social media

Social media dramatically impacts our offline lives and mental well-being; examine its benefits, risks and controversies through scientific studies, real-life anecdotes and more.

You Are Not Empty, You Are Overloaded
You are not empty. You are not broken. You are not dull. - You are overloaded. - People often describe certain mental states as “having nothing in their head,” but that description is almost always inaccurate. What feels like emptiness is usually saturation. The mind has not stopped producing content. It has lost spare capacity. The system is busy allocating energy toward coping, regulating, or enduring, and there is little left over for reflection, synthesis, or creativity. This distinction matters, because mistaking overload for emptiness leads people to judge themselves harshly for conditions that are largely structural and biological.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcastabout a month ago in Psyche
Rewards, Punishments, and Your Phone: Are We Just Puppets?
You know how sometimes you read something and go, “Oh… so that’s why I keep doing that thing even when I know better”? That’s what this book by Yoesoep Edhie Rachmad, which is republished by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, found.
By Anie the Candid Mom Abroadabout a month ago in Psyche
Why Faster Technology Isn’t Always Better
In today’s digital world, speed is often treated as the ultimate measure of progress. Faster processors, instant communication, real-time analytics, and lightning-quick apps promise efficiency, convenience, and innovation. Yet the reality is more nuanced: faster technology isn’t always better. In fact, in many cases, rapid adoption can create challenges for businesses, individuals, and society as a whole.
By Mind Meets Machineabout a month ago in Psyche
The Rise of AI Influencers and Virtual Humans: Fame Without a Face
Scroll through Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube long enough and you may encounter a strange realization: some of the most polished, fashionable, and engaging “people” online aren’t people at all. They don’t age, get tired, make public mistakes, or disappear due to scandal. They are AI influencers—virtual humans designed to look relatable, aspirational, and endlessly consistent.
By Mind Meets Machineabout a month ago in Psyche
An App Called “Are You Dead?” Is Going Viral
At first glance, it sounds like a dark joke. There’s a new app going viral called “Are You Dead?” And yes, that’s actually the name. But once you look past the shock value, the reason people are downloading it hits uncomfortably close to home.
By Socialodeabout a month ago in Psyche
The Internet Quietly Rewired Your Brain — And You Didn’t Notice Until Now
You probably feel it already. You’re more “plugged in” than ever, yet somehow less present in your own life. You scroll, you refresh, you consume—and then wonder why you feel empty afterward.
By Iqbal about a month ago in Psyche
Raw record of my mental illness on YouTube can’t be erased
During a bout with mental illness that occurred shortly after my dad died and other traumas, I went through a phase where I created YouTube videos while in psychotic states.
By David Heitzabout a month ago in Psyche
Scroll, Share, Repeat
Scroll, Share, Repeat: The Ethics of What We Believe and Spread It happens almost subconsciously. I open my phone to check a message, and suddenly an hour has passed. A video about a celebrity scandal leads to a protest clip, and then to a “must-see” thread about political corruption. My emotions shift by the second—from being angry, to entertained, to heartbroken, to amused. It feels like I’m seeing the entire world in just the palm of my hands, but really, the world I’m seeing has already been chosen for me. Every scroll feels like a choice, but it isn’t. Every share feels like my voice, but it isn’t either.
By Om Patelabout a month ago in Psyche
The Age of Solitude: Why More People Are Choosing to Be Alone—and What It Means for Society
Introduction: The Quiet Revolution of Being Alone Being alone has never been easy. Throughout history, solitude has been conceived as loneliness—something to be pitied or feared, a condition of the rejected or unwanted. It was the opposite of belonging, an shadow cast by human failure to connect.
By The Chaos Cabinet2 months ago in Psyche
Where Credibility Becomes Instantly Lost. Top Story - January 2026.
There are many people in the world... Who stand for something. It is becoming more and more common... For people to be expected to take a stand...
By Dr. Cody Dakota Wooten, DFM, DHM, DAS (hc)2 months ago in Psyche
When Connection Hurts: The Quiet Paradox of Social Media and Loneliness
There’s a strange thing happening in the way we connect today. We’re more “linked” than ever before hundreds of friends online, infinite posts to scroll through, and new digital communities forming every day.
By Socialode2 months ago in Psyche
Etsy and the £50 Scented Candle
Whilst browsing the realms of Etsy in order to find some bespoke candles, I was shocked to discover one of the candles on the site was listed for £50 (around $67 at the time of writing). I wondered why and so I clicked ahead. It was a candle, shaped like a Greek Statue, smelling of vanilla (apparently, though I know you can't smell things through a screen and an open candle smells lacklustre for those of us who know our candles) and perched on a piece of plastic. Yes, it looked quite pretty but apart from pouring candle wax into a mould and waiting for the whole thing to dry before cracking the mould off, I'm not sure what the candlemaker did to make it worth £50.
By Annie Kapur2 months ago in Psyche