Meet Al Bernstein: Good Human of The Week
Meet Good Human, al bernstein ... Al is an actor, writer, filmmaker, coach, producer, and professor in Toronto. In an industry that can often be characterized by its competitiveness and ego, Al stands out as a beacon of warmth and empathy. You'll even see it in our interview. Whether he's portraying a character on stage or in film, or supporting others to do so, Al's commitment to kindness and compassion is unwavering, and he has a genuine concern for the well-being of others. Al is currently developing the feature film version of his very powerful short film, Walled IN, about mental health in our youth and the role of the educator. Al and I have known each other for our whole lives (well, my whole life, since I was born a few years after he was!). Al's grandparents and my grandparents were part of a group of best friends who purchased an old fishing lodge together in Muskoka, Ontario, creating community back in the 1940s. This group raised their kids (our parents' generation) there, then our generation, and the legacy continues for many of the original families to this day. This interview was fun and heartwarming to do with Al since it spans our childhood, teenage years at summer camp, Al's living in New York (where he worked and performed on the stage until he was accepted into his dream acting program, at the Actors Studio Drama School, where he received his Master’s in Fine Arts), Los Angeles, and his return to Toronto, how he played on stage with U2, developing his film, and becoming a grandfather. It's light, it's heavy, it's hopeful, it's real, and I hope you enjoy the read and photos. Why did you choose to become an actor? There are times in our lives when we hope to make good choices. This is a brief story as to how I chose an acting career. I had C + grades, sometimes a B in high school. I was not the greatest student. Therefore, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a living when I was accepted into York University in Toronto. In grade twelve, I had an English teacher who said he’d try and help me get my English grades up. I did a little better in his class that year, but when I couldn’t fulfill the requirements on the exams, I would write a poem at the end of my papers and he marked them saying ‘I was good.’ Probably, one of the first times I actually heard someone say I was good at something. It inspired me to keep writing out my feelings. I enjoyed it, so I ended up studying poetry, prose, and screenwriting in my entire undergrad years. In my second year of university, I had one good friend who was studying acting. He suggested I should audit his evening acting class at Ryerson University. So, I did. When I saw those actors perform, one of the first voices coming from my gut was ‘I do that every day. That is how I see the world and think.’ Next thing I knew, I was enrolled in that evening class. Around that same time, I got pulled up on stage to play guitar with the world’s greatest band U2. Part of me believed I willed it to happen and that confidence stayed with me as I entered the world of an actor. When I graduated university, I asked this professional actor friend of mine, ‘What do I do next?’ He suggested I go to New York if I wanted to be an actor. Next thing I knew, I was flying to New York to audition at the renowned Circle in the Square Theatre School. I was accepted and was living in New York City three weeks later. My first night in New York City, I was lonely, scared, tearful so I stayed at a friends’ father’s home. The next morning, I went to my first class, and was hooked. I loved every second of living in New York and being an actor. I met some Torontonians living in New York who had their own theatre school, so I started studying with them. A year and a half later, I was permanently living in New York City, where I belonged. I had many, ‘ah ha,’ moments. Literally, I was opening a cab door to get into the car when I had this feeling like I belonged. There were many other moments performing, walking down the streets of New York, being in a theatre, studying with some of the top actors in the world. Why did I choose to become an actor? What I learned early on my pursuit of the craft of acting was: it is who I am. I am an actor, writer and storyteller. I am and have always been an actor and writer. My New York life confirms it. Music has a huge influence on you, do you have a favourite concert moment? I have been a super fan of the band U2 all my life. I have been to every concert tour of theirs except the latest Sphere residency. Every U2 concert I have attended has been incredible. What is it about this band? The anthemic passionate wrenching guitar, heavy bass and backbeat lifts up my heart and I feel like I can do anything. On October 3rd, 1987, U2 came to Toronto on their Joshua Tree Tour. For the first time in their career, they were the biggest band in the world. On the cover of Time Magazine and Newsweek. I had become great friends with another U2 super fan a few months before that concert. He had concert ticket connections and told me he wanted take me to see that show and we’ll have front row center seats. I started playing guitar that summer too. He and I listened to a bootleg tape of U2 from this tour where they pulled up a fan to play guitar on the song ‘People Get Ready,’ a Curtis Mayfield cover. The moment I heard that tape I started having dreams I was the one being pulled up to play guitar with them. I kept seeing it, visualizing it, telling people I’ll be playing guitar with U2 in a few months, and willing it to happen. On October 3rd, 1987, I played guitar with U2 in front of sixty-five thousand screaming fans. This is my favorite concert moment, even though I was in shock for the latter half of the show. ^ Al on stage playing with Bono Why does becoming famous seem to be a measure of success in our world? What makes you feel successful? I can only give you my point of view at this time in my life. When you say ‘in our world.’ I feel that means in the ‘western world.’ I am sure becoming famous is not a measure of success in other countries on earth. During my upbringing, I feel I was taught that money means success versus self-awareness, confidence building, and self-esteem. I observed as young person, if one is making lots of money; they are successful according to the market place, my grandparents and my parents. Large corporations sell the idea of fame, and materialism as if that is the way to succeed. They reward those who achieve certain levels of fame. In my industry, being famous can be a measure of success. The focus is mostly on the United States entertainment industry - not so much the Canadian. The United States has a star system. English-speaking Canada does not. Hollywood began when wealthy individuals created the Studio System. Actors were contracted to the studios on multiple picture deals like athletes are contracted today. In return the actor could become famous. They became household names during the golden age of television and film. The actor is a product that makes money for the studios, in return the studios made them famous. Today, a handful of large corporations own the studios, but the actor is still a product. I am certain your readers understand this. I believe the flattening of the world through globalization and tech is spreading out the wealth and fame is being redefined. In my industry over the past decade YouTube, streaming and social media has offered more opportunities for people and their work to be seen. The market place is flooded with content, making it harder to find quality content, but overwhelming us with product. In my opinion fame is becoming less of a factor if you’re going to measure success through that lens. What is success? That is the question. I don’t think becoming famous is a measure of success, because in the end I believe the definition of success is personal. Each individual defines it differently. There are many moments of success in a lifetime. Yes. Money is a priority in my life and as an actor and writer, if I succeed, most likely there’ll be some fame attached to my work and product. Yet, I define success as connections and personal relationships. If I can have consistent healthy communication and connections to the people I love, the people that love me and honestly, with anyone. I am successful. You've lived in many cities. What made you leave Toronto, and what made you decide to come back home? I moved to New York City to become a good actor, and not long after that move, I realized I belonged in New York City. I feel closest to myself in New York City. The energy, sense of freedom, the sense that everyone is so concentrated on their goals of living life to the fullest, the theatre, plus all of the world is represented in New York. I thrived there and grew into my own studying with the greatest actors and teachers in the world. I received my MFA at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York. I ended up living there the majority of sixteen years and loved every second of it. Then my father got really sick and passed away. After a bit of time...I moved to Los Angeles. I lived there for nine years loving it too. It is a completely different experience. The state of California is so beautiful, the weather is perfect and it is the center of show business, so I was closer to bigger opportunities. One truism in my life is that I always kept a toe or two in Toronto. Why? I lived in New York City without permanent residency for most of my time there, so it was a challenge to find good paying acting work. Secondly, I would spend most of my summers at my family’s cottage north of Toronto, so it was hard to give that up, plus I could get more work in Toronto as an actor during the summer time. Finally, possibly a deeper truth. The noise from the insecure child in me would make Toronto feel like a safer choice. I moved back to Toronto for a girl. Settling down with a partner and possibly having children was a wish of mine. I had faith it was going to happen, so I didn’t push it. At the same time, that insecure child’s voice in my head said: ‘who’s going to marry a struggling artist?’ I had faith even though it was probably true for some of my partners. Then, I found myself in a long-distance relationship, me in Los Angeles, her in Toronto. Time was ticking. So, I moved to Toronto. Funny enough, that relationship didn’t work out (hmm), but not soon after, I met my wife and I couldn’t be happier. So, moving back to Toronto for a girl came true after all. When you created and produced WalledIN, the short film was mental wellness already a popular conversation to have? Mental Wellness is always a conversation worth having. It is so much more of a conversation now. I believe the shootings in Columbine in 1999 were a tipping point. Sadly, as I write this, I am aware it is the twenty-fifth anniversary of those shootings. I made my award-winning short film, WalledIN in 2017 about a bipolar teenage girl struggling with her coping mechanisms. The mental health crisis amongst teens today is dire. One thing I feel in my heart is necessary. The more we have the conversation around mental health in our youth and the role of the community from the ground up, the easier it will be for the powers that be to see how to change their systems. It is taking ideas, and truisms from the community itself and implementing them from the inside out. What better way to inspire a movement, than through storytelling and art. It is how we learn about our past and create our future. I believe social media, smartphones, and the systems in place for teenagers are not enough to provide