Mental Health & Social Media: A Teen's Perspective | Ashlyn Hirota

How much is all that scrolling actually messing with our kids' heads? In this episode of In Focus, Dr. Rupa Wong has an honest conversation with 16-year-old high school junior Ashlyn Hirota. Ashlyn shares the results of her "Quest Project" - a deep dive into how social media is impacting her peers' self-esteem. From running her own school surveys to making art out of actual makeup, Ashlyn gives us a rare look at the digital pressure teens are dealing with every day. What You’ll Learn: The surprising reality of navigating high school without a digital presence and why skipping out on “doom scrolling” can be an advantage. How artificial beauty filters fundamentally change a teenager's internal response to their own raw image. Anonymous feedback that reveals the hidden impact of digital "perfection" on daily mental health. The unique creative process of using beauty products to illustrate the physical "grip" modern media has on developing minds. A simple perspective shift to help parents and teens trade digital FOMO for genuine human connection. Resources: Newsletter: https://www.drrupawong.com/sign-up Instagram: @drrupawong Youtube Channel: Dr. Rupa Wong Interested in becoming a patient?: Honolulu Eye Clinic Earn FREE CE Credit: Learn at Pinnacle App Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices