The second edition of the #ConversacionesHumanitarias generadoras de Talento by Fundación Cruz Roja Española has addressed the impact of emotional misinformation and self-diagnosis on the mental health of youth in order to achieve youth well-being in the digital era.
The event featured the President of the Youth Council of Spain, Andrea González Henry, and the psychologist and emotional health specialist, Meri Gómez (@merigopsico), who analyzed the current situation regarding the impact of online content consumption on the population.
One of the key points of the conversation revolved around emotional and digital literacy: knowing when a source is reliable, when content is sensationalist, and how to avoid falling into the trap of oversimplified discourses that circulate easily on viral platforms.
Practical tools for emotional self-care in the digital environment were also shared: from digital hygiene guidelines, to emotional regulation strategies, to the importance of training algorithms to make content healthier.
González Henry warned that «the filtering on social media is currently non-existent» and urged young people to «have the ability to analyze and rationalize this information» in order to avoid consuming content that goes against their needs. She also emphasized that emotional well-being cannot be solely an individual responsibility, while Meri Gómez focused on self-diagnosis.
«In this era of speed, we want everything fast and simple. Reducing a diagnosis to a one-minute video is very complex. In my experience as a psychologist, I have had people come to me with preconceived notions based on videos they have seen on social media, and it turns out to be completely different,» she explained.
According to the study ‘Emotional Well-being and Vulnerability’ by Fundación Cruz Roja Española, 48.5% of young people acknowledge excessive screen use, 35.5% experience high levels of stress, and 64.6% demand more emotional education in their environment.
Cruz Roja Juventud promotes two programs aimed at adolescents and youth: the program for Prevention and awareness of non-discrimination and equal treatment, and the program for the Promotion of emotional and mental well-being of adolescents and youth.
Through these initiatives, critical thinking against misinformation and hate speech on the internet is encouraged, through content adapted to social media, training, podcasts, and video games. Likewise, efforts are made to raise awareness about mental health and break social taboos, promoting healthy relationships and providing tools to identify and address potential emotional issues from a young age.
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