the healthiest supervision, education and safety for young people struggling today. I believe because of technology, life today and the systems to protect, regulate and educate us all are changing faster than the people running these systems can handle. This is forcing the world to change, but the forward thinkers in our world, who are in a place of power to actually change things are struggling between making a fortune and listening to the peoples needs. What is your goal with this film/project? I have artistic goals with the project and I have mental health awareness goals with the project. I want WalledIN to be an artistic and financial success so that it creates more opportunity for me as an artist and all the artists involved in the making of it. WalledIN forces the conversation around mental health and wellness. It is my hope that private financiers and philanthropists who support the mental health industry, mental health professionals, social workers, teachers, mental health organizations will join and support the creation and life of WalledIN. I want young people interested in filmmaking and the theatre industries to join me on this project. I want to build a social media presence with WalledIN. Imagine your teenager joining us on set, or in rehearsals and live streaming the process. WalledIN, the play is produced in high schools all around the world. The play and the feature film will spark conversations. You can read more about WalledIN, the feature film, the play and the Conversation here. You can donate to the non-profit organization who is the Sponsor Producer for the play version here. ^ a group of "old" camp friends showing up to support Al at the premiere of his short film, WalledIN, 2017. Photo credit: Ricci Engel Slipacoff What do you rely on to lift you up when you feel low? My wife. Granddaughter. Journaling. Healthy consistent communication with friends. Mom. Exercise, Stretching. Acting and writing. Music. Sunshine and being by the water. What makes you feel safe with regard to a friend? Consistent communication. Connection. Honesty and trust. What environment offers you peace? Being anywhere with my wife, granddaughter, niece and Mom. Live music. The theatre. The cinema. New York. My family’s cottage by the lake. Being by a body of water. Playing sports. Road trips. Meditating. ^ beautiful Kahshe Lake Do you use skills now that you honed as a waterski instructor as a young person? Yes. Interpersonal skills. Discipline. A regular routine. Connecting with younger people. Having a sense of humour. What is the magic of summer camp from your experience? Community. Constant connection. Personhood. Facing challenges as a close-knit community stemming from the cabin reaching all the way to the entire camp. Obviously, the environment of being by the water all day every day. The creation of trusting friendships that have lasted a lifetime. The fun outdoor daily activities provided in that environment. ^ Al and I visiting Camp Tamarack (where we both went as Waterski Staff for multiple summers) You became a grandfather recently ... what does a baby add to your life? I ask your readers: what can a baby add to anyone’s life? I do not have kids. I am more or less okay with that at this age. I kind of knew that could happen to me. It is a regret. Therefore, having a granddaughter through marriage means the world to me. Our granddaughter is almost ten months old and each and every moment I spend with her takes the edge off of life. Her smile melts my heart. Her grin is contagious. She is a really happy baby. She is beautiful, of course and I want to spend more and more time with her. I cannot wait to forge a lasting bond with her. I pray deep into my heart that I can spend as much time as possible with our granddaughter so I can flourish in her company. Having a granddaughter adds the opportunity for me to share everything I am with a child and give all the love I have to this child and hopefully more grandkids are in our future. I have always loved kids. I am a kid myself and all I want to do is play. Is being a stepfather challenging? Yes. Why? My wife has four amazing grown kids. Each one is so talented, confident and are living fulfilling lives. I was introduced to them in their late 20s and early 30s already starting their careers, marriages, and kids. They are extremely confident adults with clear goals and on their way to achieving them. Therefore, me being a new intimate relationship in their lives seems like a challenge for them, a normal challenge, one that takes time. I desire an intimate connection in my personal relationships and that takes time to build in some scenarios. I have hope. Do you prefer performing, teaching or writing? I prefer performing. I love them all for different reasons. Teaching allows me to share my expertise and experience along with creating and collaborating. Writing allows me to express, use my imagination and create my own work. Performing gives me the connection to an audience, collaborating with colleagues, an immediate sense of gratification and affirmation (if offered). ^ Al with his dad and brother Advice to your 21-year-old self? Don’t start smoking. Don’t care what other people think. I am not sure what to say to my twenty-one-year-old self, because I am still learning what to say to my younger self. Hey, twenty-one-year-old self-create an exercise routine you love that could last you a lifetime. Create a mindfulness routine that you love that could last. Love your friends dearly. Do anything you can to learn how to build your self- esteem and stick with it throughout life. Learn how to love yourself and stick with it. Travel and take risks. ^ That's Al with Rob Storm playing guitar around our cottage community campfire Advice to 21-year-olds today? Get off your phone. Limit your scrolling through social