Join us for this special event to coincide with Mental Health Month in October.

In our digital age, social media, smartphones, online gaming, and AI have become powerful forces, reshaping how we connect, communicate, and perceive ourselves and others. While this bold new digital world offers unprecedented opportunities for connection and self-expression, it also brings complex challenges to mental health and wellbeing across all age groups.

For young people, social media can amplify pressures relating to body image and peer acceptance. Adults may experience similar stress from constant comparison with one another, the pressures of maintaining a curated online persona, the addictive pull of online gaming and the popularity of online dating platforms. The relentless nature of social media and the development of AI technology can blur the boundaries between virtual and real-life interactions, leading to increased stress and decreased wellbeing.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Our expert panel of psychologists and academics, moderated by comedian Julian Morrow of The Chaser fame, will examine how properly understanding and managing these relatively new social impacts of online engagement is crucial so we can strive for a balanced and nuanced approach that supports mental health, fosters genuine connections and harnesses the power of digital technology for the greater good.

Julian Morrow - Host
Dr Jasmine Fardouly - School of Psychology, Faculty of Science
Professor Mark Dadds - School of Psychology, Faculty of Science
Dr Rebecca Pinkus - School of Psychology, Faculty of Science
Associate Professor Andrew J. Campbell - School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health