Mental Health and Technology Group on Internship

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Cayetana

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Hello friends,


What topics would you bring to a Mental Health and Technology group? What resources would you share with your group? Also, do you know of another forum where I could get feedback on this?


I am preparing to lead a group while on Internship on, well, Mental Health and Technology. I've been interested in Cyberpsychology since 1993, and every year I work with clients, more and more of then bring up issues related to technology and the Internet.

Finally I have the opportunity to run a group of about 10 weeks on the topic. Here are some topics I've put together in an initial list. I would appreciate:
a) ideas for more topics
b) ideas on which of these existing topics to consolidate or remove
c) links or resources for use for these topics
d) any activities or fun things to offer to make the group more enjoyable and help recruit participants to the group

1. Netiquette
2. Social Media
3. Online identities
4. Anonymity
5. Cyberbullying
6. Online buying and selling
7. Gaming/Gambling
8. Psych resources
9. Online safety
10. Legal issues and the Internet
11. Resources for leisure/learning
12. Mobile devices
13. Fake news

We will ask some questions like "What's in a Pseudonym," and "What do you meme?" We will learn about TED talks and Psychcentral. We will look at what constitutes fake news and we will look at misrepresented apps. Of course, we will discuss the mental health aspects of all these.

If you have any feedback for such group please feel free to share! I really appreciate it!
Thank you!
Cayetana

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We will learn about TED talks and Psychcentral. We will look at what constitutes fake news and we will look at misrepresented apps.

I'm not sure what some of these things have to do with mental health. Online buying and selling? Memes?

Some TED talks are a stone's throw from fake news, tbh.

Some topics I would add: conflict resolution/how not to get in a flame war; constructive ways to unplug/reduce total screen time; sorting out reputable v. bogus online counseling and mental health interventions
 
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Thank you! Those are great topics, I will definitely add some.

Online buying and selling has to do with being deceived or mislead, like bad Craigslist ads and pay-to-win lures in games. Even safety, not inviting someone into your home or going into their home if you're buying/selling things. Mistakes in these areas can turn a good experience into a bad one, and if you're kidnapped or out a bunch of money it's mentally unhealthy. Maybe we'll talk about how to interact with buyers and sellers and how to use some impulse control and read the reviews for an app before buying one that doesn't do what it says.

As for memes, I think there can be quite a mental health component there. There are different categories of memes, but just two of them that can be particularly nasty are the passive/aggressive ones and the body shaming ones. Like the ones that call others who are trying to be more sensitive "snowflakes," or the ones where a fat person is dancing nearly nude with the "tag Mike" caption. Of course there are a ton of political ones and lots of memes that people post that are mean/aggressive that they wouldn't outright say themselves, but hide behind it being a meme that someone else made and it's "funny."

I do agree about the TED talks. I am not recommending those as a psychotherapy intervention. One of the groups will be on specifically mental health resources - TED won't be included. Another group will be on leisure, fun, and somewhat educational content that is meant to be used in a lighter sense. Like for decorating at holidays, or following someone who shares your same goals, or kicking back and watching entertaining videos with some potential for redeeming content. The TED will be to introduce to people who might like them and don't now about them - I know there are *some* bad ones but I've spent many hours watching them and liked/learn a lot also.

Feel free to share more ideas!
Thanks!
 
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Thank you! Those are great topics, I will definitely add some.

Online buying and selling has to do with being deceived or mislead, like bad Craigslist ads and pay-to-win lures in games. Even safety, not inviting someone into your home or going into their home if you're buying/selling things. Mistakes in these areas can turn a good experience into a bad one, and if you're kidnapped or out a bunch of money it's mentally unhealthy. Maybe we'll talk about how to interact with buyers and sellers and how to use some impulse control and read the reviews for an app before buying one that doesn't do what it says.

As for memes, I think there can be quite a mental health component there. There are different categories of memes, but just two of them that can be particularly nasty are the passive/aggressive ones and the body shaming ones. Like the ones that call others who are trying to be more sensitive "snowflakes," or the ones where a fat person is dancing nearly nude with the "tag Mike" caption. Of course there are a ton of political ones and lots of memes that people post that are mean/aggressive that they wouldn't outright say themselves, but hide behind it being a meme that someone else made and it's "funny."

I do agree about the TED talks. I am not recommending those as a psychotherapy intervention. One of the groups will be on specifically mental health resources - TED won't be included. Another group will be on leisure, fun, and somewhat educational content that is meant to be used in a lighter sense. Like for decorating at holidays, or following someone who shares your same goals, or kicking back and watching entertaining videos with some potential for redeeming content. The TED will be to introduce to people who might like them and don't now about them - I know there are *some* bad ones but I've spent many hours watching them and liked/learn a lot also.

Feel free to share more ideas!
Thanks!


1) If you remember your behavioral classes and learning theory courses, you'll remember that in game purchasing and online gambling work on a specific reinforcement schedule. Consultants actively work in this field to ensure the proper formulas are at play. Describing the effects as "mentally unhealthy" is probably a very poor professional description.

2) You might want to consider your professional role. Psychologists are not a safety officers. One risks losing professional credibility by limiting insight into such advice.

3) If someone feels pathological "shame", there is a specific personality structure at play which will not be aided by others actions.
 
I agree that some of those topics are a little odd. I'm not totally clear on how this is applying to mental health. Of patients? And the audience is providers? Or are you saying this is a group for patients?

I do think there is lots of space for info sessions for providers. A lot of therapists are very tech savvy and a lot are luddites. I remember when World of Warcraft came out the uni counseling center had an influx of people who were failing out of classes, sleep deprived, and stressed. But most staff had no idea what WoW was. So things like that can be useful. Also some people seem to have substantial problems dealing with either (a) trolling, or (b) being disagreed with, which they perceive as trolling.
 
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Definitely need more info. I'm as confused as everyone else. I have no earthly idea how this could be a treatment group per se (who would even attend something like this? Geared towards younger adolescents? Parents? Inpatients?). It sounds more like an interesting undergrad seminar or journal club/discussion group. Didnt even occur to me it might be an actual treatment group until the later posts.
 
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