media. Do not believe what you read or follow-on social media. Get educated beyond the smartphone and internet, through real lived experience. Create, take risks and forget about the likes and clicks. What does Wellness Intelligence mean to you? The word ‘Wellness,’ gives me an overall feeling. A general feeling. Google describes it as: physical, mental, spiritual, social, environmental, emotional and occupational wellness. It seems like a general term, not too specific. Intelligence, on the other hand makes me laugh. Right now, as I write this, I feel the world lacks a huge amount of intelligence that all I can do is laugh and expect tears as it crumbles in front of us. ‘Wellness Intelligence,’ means to me at this point in time...good intensions. A little bit of hope. An attempt at making things better for oneself. A step in the right direction. The opportunity to create a new healthy habit. To learn something new. A general sense of wellbeing. A new product to market to those with enough money and in need. A community of well-intentioned people. Wellness Intelligence. I believe when a child is born the parent’s only desire in life from that moment on is to protect every aspect of that child: emotional, spiritual, physical, environmental, social, mental and occupational. Therefore, isn’t Wellness Intelligence each human being’s goal in life? Somewhere along the road of life, people are being changed into ‘unhealthy stupid,’ people. Every week, I interview a member of The Wellness Intelligence Collective ... everyone has a story to tell! I hope they are fun to read and help you get to know others in TWIC a little better. If you would like to be interviewed, please let me know! WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET OTHER GOOD HUMANS IN TWIC? Click HERE for an at-a-glance library of member interviews. #TWICMemberInterviews Toronto, Canada·Posted Today, May 9 Lisa Borden TWIC Host Here to share! I am the creator of TWIC and your host here. Efficiency Engineer. Human and Business Wellness Intelligence. Relational Networker.
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Published Sunday, April 28, 2024 11:39AM EDT
Last Updated Sunday, April 28, 2024 12:58PM EDT Katherine DeClerq, CTVNewsToronto.ca Journalist @KateDeClerq Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools. The new rules will go into effect in the 2024-2025 academic year. As of September, students in kindergarten to Grade 6 will be asked to keep their phones on silent and out of sight for the entire day, unless permitted by an educator. Students between Grades 7 and 12 have a little more flexibility, with cellphones only banned during class time. If a student breaks the rules, their cellphone should be immediately surrendered to a staff members and parents will be notified. Students could also face suspension for repeated violations. “We have heard loud and clear from parents and teachers alike that cellphones in classrooms are distracting kids from learning,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a statement released Sunday. “When it comes to cellphones, our policy is ‘out of sight and out of mind,’ as we get students back to the basics by restoring focus, safety and common sense back in Ontario schools.” As part of the new policy, social media sites will be banned from all school networks and devices. The government will also ban sharing and recording videos or photos of individuals without explicit consent, although it’s unclear how this will be monitored or enforced. At a news conference, Lecce told reporters that teachers’ judgement will be respected on when and how technology will be used in the classroom. “This is about restoring focus during instructional time,” Lecce said. “Outside of that, during lunch or recess or spares, we're going to try to treat kids with a sense of personal responsibility.” Teachers will also be asked to include comments on students’ distraction levels in class within report cards. Out of sight, out of mind. Ontario's plan to restrict cellphone usage in class and ban vaping is about restoring academic focus, safety, and common sense back in our schools. It's about time. ��: https://t.co/LH3WilCRtC pic.twitter.com/GOuk0QRn19 — Stephen Lecce (@Sflecce) April 28, 2024The policy changes come as four Ontario school boards launch lawsuits against multiple social media platforms, claiming their products negligently interfere with student learning and have caused “widespread disruption to the education system.” The suits allege that Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta have “knowingly and/or negligently disrupted and fundamentally changed the school [and] learning.” Premier Doug Ford has called the lawsuit “nonsense.” The Progressive Conservatives tried to implement a cellphone ban in 2019, asking school boards to come up with a policy restricting use for educational, health and medical purposes during class time. The changes to the provincial and school board codes of conduct made it clear the restrictions applied to students on school property, at school-related events, or in virtual settings. The same exemptions will remain in place, the minister confirmed. Lecce said the only difference between the 2019 policy and the 2024 policy is that there is consistency province-wide. “This time we're going to be updating the curriculum to include mandatory learning for young children on the perils of vaping and on responsible use of technology, particularly concepts like digital citizenship.” Karen Littlewood, President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, told CP24 that she doesn't see a difference in the policies. "Many schools have policies in place regarding cellphones. They are an issue and we totally support addressing mental health issues in the schools, bullying and harassement, but I’m not really