edible and went foraging, and so on. Even when it was raining, there were always things to do like crafts, voraciously reading books, or going on walks in wellies and rain coats pretending to be an intrepid explorer on an expedition. You're doing it right! Creativity is like a muscle and exercising it frequently will yield marvelous outcomes.

[@chrismaxwell1624]

i crave boredom, so much always going on.

[@jenniferthompson5155]

Such a win! I hope when and if your son procreates he carries on your commitment to a play based childhood. As a special education teacher, my kids are being raised similarly. Currently playing Clue and a few days ago used my yarn to spend the day making a bedroom lazer maze. Their rooms are messy, bare feet are filthy, and the happiest tweens I know. ❤ My heart is behind this global movement to save our children.

[@HareKrishnaPerth]

I love how this episode goes back and forth between the two, and they are both getting information from each other. It's nice

[@lenastubner4936]

Thank you!!! I just called some parents who got really exited about getting together and ask the school to take the phones away from our children upon arrival! Let's do this!!!! Thank you so much for this extremely important podcast.

[@andrewconnor4429]

Jon haidt, his book the happiness hypothesis, is one of the greatest books of all time. I have read a lot a lot a lot of books on mental health. I reread his book recently and it smokes the crap out of 99.9 percent of any book on mental health. The guy is an absolute genius. Has no peers... This man.... Beyond hardcore

[@catlobo131]

I became a parent 1 year ago and some of these topics have been worrying me for my childs future. Thank you for addressing it and offering some advice.

[@Shelley-eb6kz]

Horses communicate via reading awareness of energy / body language… I think women seek the companionship of horses because they require you to be in a calm state of mind…. It feels very good to be near a horse you’ve bonded with… they smell amazing, their skin is so sensitive … nothing more relaxing than watching the sun rise sitting on a tree stump, with a big coffee, your horse nuzzling your hair - hits every sense in a beautiful way

[@carriefu458]

This is fascinating to me as a parent and as a high school chemistry teacher!!! 🤓 01:21:15 Puberty & Sensitive Periods, Culture & Identity 01:23:55 Brain Development & Puberty; Identity; Social Media, Learning & Reward I have so many students who think they have anxiety and/or ADHD... 😳 We are fighting for a cell-phone free environment, and we need all the support that we can get, i.e. from science, parents, teachers, and admin!!! Love what Dr. Haidt said about norm vs law and the rules on: 1. No smart phone until 14 2. No social media until 16

[@willd7596]

Neither until 18

[@BoyProdigyBaby]

I am an addict, and first step to my recovery was deleting my all social media profiles like facebook, instagram etc. I had more time and space in my life to think about myself and my addiction. Still off social media, sober for almost a year now.

[@kylehendrix1455]

Great work. Happy for you! Keep it going.

[@BoyProdigyBaby]

@@kylehendrix1455 Thank You for kind words. Have a nice day!

[@zubair-rb4ft]

how do you feel?

[@phuongvu527]

Eh, in my experience, you should delete KZbin account as well. YT shorts are becoming more and more dangerous

[@BoyProdigyBaby]

@@phuongvu527 I am not watchig shots.

[@Ryanrobi]

This is why I'll raise my kids on the farm where they have responsibilities but still have fun and learn while being outside getting exercise. I think it's a tragedy that we went too far to remove work responsibility from kids. Hell alot of kids never have to do any work untill they graduate from college at 22 or older! That's insane I started helping on the farm by 5, was driving tractors by 12 and doing chore and supervising my younger sibling by 11.

[@jocelynsloan7801]

Agree. Grew up that way. And if I wanted kids, they’d be raised that way too. Hell-maybe the reason I’m addicted to my phone is because I’m living in the city and away from what is best. 😮

[@CrossCultural-c7f]

I seem to remember Dr. Anna Lemke saying that addiction narrows the things that you find interest in. And then, even that narrow area of interest no longer gives you pleasure. I think a Modern Day Lent practice should be a 40 day fast from social media and email.

[@IamGodsgirl139]

“Shame makes us want to disappear” 💯truth.

[@spa11199]

- No smartphone before high school/puberty - No social media until 16 y.o - no unlimited internet acces & world accessing them - Phone-free school (otherwise they're learning rapidly dopamine reinforcement sys) - independent fun & free play in real world, adventures, experiences Senitive age: 9-15/16 y.o My eldest is turning 10. We talk with him on smartphone/ social media impacts & Dopamin 😅. And he has understood that he will get his smartphone "much" later than his peers. Now to do: find where to get flip phone 😂😂 This should be translated to different languages and shared with teachers and the sensitive age young people.❤❤

[@fosterfoster1218]

Huberman's description of the dopamine/prolactin cycle was remarkably clear and informative.

[@Cathy-xi8cb]

TALK to your LITTLE kids about why your phone is not a toy. If it is, then fix your own issues first. Talk about how much you prefer speaking rather than messaging. You like being in-person. You like spending time in person. Be explicit.

[@Pimpjit85]

Unfortunately, logic and explanation is hardly a match for the billions of dollars spent on addicting people to screens. We can't even convince teens to exercise let alone stop using their phones. And kids? Goodluck.

[@pickupwisdom13]

Good point

[@MylotheMask]

I agree. And I also blame myself! after all ​I gave him the phone/playstation! It is a sign of the times but that doesn't make it right. It made my teenage son lazy I feel@@Pimpjit85

[@Ghost-gf4yd]

Whenever kids will see their peers using their phone as a toy they will do the same, i don’t think that a conversation would be effective to combat that

[@jackm.1628]

Dr. Huberman, could you do an episode on the best learning strategies? Like to how interleave properly, the best strategy to learn from a textbook, etc.

[@DivyenduKashyap]

Coming from a small town, the loss of play-based childhood is all too apparent. I remember when I was a kid, there used to be days when there wasn't enough space in 4 different football fields across my town and the neighbouring ones. Today, if there is a single group playing in either one of them, it's unusual.

[@Skyla128]

Any of them*. Either is used when comparing two objects.

[@casalazar10]

I feel like so much of life has turned into observing rather than doing because of phone and media use. 49:28

[@CologneXCandles]

Great way to put it.

[@kristinbcj.4377]

I shared this episode with my young adult son. Dr Huberman, I want to thank you for your work on your mission to share science and science based information. I benefit, I change my habits and I share links to your episodes with friends and family. Incredibly grateful for your work. I'm a pharmacist by trade. Your episodes are always great for my need to continue to feed my curiousioty about health and especially mental health, psychology and neurology.

[@nicoleschmidt2746]

I just listened to the Dr. Haidt podcast and have ordered the Anxious Generation. I am a HS Principal at The American International School of Johannesburg and have shared this widely so we can focus on collective action. Thank you.

[@angels1940]

Watching this scrolling social media straight 6 hours now

[@miriammorris9238]

In 2012 I was 12 and got unsupervised access to the internet. Grown men sent me unsolicited inappropriate pictures after asking how old I was. The device didn’t have a camera thankfully because they were asking for pictures of me and I probably would’ve agreed without knowing any better. My older sister and older brother became more depressed and started cutting. I also started cutting as a way to deal with emotions. My parents were on a down hill slope to divorce and didn’t pay any positive attention to us kids. Idk about everyone else but 2012 was a rough time on top of everyone running around saying the world was ending!

[@AbbyKadabby18]

I didn't get social media until I was a senior in high school, and I'm so glad. Social media comes into play with my ADHD paralysis, but I don't feel glued to it. I haven't had tons of the issues that have been described and I'm so grateful.

[@traviskwiatkowski8382]

Would really love to see an episode about Borderline personality disorder. Love everything about this podcast, I watch every episode and feel so informed and it has changed my life in many positive ways. Thank you .

[@COTEZ_]

I love when guests come on and they seem genuinely intrigued about Huberman's knowledge in a certain field! Great episode!

[@arashf6094]

I was born in 2005 and i used to wish so badly just to have been born maybe 10 years earlier. Having social media as a teenager is pivotal to one’s social life, especially in puberty.

[@peripheralparadox4218]

I was the last generation to grow up without mobile phones. So grateful.

[@DivyenduKashyap]

It doesn't have to be. It can take some mental resolve and courage but you can stand out from the crowd and not participate in the madness for your own sake, or use it for specific, mindful purposes. Most people won't, but you can.

