Seattle PI: As mental illness rates rise, 68% of Americans say social media, news cause anxiety during pandemic. “As social media has increasingly become a source of information about the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study from Digital Third Coast is giving insight into how much news Americans are consuming during the virus and how it’s affecting mental health. By analyzing a survey of over 2,000 Americans, the study illuminated how news consumption has dramatically increased during the pandemic. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they are consuming more news than usual, and 40% said their social media use has increased since the start of the pandemic.”
mental health
EurekAlert: Does posting edited self photos on social media increase risk of eating disorders?
EurekAlert: Does posting edited self photos on social media increase risk of eating disorders?. “New research revealed a consistent and direct link between posting edited photos on Instagram and risk factors for eating disorders. Specifically, digitally editing pictures to improve personal appearance before posting photos to Instagram increased weight and shape concerns in college students.”
‘Zoom fatigue’ is setting in: What it is and how to prevent it (CBC)
CBC: ‘Zoom fatigue’ is setting in: What it is and how to prevent it. “Although the term may not be found in psychology textbooks, some psychologists say the condition has become all too common in the COVID-19 era, with so many people working from home and holding meetings through video conferencing applications such as Skype, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Cisco Webex. The fatigue can stem from any such software.”
PsyPost: Analysis of 31,500 social media photos finds a connection between nature and happiness
PsyPost: Analysis of 31,500 social media photos finds a connection between nature and happiness. “The researchers used artificial intelligence to gather 31,534 photographs from 185 countries that had been uploaded to the website Flickr and automatically detect their content. They found that photographs tagged as #fun, #vacations and #honeymoons were more likely to contain elements of nature such as plants, water and natural landscape compared to photographs tagged #daily or #routines.”
Mashable: The real impact of not having been touched in months
Mashable: The real impact of not having been touched in months. “What makes the coronavirus pandemic unlike any other collective tragedy is that we can’t commiserate together. Post-layoff drinks at a dive bar near the office; embracing someone you haven’t seen in months; pats on the back — these are seemingly small comforts that have morphed into luxuries in the past few months. While there are many things I miss about the Before, these touches of comfort are high on the list. As we round the corner into another month of social distancing I find myself thinking about touch constantly. One look at dating apps or porn sites and I know I’m not alone in that.”
Coronavirus: The strangers reaching out to Kyrgyzstan’s lonely teenagers (BBC)
BBC: Coronavirus: The strangers reaching out to Kyrgyzstan’s lonely teenagers. “Maksat (not his real name) feels alone and misunderstood. He often expresses suicidal feelings – a noticeable change, his teachers say, from the boy they knew before the curfew was brought in. And then he met a ‘phone pal’ – Jalalbek Akmatov, a university student in the capital Bishkek. Jalabek is one of around 100 young adults taking part in a project to reach out via phone to teenagers just like Maksat, thousands of whom have been stuck at home for weeks.”
The Next Web: Disney debuts Zenimation, which mixes soothing sounds with familiar art
The Next Web: Disney debuts Zenimation, which mixes soothing sounds with familiar art. “Disney today launched its latest series, called Zenimation, a collection of shorts that combine the company’s animation with some soothing sound effects.”