sure how a ban is going to solve the prolems that we currently have in education," she said. "We are going to spend a lot of time policing cellphones and not teaching." The minister said success will be measured in academic achievement and test scores. What’s changing with vaping? The government already announced in its 2024 budget that it would spend $30 million to install vape detectors and other security upgrades in schools. Students caught with vape or e-cigarette products on school property as of September will be required to surrender them and parents will be notified immediately. The government will require that schools post signage in public spaces that outline “behavioural expectations” and a marketing campaign will be launched that’s directed at students and parents to increase awareness of the new policy. The pricetag for these changes is about $17.5 million, with $15 million earmarked for addictive behaviour supports. Officials say that a PA day will be used to provide teachers and staff with mandatory training on practices to remove distractions. How cell phones are killing our kids, and what we can do about it
By Matt Villano, CNN 8 minute read Updated 11:16 AM EDT, Tue April 16, 2024 16 comments Here's when a social psychologist recommends letting your child use smartphones and social media 03:50 - Source: CNNGet inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. CNN — Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt probably has become a pretty unpopular guy among teenagers over the last few weeks. His new book, “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,” essentially calls for a revolution in how parents administer smartphones and social media to their teens. Put simply, Haidt writes that kids should have little to no access to either until they turn 16. "The Anxious Generation" argues kids should have little or no access to smartphones or social media till they're 16. Dave Cicirelli, Courtesy of Penguin PressWhile some have questioned the science behind Haidt’s thesis, Haidt argues the perspective is informed by years of research — investigations that depict climbing mental health struggles among American tweens and teens, and statistics that indicate many teenagers in the United States already are depressed or anxious in some way. Put simply, Haidt writes that kids should have little to no access to either until they turn 16. While some have questioned the science behind Haidt’s thesis, Haidt argues the perspective is informed by years of research — investigations that depict climbing mental health struggles among American tweens and teens, and statistics that indicate many teenagers in the United States already are depressed or anxious in some way. The American Psychological Association echoed his concern in a new report that calls out social media platforms for designs that are “inherently unsafe for children.” The APA’s report, released Tuesday, says that children do not have “the experience, judgment and self-control” to manage themselves on those platforms. The association says burden shouldn’t be entirely on parents, app stores or young people — it has to be on the platform developers. But parents probably can’t count on developers, which leads to Haidt’s jarring conclusion: We’re at a tipping point as a society, and if grown-ups don’t take action, they could risk the mental health of all young people indefinitely. Haidt, the Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, has spent countless hours publicizing the book’s message since its March 26 release. CNN recently talked with Haidt about his data, the book and what lies ahead for parents and teens alike. This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. What do you think?Join 16 others in the comments View CommentsCNN: How did we get ourselves into this predicament? Jonathan Haidt: Kids always had play-based childhoods, but we gradually let that fade away because of our growing fears of kidnapping and other threats in the 1980s and 1990s. What arose to fill all that time was technology. In the 1990s, we thought the internet was going to be the savior of democracy. It was going to make our children smarter. Because most of us were techno-optimists, we didn’t really raise alarms when our kids started spending four, five, six and now seven to nine hours a day on their phones and other screens. The basic argument of the book is that we’ve overprotected our children in the real world and we’ve under-protected them online. And for both halves of that, you can see how we did that thinking that it was going to be OK. We were wrong on both points. Social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt says parents have overprotected their children in the real world and not protected them enough online. Jayne RiewCNN: What is some of the most startling data you found? Haidt: The one that comes immediately to mind was the discovery that teenage boys used to have by far the highest rates of broken bones before the great rewiring of childhood. Before 2010, teenage boys were much more likely than any other group to go to a hospital because they broke a bone. Once we get to the early 2010s, their rates of hospitalization plunge, so that now teenage boys are slightly less likely to break a bone than are their fathers or grandfathers. They’re spending most of their time on their computers and their video games, and so they’re physically safe. But I would argue that this comes at the cost of healthy boyhood development. RELATED ARTICLEOutside the US, teens’ social media experiences are more tightly controlled CNN: Does this mental health crisis affect boys and girls differently? Haidt: The basic facts about gender differences are that when everyone got a smartphone in the early 2010s, boys went for video games and YouTube and Reddit, while girls went more