[@FL-ur3wg]

It was pushed upon you. It wasn't your fault.

[@peripheralparadox4218]

@@FL-ur3wg yeah that’s what Robin Williams would say.

[@FL-ur3wg]

@@peripheralparadox4218 Why would he say that?

[@Rawmel84]

Im very thankful that I was born in the 80s , played in the 90s by the time I had an iPhone was was over 21 already in 2007. By 2010 I knew everyone would have one . 2024 now I don’t think all of us should !

[@maliizzl]

Thank you so much for this episode! I was a teenager in 2010 and slid right into social media and all its downsides. This interview made me understand the origins of a lot of issues I deal with now and also gave me great tools to overcome phone addiction. Thanks! ❤

[@Paul-th9vr]

Kids shouldn’t be allowed to spend a good portion of their day on social media. It’s full of wrong information that negatively affects their mental health. They should be outdoors with their friends and fellow students playing games like soccer, baseball, football or rugby. There should be more emphasis on social interaction between the kids and less time on social media. Social media is full of toxic ideologies that attack the values of the countries that they live in.

[@nevergiveup5939]

Why are we here in this life? Why do we die? What will happen to us after death?

[@Paul-th9vr]

@@nevergiveup5939 We die because that’s how it is and there is nothing we can do about it lol. After death comes rebirth into a new body, and one that is incorruptible or will ever suffer pain or death for eternity.

[@Miki-ri1gs]

Thank you. I minimalisted my phone and computer. Everything on grey scale. All notifications off. Timers on every app. Launch timers too. In only two days, I already feel less stressed. Really recommend everyone to use minimalist phone and grey scale.

[@SB0780]

Fantastic episode. As someone who works in the film industry, we’ve seen more algorithmic and spreadsheet based storytelling. Also storytelling with identity politics driven agendas. The streaming platforms themselves perpetuate the same kind of content for the user so audiences are no longer exposed or interested in a diverse range of genres. Also, with the loss of appointment based set time slot television, we’ve lost our collective experience of consuming and sharing storytelling, both in the theaters and at home. No one is going to work or school anymore saying, “did you see last night’s episode of…”. Studios have to also acknowledge that attention spans have eroded, gone are long fancy opening title sequences with theme music, people look at storytelling as a distraction and equate its value to a thumbnail on the TV screen. Young people simply don’t look at movies as an adventure anymore or a collective experience. Storytelling is an important part of our culture and collective experience, has been in even indigenous communities for hundreds of years, and I equate smart phones, social media and streaming platforms to the slow demise of our interest and shared experience of storytelling. I don’t think it’ll ever turn around at this point.

[@robintate]

From a writer to a filmmaker, this is quite discouraging to read... people still read books, albeit very few... they'll still watch movies..

[@Leo-mr1qz]

"You quickly find out who you are by who you are not." So very true❣️

[@jennypenny8159]

Well this is the most terrifying episode of a podcast I’ve ever listened to. My kids are tracking in the exact timeline as the phone based childhood.

[@Miki-ri1gs]

Both of them are so humble and ready to learn from the other. What an amazing episode!

[@abbosabdullaev5166]

When I think about my children's future, I get really worried. Everything Dr.Haidt said is true. Can't be negligent these days...

[@luciavfrobinson]

My mom used to play Classical music for me and I grew up loving it. It is not a waste of time. Children love it 😊

[@bqpdobqpd]

1:23:35 moved and lived in the States from ages 10 to 13, came back, returned to the US as an exchange student in college (a year), came back, having worked for few different American companies in my home country to this day. Culturally, I feel I don’t fit into neither, but I don’t take it too pessimistically; simply thought that’s just me, regardless of my cross cultural experience, but I can’t live other lives so I don’t know🤷🏻‍♀️ Only that I’m slightly ashamed and/or feel lucky that I could genuinely believe that “I can always start a new life in the other country (that I’m not living in now)”. I’m ashamed because it sounds unhealthy to negate my current situation, day dreaming that things would be better “if only” I was in the other country, but feel lucky that the belief really supported me through the difficult times growing up from teens into early thirties, until I became content with self. I feel deep empathy and hopelessness for the young people growing up today😢 I hope I’d be useful to support.

