Nature & Nurture #154: Dr. Carl Marci - Protecting Your Brain From Screens

Dr. Carl Marci is a psychiatrist, Director of the Social Neuroscience Psychotherapy Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and author of Rewired: Protecting Your Brain in the Digital Age.  In this episode, we discuss how social media and digital technology impact attention span and brain development, what is happening to kids in the digital age, and how advertising companies use neuroscience research to addict their users. Dr. Marci talks about his experience as both a psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, and entrepreneur who has worked with digital broadcasting and technology companies. We talk about the rapid rise of mental health problems, social contagion theory, and why in-person communication is more enriching than online communication (ironically, as we speak on an online platform). Dr. Marci shares his recommendations for developing healthy screen habits and how to turn the fear of missing out into the joy of missing out on digital immersion.