The Midtown Practice for Psychotherapy and Psychiatry

Feeling on edge today? You are not alone. Please read our latest blog to learn ways to center yourself on election day and the post-election landscape, regardless of the outcome.

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Before the modern saturation of screens that define our world, that's talking ancient ancestors to the 1980s, as kids and adults we formed friendships exclusively through the 4 kinds of social interactions covered in this series. (1) Talking in person, which means (2) talking in real-time and reading body & facial expressions, (3) mostly interacting within small groups (the hunting party, the family, the study group, the coworkers, etc), and (4) we had to regularly demonstrate our value and commitment to the well-being of the group (the tribe, the neighborhood, the sorority / fraternity, the professional group, etc) The virtual world of texting, group chats, social media, video games, online shopping & gambling, etc, are not inherently bad. In fact, each of these technological marvels have made our world better in several ways. However, when consumed unconsciously, without balance nor mindfulness, they rapidly contribute to a world of mental illness. When too much of our communication with others are; (1) disembodied, meaning that no body is needed - texting & e-mailing, etc, (2) heavily asynchronous, waiting to hear from and respond to another person for several minutes, hours, or days at at time, (3) broadcasted to many at once, like on social media, (4) and take place within communities that have a low bar for entry and exit - people can block others or just quit when they are not pleased, like subreddits and Facebook groups... as kids and adults, we become disconnected and lonely. It's hard to see this problem because the things that contribute to it are everywhere, always. We are desensitized to the dangers of screens because we are oversaturated in them. BUT, we don't have to smash our phones and TVs. First, acknowledge that you probably are on your phone, tv, laptop, video game, social media account, or website too much. Then find help to create balanced, mindful engagement with them all. Visit our website to get started with a therapist that can help: https://lnkd.in/e_T_hvyk

A sense of belonging to a distinct group of people is essential for confident and comprehensive identity formation. So much of our learning about others and how the world works comes from authority figures in the household, especially when we are younger. However, our ancient ancestors become cultural creatures by becoming better learners over time. That happened by exposure to ideas & experiences from many different sources. We align ourselves with group values because group acceptance equals safety. We also look to learn from those who are celebrated for their skills within a group, so that we can also earn celebration, which is a higher form of social acceptance and hence safety. (That is not the same as celebrity status today, that's a different discussion ;). Group acceptance and celebration comes from regular contributions to the well-being of a community. Entry and exit from internet-based communities, more often than not, are determined by a few clicks... Regular contributions tend to be more superficial and fleeting because of that. Finding in-person communities, sports leagues, religious or spiritual congregations, professional or intellectual clubs, etc, etc. These communities typically carry the acceptance, celebration, and comfort our brains have come to rely on. Therapists at The Midtown Practice can help you find your people and establish your belonging to them. https://lnkd.in/e_T_hvyk

Social Media has fundamentally changed the way we talk to each other. While social media creates space for life-affirming identity exploration and expression, as well as access to helpful information (like what we are trying here!)... the evidence on social media's net effect, particularly amongst teens and young adults, paints a clear picture of harm. One of the well documented detriments is increased loneliness caused by a false sense of connection and communion with others. We may think social media makes us more social, but actually, too much time on here weakens our ability to form deep, meaningful and long-lasting relationships. Life spent on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook forces us to always think ahead about the social consequences of each photo, video, comment and emoji. It saps our focus and enjoyment from spending time with the people can we see. For many of us, a balance is sorely needed. The good news is we are becoming increasingly clear on how to achieve that. As groups of like-minded people, who acknowledge the harm and want to do something about it, we can collectively reclaim our social lives and protect future generations. At The Midtown Practice, we pay attention to the latest advancements in treating the negative effects of too much screen. Visit our website to learn more about the various ways we help our clients reclaim fulfillment in their relationships and lives: https://lnkd.in/eMzUYxnp

Part 2 of this week's series on Social Anxiety and Screen Time. See parts 3, 4, and 5 later this week. Talking to people in real time, or in synchrony, is a key foundation in becoming attuned to another person. We first learn this as toddlers when we begin to speak. There is a natural serve-and-return we learn with parents and caretakers. We learn how long to wait before making the next funny face, or give the next rhyme in a rhyming game. Nailing down this timing is an ancient, powerful way we attune to people that help fulfill our needs. As we get older, this same process continues, growing in sophistication. It is normal for us to have trouble in this attuning-timing and is therefore normal to have trouble asking for help, receiving help, or even knowing what we need help with. Since the advent of smartphones - all this is becoming even more common. Certain kinds of neurodiversity, like Autism and ADHD, present certain challenges in figuring our appropriate timing in social interactions. While neurodiverse people are also susceptible to the negative effects of too much screen time, like neurotypical people - there are ways to get better at this timing. Visit our website to schedule a free consultation with a therapist to discuss how to create a more fulfilling neurodiverse or neurotypical social life: https://lnkd.in/e_T_hvyk

Happy day after Labor Day everyone! Summer is a transition time for many of us; our kids feel it perhaps more than we do. Here are some tips to ease that angst.

Even for those not returning to school this year, September can bring the jitters. Use these tools to help kids of any age (and adults!) deal with the back-to-school heebie-jeebies!