[@michaelfuller4418]

It is so important that this message goes out to as many people as possible! We can’t have another lost and isolated generation.

[@Chanell156]

I would simply LOVE if you did a podcast with Temple Grandin, as you and her are some of the people I look up to the most. I'm studying biology at university, I'm a visual thinker such as lovely Temple, and I'm so inspired by every one of your podcasts. I reckon a lot of people, such as myself, could gain a whole bunch from a conversation between the two of you.

[@jahoffm1]

That would be great!

[@KimberlyTaylor-nu5cp]

The part about teen camps is so HUGE!! I have always wanted to start a teen camp because I went to them as a child and have been a counselor at a few and it has been sooo impactful. Thank You

[@mamasue7376]

This was so fantastic sometimes I don’t make it to the end but this one was so powerful so informative so actionable I have a four-year-old grandson, a two year-old granddaughter, a newborn and one out in California and wow we love to play outside. We’re gonna keep doing it.

[@TheFlite29]

I wish this wasn't focused on children. I would like to see a version of this focused on adults

[@sreehari.p8116]

Andrew huberman ❌❌ Andrew Superman ✔️✔️

[@ZakariaMajilan]

😂😂

[@dosadnizub]

More like Andrew Uberman :-)

[@connormatthews522]

Andy Ubermensch

[@chrismetka5288]

Wow, what a wonderful discussion with two gifted communicators with distinct backgrounds. A pleasure to listen to the questions that they asked of each other and learn in the process. Important topics, great subject matter experts and no one unassuredly asking "you know?" or "right?" throughout the conversation. A delight to listen to and learn from!

[@ew2645]

I find making my phone grayscale helps. Because it’s visually less interesting, I’m not on it as much.

[@amandaford2741]

Me too!

[@sburkie9]

Yes i have this set up before bedtime but i should start doing it more often lol

[@stephanieyoung7888]

Very important episode. Thank you! I have four adult sons in their 20s. How I wish I had known this! Passing it on to them and others. They see what their phones have done to them. We are now all working to wisely order our souls.

[@sanoberkhattak7847]

My dumbed-down conclusions: 1. A play-based childhood is far superior to a phone-based childhood for good physical and mental development. 2. Implement the following norms at the family unit to restore a play-based childhood: a. no smartphones till 16 b. no social media accounts till 18 c. more real world responsibility and freedom given to the child.

[@AdoptableDogVideos]

I am so hopeful that change is coming. As a parent of a young child, I am deeply uncomfortable with the idea of giving her a smart phone at 12, which has become normal in my community. I lived a free range childhood in one of the post-Soviet countries growing up in the 90s. So did my husband. I played outside with my friends at 6 years old and onward. The kids in those countries continue to enjoy unsupervised play outside to this day. I don’t see why we can’t bring this kind of childhood back. Parents unite!

[@joannhood7478]

Brilliant episode - but frightening. I've a 14 year old who would stare at her screen all day long. I'm a terribly cruel parent because I constantly block the anti-social-media platforms. I understand the perils of it. She doesn't. I use your parents' line to her Andrew - " Hate me now, love me later." 😎 Jonathan's right, it's turning the kids totally shallow. It's really frightening. Let's get these new norms set asap eh! Thanks for another great episode.🧡

[@thehandliesthandle]

you might be right to not let your kid use social media. im 25 and my parents werent very strict about my phone usage, and i see the consiquences in my life. everyones addicted to their phones whether its social media or other forms of entertainment, and of course that harms mental health, but in the future i predict we will realize that constant phone use is distruptive to brain development too. we dont know all the ways these devices effect us. we are all taking part in an experiment

[@joannhood7478]

@thehandliesthandle you said that very well Matt. I agree with you that we are all part of a global experiment. I'm sorry you feel you've lost out on so much of your youth because of these damn "smart" phones. And if you feel like this, so will your peers eh. Social media use hasn't been rolling that long and it's already demonstrated instantaneously disastrous outcomes for young people as Jonathan Haidt points out. I really hope his ideas for new norms are pushed through. And soon.🙏

[@BonScottCox]

Such a fantastic episode. As a parent of teens, this is exactly what I've been waiting to hear about. Thank you for this episode. 🙌🏻

[@ldieffen]

Hi Andrew, I've just finished a book about inner voices and the scientific explanation behind them which I found very interesting but a bit complicated in content. It would be really great if you could make it into an episode of the podcast. The way you explain things (especially the episode on dopamine, which I loved) is easy to understand. I have a lot of questions about this subject, which seems to me to be a current social issue. For example: Why do we hear positive things and negative things? How is this created in our brain? What techniques could help us work on our David Goggin-esque voice? Thanks in advance, Cheers

[@JanoDo]

what book have you read?

