Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is an evangelist for wellness, hosting town halls and expounding on meditation and mindfulness on his House Calls podcast. He’s particularly concerned about kids’ mental health and has issued guidance for young people, suggesting they ask for help, volunteer in their communities and learn stress management techniques. And he’s testified before Congress about the topic. In conversation with Ruth, he calls out social media as a unique threat to the rising generation, a view shared by many in Congress who are considering legislation to make it harder for kids to use the technology. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. How did mental health become such a focus for you? I think for many of us who work on mental health, that it comes from a place of personal experience. And I’m no different, you know, as a young person, I struggled a lot with my mental health. But it was when I first became surgeon general in 2014 that I really came to see it was a national problem. When you look at the statistics around us, it’s hard not to escape the idea that we are not only in a mental health crisis, but one that is worsening. And if we do not do something about it, it will continue to have profound consequences for us. What are you hearing from parents? The most common question I get from parents when it comes to mental health is about social media. They ask me: “Is social media hurting my children and how do I manage it?” What do you tell them? Too many kids get exposed to harmful content on social media. They also can get bullied. So safety standards need to ensure that we both understand the harms and potential harm to our kids and that steps are being taken by the platforms to mitigate and minimize those harms. Social media is being used by billions of people without effective social safety standards. I believe we should raise the age at which kids can use social media. My belief is that 13 is too young, and I say that based on the data that I've seen. We also need to require data transparency from companies so that we understand the full impact on the mental health and well-being of our kids that these platforms have. What’s the most surprising thing that you’ve learned from talking to kids and parents? One of the most surprising, and heartening, things that I’ve heard is just how powerful young people can be as forces in addressing the mental health crisis. The Becoming a Man program, which started in high schools in Chicago, is now spread to Boston and other cities. These programs are having a real impact, resulting in a 50 percent decline in violent arrests among the young people who participated.
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