Gen Z is “online and overwhelmed,” according to Esther Fernandez of the Made of Millions Foundation. It’s a fair statement, considering the unlimited access to digital content vying for a user’s attention aided by AI algorithms that responsively shape the virtual world around them. Gen Z is the largest population alive today and consists of those born in the late 1990s to the early 2010s. This generation is the first to be born and raised with access to the internet and digital technology, which makes them the current focus of corporations, news and media outlets, and researchers. According to The Anxious Generation book, the “phone-based childhood” has contributed to a sharp increase in depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide among youth since 2010. Individuals have access to a constant stream of content that can trigger depression or fear from their back pocket, and the algorithms will feed the user more content related to their engagement. This could send those already struggling with their mental health into a spiral of content that exacerbates symptoms. For better or worse, our clients are engaging with content online, and young people are more likely to turn to the internet for answers to their mental health problems.
Social Media and Artificial Intelligence as Tools for Therapy
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