for the visual social media platforms, especially Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr. A second difference is that girls share emotions more than boys do. They talk about their feelings more, and they’re more open to each other. Girls’ levels of anxiety go up a lot in this period (the tween and teen years), as soon as they get hyper-connected to each other via social media. Self-harm is a way that some girls have historically coped with anxiety, and those rates also went way up in the early 2010s. It used to be that (self-harm) was not a thing that 12- and 13-year-olds were doing, it was more older girls. In the 2010s, hospital emergency room visits (for self-harm) for 10 to 14-year-old girls nearly tripled. That’s one of the biggest increases in markers of mental illness that we see in all the data that I’ve reviewed. RELATED ARTICLESocial media presents ‘profound risk of harm’ for kids, surgeon general says, calling attention to lack of research CNN: You’ve said we’re at a tipping point in this crisis? Why? Haidt: I think that this year is the tipping point for several reasons. In 2019, the debate was really getting started. Then Covid-19 happened, and that obscured previous trends. Now we’re a few years past Covid-19, past the school closures, past the masks, and what has become clear to everyone is that kids are not all right. And the data on rates of mental illness shows us that most of the increase was in place long before Covid-19 arrived. Nowadays, in families across America, one of the biggest and most prevalent dynamics is fighting over technology. What I found since the book came out is that almost everybody sees the problem. Parents are in a state of despair. They feel like the genie is out of the bottle. They say, “You can’t put toothpaste back in a tube, can you?” To that, I say, “If you really have to do it, you’ll do it.” When you look at the wreckage of adolescent mental health and you look at the increases in self-harm and suicide, you look at the declining test scores since 2012 in the United States and all around the world, I think we have to do something. My book provides clear analysis of the multiple collective action problems and of the four simple norms that will solve them. Parents need to roll back the phone-based childhood and restore the play-based childhood, Haidt says. Rouzes/iStockphoto/Getty ImagesCNN: What are the norms that will solve this crisis? Haidt: No. 1: No smartphones before high school. We must clear them out of middle school and elementary school. Just let kids have a flip phone or phone watch when they become independent. No. 2: No social media until 16. These platforms were not made for children. They appear to be especially harmful for children. We must especially protect early puberty since that is when the greatest damage is done. No. 3: Phone-free schools. There’s really no argument for letting kids have the greatest distraction device ever invented in their pockets during school hours. If they have the phones, they will be texting during class, and they will be focused on their phones. If they don’t have phones, they will listen to their teachers and spend time with other kids. No. 4: More independence, free play and responsibility in the real world. We need to roll back the phone-based childhood and restore the play-based childhood. RELATED ARTICLETeens are exhausted by phone notifications but don’t know how to quit, report finds CNN: Rethinking smartphone privileges is a huge departure for many families. How do you convince parents to buy in? Haidt: Elementary school is easy. If you’ve already given your kid a phone or their own iPad, you can take it away. Just be sure to coordinate with the parents of your kid’s friends so that your kid feels they’re not the only one. They can still have access to a computer; they can still text their friends on a computer. But if your kids are in elementary school, just commit to not giving them these things until high school. Middle school is harder. Most middle school kids are entirely enmeshed in smartphones and social media. The key in middle school is to have some very severe time restrictions. The problem is the move from a couple hours of access a day to potentially having access all day long. That’s what does a lot of the kids in. Half of all American teens say they’re online almost constantly. If your kids already have these devices, I think you want to make some strict rules about when they have access to them. RELATED ARTICLEYou don’t need to surveil your kids to protect them on social media CNN: What do you think will happen if we don’t change soon? Haidt: Given that the rates of mental illness and self-harm and suicide are still going up, we don’t know where the limit is. We don’t know whether it’s possible to have 100% of our kids be depressed and anxious. We’re already getting close to half for the girls; we’re already in the ballpark of 30% to 40% having depression or anxiety, and about 30% currently say they’ve thought about suicide this year. Things are already really bad, and the levels could just continue to rise to the point where the majority of kids are depressed, anxious and suicidal. This has enormous social implications, too. Because kids are somewhat sex-segregated online (they interact less with kids of the opposite sex), the situation is unconducive to heterosexual dating and marriage. I think the separation between boys and girls and their rising rates of anxiety are going to drive rates of marriage and heterosexual childbearing down much faster than they’ve been going — and they’ve been dropping for decades. RELATED ARTICLEWith the decline in youth mental health comes another concerning trend, study finds Lastly, I think there could be huge economic implications. Already, you have dozens of state attorneys general suing