[@DanielleMcIntyre-nv7xo]

Canadian here and mother to a teenage boy. Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools. I 100% stand by this. Great episode!!

[@annaali947]

Great way to start Monday,informative and positive podcast. Yes, social media is addictive at any age.

[@CynthiaParkhill]

Hello! A teacher I was working with, recently played this video and I found it very interesting. You raise a lot of important points about children having real-world interactions. But I want to mention the importance of online communities for a person who is marginalized by not conforming to the majority (neurodivergence, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.). I am autistic and when I was growing up, I was ridiculed and shunned by my schoolmates. No one gave me an official "label" to explain my differences, but my peers were quick to label me as weird. When I learned in adulthood that I was autistic, I was so grateful for books and for online communities. After a lifetime of feeling alone and isolated, of feeling like an extraterrestrial on Earth, I learned that there were other people like me with shared experiences and challenges. Similarly, I've begun "coming out" and expressing my queer identity. In childhood, I didn't have the vocabulary to explain that even though I was physically a particular model of human, I always felt more androgynous than if I was a "girl" or a "boy." (I don't think I would neatly fit into your "girls-vs-boys" categories.) I'm so grateful to Pride for allowing me to recognize myself in other people's stories. And as a queer adult, I feel it's important to model self-acceptance and being "comfortable in one's own skin." On a couple of occasions when I've worn a shirt with the non-binary flag, I've seen a younger person's eyes just light up when they saw that shirt, and I hope that I've given them hope for their future in the world of adulthood.

[@mytube785]

Dr. Haidt cannot be any more gracious to Dr. Huberman: “I’m a long time listener and I developed many good habits because of you. “ 😂😂

[@madrid2445]

We need an adults episode. Not social media until near 40s and still trapped in endless hours on screen We "adults" are not free of this addiction

[@infiniteworfare5089]

social media is not responsible for your problems. have you seen where your food is coming from? we cant just force animals and plants to suffer in domestication and expect to live great lives. they are genetically modified, sprayed with chemicals, pollution in the air is getting worse, i can go on. wildlife exploitation is responsible for all our problems.

[@jessicadora7213]

40:25 I was a horsey girl, had my own from ages 13-16. The caregiving and nurturing, brushing, grooming, feeding and just hanging out with my Shakoa were the best part. Riding for me was on trails in nature, not much ring work, jumping, etc. Just thought I would add my 2 cents to the "anecdata" (love this term!). I think you are spot on, Dr. AH...

[@LadyeStagsleapStudio]

Yes! People should not underestimate the incredible skills and personality-adjusting powers of working with horses. Horses can “take the edge off,” and make you think calmly and clearly about situations. Horses can also build assertiveness in a meaningful way.

[@tb8827]

​@@LadyeStagsleapStudioAre you kidding me? Some of the most mentally unstable people I know work(ed) with horses. It is by no means a panacea for mental health issues.

[@tb8827]

​@@LadyeStagsleapStudio Are you kidding me? Some of the most unstable people I know ride/ rode horseback. It is not a panacea for mental health issues.

[@MattTHX-io4tk]

I dated horsey women in 2003 and 2005 they are insurable bores I couldn't compete with the horses ..

[@jessicadora7213]

@@MattTHX-io4tk Don't worry Matt, I would not have dated you. Besides, I was only 13 - 16 y.o. What is the point of your reply? I was contributing to Dr. Huberman's anecdata. And don't worry, I wouldn't date you now, either. 💃

[@GrannyGrace]

As an elder gen Z, we are definitely the most internet conscious parents. I have never posted a photo of my child online nor let them have access. I’m definitely waiting to give a smartphone to my children, possibly ever. Maybe the semester before they leave the home.