Meta and Snapchat because of the sheer amount of money that the states spend on psychiatric emergency services for adolescents. Another economic implication is that if we have one or two or three anxious generations where young people are afraid to take risks, our free market economy, our entrepreneurial culture, all the things that make the American economy so vibrant and dynamic will suffer. That’s why I think we have no choice. We (must) put a stop to this now. Matt Villano is a writer and editor based in Northern California. Learn more about him at whalehead.com. By Kristen Rogers, CNN 6 minute read Updated 12:50 PM EDT, Wed April 10, 2024 The unique stressors faced by college athletes could partially explain the rise in suicides among this group, experts say. PeopleImages/iStockphoto/Getty ImagesEditor’s note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters, please call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 to connect with a trained counselor, or visit the 988 Lifeline website. CNN — Suicide rates among people of all ages in the United States have increased over the past two decades, making it a serious public health problem. Among US college athletes, suicide is now the second leading cause of death after accidents — and rates have doubled from 7.6% to 15.3% over the past 20 years, according to a study published April 4 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the US, but for Americans ages 10 to 14 and 25 to 34, it’s the second leading cause, and for those ages 15 to 24, it’s the third leading cause. “Collegiate athletes are often thought to have protective factors like the sense of community with their team (and) support of coaches, trainers, doctors and others,” said the study’s first author, Bridget Whelan, a research scientist in the department of family medicine at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, via email. RELATED ARTICLEIf your teen is socially withdrawn, be on the lookout for more serious problems, study suggests “Unfortunately, this study shows that collegiate athletes are just as susceptible to these mental health concerns,” Whelan said. Suicide had previously been identified as a leading cause of death among athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which has put more emphasis on the well-being of athletes in the past decade by publishing a consensus document on best practices for mental health. Those recommendations include creating an environment that supports mental health by following a written plan that considers risk and protective factors in multiple areas of the students’ lives, and screening students for psychological distress using validated tools at least annually. But past research on how these recommendations and participation in different sports affect suicide rates has been mixed, the authors of the new study said — so they looked into the rates of suicides by NCAA athletes from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2022, by consulting NCAA memorial lists and insurance claims, the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury database, the Parent Heart Watch database and media reports. The authors also studied how suicide rates were affected by factors such as age, sex, race, division, sport and time of year. Of the 1,102 deaths that occurred during the 20-year time period, 128 were suicides among people who ranged in age from 17 to 24 and were predominantly male (77%) and White (59%). However, most suicides occurred at age 20, which is typically the middle of a collegiate athlete’s school career. RELATED ARTICLEHow to cope with a loved one’s suicide, from someone who’s been through it There weren’t significant differences when considering sex, race or sport, but there were contrasts among divisions — Division III athletes had a 59% and 66% lower rate than Division I and II athletes, respectively, Whelan said. Male cross-country athletes had the highest rates compared with anyone else in the study — a finding that surprised the authors since previous research found higher rates in football, Whelan said. “This trend highlights the need for better screening methods, prevention strategies and support systems for student-athletes, as well as continued training (and) education for those working with student-athletes,” said Dr. Jacob Kay, clinical research affiliate at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health, via email. Kay wasn’t involved in the study. The study also found suicides were more common in months outside of June through August and on Mondays and Tuesdays. “Understanding the timing of suicides may help inform targeted intervention efforts and support systems to better meet the needs of student-athletes, particularly during these windows of vulnerability,” Kay added. Mental health risks among athletesBoth the authors and experts uninvolved in the study acknowledge some shortcomings of the research. “The accuracy of determining the cause of death is particularly tricky with suicides (and) may vary depending on the availability of autopsy and even family reports surrounding circumstances,” said Dr. Urszula Klich, an Atlanta-based clinical psychologist who wasn’t involved in the study. RELATED ARTICLEWhat people should know about stress, according to a doctor “Relying on media reports and public records to identify causes of athlete deaths will likely result in underreporting,” Klich added. “Not all suicides will be covered in media. Athletes from lower-profile sports will be less visible.” However, experts have some ideas on the contextual factors that might explain the findings.. “Suicide is the tragic outcome of medical illness and multiple, often interacting, biological, psychological and social risk factors,” said Dr. Rebecca Bernert, a suicidologist and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, via