[@fibonatic6370]

Thank you Andrew for your work. Incredible density of high quality information and broad range of interesting guests. Greetings from Poland!

[@citrixman]

A long awaited book “the anxious generation” is an amazing book. Thanks for this Dr Haidt

[@bbexx92]

Hey love your podcast and Dr. Haidt seems like he has a lot of important things to say. I’m halfway through the podcast and I just want to point out that a lot of this conversation is about boys and men and not about the girls. This is partially natural considering you both are men, however considering the facts originally stated at the start of the podcast, and the fact that girlhood is often treated as a mystery to be ignored instead of treated scientifically, I encourage you guys to speak up more about that particular subject. I do love the podcast, and thank you for your work.

[@bianca.cordey]

Hey there, please,have look into Dr Haidt’s book (“The anxious generation”). There you’ll find girls and boys equally studied, analyzed and their specific issues explained. I think in the podcast they shared their personal experiences (as boys/ men).

[@relaxeverythingisfine5154]

Jonathan is a very humble person.

[@whitneymietz9185]

An important topic I teach my high school students in health about. They self report using social media between 3-6 hours a day or more.

[@elizabethwilliams6651]

As someone who suffers with extreme severe anxiety I can totally relate to her. I would stop eating for days at a time as a punishment. I worry a lot about my life, everyone around me and pleasing everyone. It's absolutely crippling, so glad she got the help she needed, lovely young lady it's so sad that society has 1 in 3 people suffering mental health issues. I hope everyone seeks help

[@steceymorgan814]

People need to realise that people with anxiety disorders have oversensitised nerves, it's not a simple case of manning up and getting over it.

[@AnjeloValeriano]

Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about how mushrooms and psychedelics treats anxiety, but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Australia. Really need!

[@Jennifer-bw7ku]

Yes, doctor Greg mushroom I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.

[@AnjeloValeriano]

Please, how do I reach doctor Greg?

[@AnjeloValeriano]

Is he on the internet?

[@dvonders8469]

MY GAWD. Someone is finally talking about the elephant in the room. This technology is terrible! But I like the fact that he said it’s not all terrible. Cause it’s not. What’s terrible is the severed disconnection. We the people, people. Let’s love.

[@happynjoyousnfree]

Around 1:37:00 the guest talks about "running the gauntlet" which ends with a video showing a person being dismembered alive. I had a client who was in a gang and exposed to a similar, real-life experience like that as a young boy, age 7. After all the violence he has committed in his life and been exposed to, he is still haunted by that first experience and talked about that more than anything else. The fact that children can be exposed to something like that via the internet is absolutely tragic.

[@minyeollee2116]

Anyone who waiting for Dr Huberman to podcast with Dr. Mike -----------------👍

[@happynjoyousnfree]

42:50 excellent explanation of the dopamine pathways. As an addictions counselor, I have developed my own personal theory that the reason that people who are addicted to a variety of things engage in behaviors that they would otherwise find morally objectionable i s because their minds have conflated The addictive behavior or substance with something they need to survive. Starving people will do terrible things. People in active addiction will also do terrible things. Furthermore whenever someone who has developed an addiction gets into a weakened state, the craving for their substance or behavior seems to return regardless of how long they have abstained from it.

[@bertmclin]

To restore childhood 👶🍼 1. No smartphone before high school (18 yrs) 2. No social media before 16 3. Phone free schools 4.More independence, free play & responsibility in the real world (through sports, friends, adventure, etc)

[@pro100olga]

I haven't watched the full episode yet, but the part about boys and girls weirdly does not mention anything about socializing and "nurture vs nature". It's just presented as boys and girls "naturally" are interested in different things, while it is heavily affected by social expectations and environment. Especially if we are talking about something that happened in 80s or 90s, which is 30-40 years ago :)

[@haileynichelle8343]

Yes! Completely agree with you

[@DivyenduKashyap]

he said multiple times that its because of pre-natal hormones, because of it being cross-cultural and in some cases, cross-species

[@pro100olga]

@@DivyenduKashyap gender stereotypes are also cross-cultural. Regarding cross-species: that's a valid point, but this could be extrapolated to humans just partially, and there is a lot of human-specific data to explore. Not only show one explanation. Especially given that he seems to base it on one author whom he referred to.