email. Bernert, who wasn’t involved in the study, is also founding director of the Stanford Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory. There’s the pressure to perform both academically and athletically and balance the responsibilities of each, which can lead to anxiety and depression, experts said. This loaded schedule can leave less time for social connection, resulting in feelings of isolation even if they’re part of a sports team. “Student-athletes routinely experience physical injuries or can wind up with chronic pain due to the physical requirements of their sport,” Klich said. This possibility is especially true for cross-country athletes. “The psychological impact of injuries, including fear of losing scholarships or opportunities for advancement, can further amplify feelings of hopelessness and despair,” Klich added. RELATED ARTICLEAsking yourself Socratic questions can calm your irrational thoughts An athlete’s sense of value may also be affected by social media, according to the study. “Athletes are competing during a time when levels of self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism are at an all-time high,” the authors said. “Even though athletes are more likely to spend time on non-screen activities than their non-athletic peers, the perceptions or messaging around their performance on social media often leads to worse feelings of well-being.” These issues are likely especially true for Division I and II athletes who, compared with Division III athletes, are more subject to media coverage, online criticism and stressors associated with the “recent emergence of name, image and likeness … deals in the NCAA, where athletes may earn payment for their personal brand,” the authors added. Reducing the risk of suicideIf you’re a college athlete and concerned about your mental health, experts want you to know you’re not alone and that the biggest step you can take is to reach out. “There are people willing and wanting to help, and some really good treatments for mental health concerns. There is hope that things can get better,” Whelan said. “You can reach out to someone close to you that you trust, or if you feel like you want something more anonymous, you can reach out to the (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) via call or text at 988.” Make sure to also take time for self-care amid busy schedules, Kay said. RELATED ARTICLEWhy being present is a mind-body exercise you should practice more If you’re someone wanting to help, get to know these potential warning signs of suicide and how the way you talk about suicide can reduce stigma. “Overall, it is important to remember that these individuals aren’t just athletes, but students as well,” Kay said. “A comprehensive approach that includes promoting mental health awareness, reducing stigma, providing accessible and culturally sensitive screening and support services, and fostering an inclusive athletic culture that prioritizes the well-being of all student-athletes is needed to address this critical issue.” The environment in which kids grow up today is hostile to human development.
I agree one hundred percent. Dramatic changes need to be made in the school systems and at home if we want to change our kids addiction from being on line to being outdoors, creating art and friendships in real time. By Jonathan Haidt Photographs by Maggie Shannon "Something went suddenly and horribly wrong for adolescents in the early 2010s. By now you’ve likely seen the statistics: Rates of depression and anxiety in the United States—fairly stable in the 2000s—rose by more than 50 percent in many studies from 2010 to 2019. The suicide rate rose 48 percent for adolescents ages 10 to 19. For girls ages 10 to 14, it rose131 percent. The problem was not limited to the U.S.: Similar patterns emerged around the same time in Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, the Nordic countries, and beyond. By a variety of measures and in a variety of countries, the members of Generation Z (born in and after 1996) are suffering from anxiety, depression, self-harm, and related disorders at levels higher than any other generation for which we have data. The decline in mental health is just one of many signs that something went awry. Loneliness and friendlessness among American teens began to surge around 2012. Academic achievement went down, too. According to “The Nation’s Report Card,” scores in reading and math began to decline for U.S. students after 2012, reversing decades of slow but generally steady increase. PISA, the major international measure of educational trends, shows that declines in math, reading, and science happened globally, also beginning in the early 2010s." To continue to read this article: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/?utm_medium=cr&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=tta_haidt_prospects_march24_a&utm_content=A&utm_term=march24_haidt_tta_prospects |
Al BernsteinAl works in film/tv and the theatre in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles some highlights include: the award-winning short film Walled IN (written & produced by Al), Workin’ Moms, The Umbrella Academy, The Novice, Nikita, How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days, Showtime’s Street Time, Off Broadway: The Interrogation, Will (written by Al), 2013 Winner! LA Drama Critics Awards for Best Production, Director, Adaptation, CYRANO (World Premiere, DeafWest/Fountain Theatre), 2011 Ovation & LA Weekly Award winning Best Musical, Best Musical Director, Best Director, HOBOKEN TO HOLLYWOOD, The Sunshine Boys (with Hal Linden and Allan Miller) plus, many more. Today, Al is a finalist at the Actors Studio and works as an actor, writer, filmmaker and acting professor in Toronto. Archives
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