[@DivyenduKashyap]

@@pro100olga agree that more than one author needs to be cited. As to how cross-cultural gender stereotypes are, depends on how many cultures have been studied. I'd argue that there are a handful of matriarchal societies in east Asia and among native Americans, not sure if they included them. And if gender stereotypes are truly widespread, does the biological preference matter? Perhaps gender norms will flip 180° as it is in the west. But everywhere else, I doubt it will ever change

[@uf00m14]

Im a girl and I play war games, have control cars and helis, like programming and systems and this is all because my parents would let me try anything without gender restrictions and I found my place so yeah...

[@KairosDBT]

They are two of my favorite guys in dialog with one another! Fabulous.

[@vaibhavjain578]

Dr huberman sir hello from India, I liked your podcasts and I found these very very helpful and life changing. Sir I m not only respect you for your work but also respect you because you provide science based tools. I like your professionalism. Thank you so very much sir for presenting these for us at zero cost. Thank you and have a great day.

[@barrygamble]

Another profound episode on the current state of the world. The suggestions for change are on the money! Thank you Andrew and Jonathan for your continued work.

[@charlesb2895]

If you havent read “The Happiness Hypothesis” by Haidt its fantastic

[@lindaohanraha-hanrahan2817]

I’m looking forward to this. I’m a big fan of Dr. Haigt and his work. Most of my immediate family are teachers and have been for generations. I hear the stories of what’s going on now. It’s frightening. As an RN I’ve decided recently to look into research on AD use with children and teenagers since their introduction. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks again Andrew. PS I’d be interested to hear Rick’s thoughts on how different the music is now. There seems to be a different energy about it that’s strange to explain. Gen Zs experience is so different than even my Gen X contemporaries.

[@lektuschannel8004]

I finished watching, agree with everything!

[@tiffanyapril5458]

It was posted 1hr ago. You watched in 2x?

[@lektuschannel8004]

@@tiffanyapril5458 exactly 👍

[@patisserie1524]

Is so sad, my 12yp daughter did very bad when I gave her her first smartphone so i took it off and it took me a year to reset her. All this and now that she's in highschool they forced onto her to have a laptop to work with where there aren't any boundaries and I've catched her binging on KZbin every time she can. I feel so hopeless about her school doing this.

[@steeltoejam]

Mine has a flip phone, but school did the same thing. For me, I said that she can only use the laptop at school and she doesn't know the home wifi password. If she needs to do homework she has to do it on our common area desk computer.

[@CarnifaxMachine]

21:43 Haidt describing this "Tragedy in 3 Acts" is one of the most interesting things I've heard all year.

[@__saturos__]

Dr. Huberman, it would be highly appreciated by many individuals if you did a podcast specifically focusing on allergies. Thank you.

[@ianratliff3507]

My school just added a cell phone ban next year. Happy about it

[@heydude696969]

Dr. Haidt is a breath of fresh air to listen to on the smartphone problem.

[@straightuno1250]

To restore childhood in the real world: No smartphone before high school No social media til 16! Phone-free schools More independent free play and responsibility Praying for the restoration, yes.

[@LoveinDC]

Three point plan 1. Litigation: Sue the medium, yes, Apple and Google, for the destruction they have caused society. 2. Ad campaign: Create “This is your brain on drugs” ads, but with phones. 3. App: Develop an app, supported by school districts, that parents can put on their children’s smartphones that will allow them to call their parents, but blocks everything else during school hours.

[@aadarsh_1303x]

mom was right ,it is because of that damm phone

[@mrmerlin6287]

Definitely a kid of the Instant Messenger era. AIM, MSN, Yahoo. Couldn't carry it in your pocket, but it did make us stay in our homes and "chat" than leave the house.

[@MsBlackIntrovert]

I guess being poor had its advantages I didn’t have a home computer so my childhood was spent outside because that’s all we had.

[@BrainiousPodcast]

One of the biggest problems of today's World. It's so addictive and very easy to reach it's almost like impossible to escape. In our podcast we're also making episodes for improving mental health and we will soon upload an episode about video gaming addiction. Give us a follow and check out or episodes, you'll love it!

[@nevergiveup5939]

Why are we here in this life? Why do we die? What will happen to us after death??