Most of us spend a great deal of time interacting with internet-related technologies. This screen time can change a person in subtle or even profound ways. For example, many people behave more impulsively, angrily, or immaturely online. And after spending countless hours “being” that online person, they can find these undesirable characteristics seeping into their offline behavior, adversely affecting everyday relationships and transforming society along the way. Drawing on research and cultural observations, this talk will explore the range of ways the internet affects psychology and mental health, and what can be done to mitigate the harmful effects and promote the beneficial ones.

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Elias Aboujaoude, Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine

Elias Aboujaoude is a psychiatrist, researcher, and director of the OCD Clinic at Stanford School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. His books include Virtually You: The Dangerous Powers of the E-Personality and Mental Health in the Digital Age: Grave Dangers, Great Promise. His scientific publications and other writings have been covered by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, NPR, CNN, and ABC. He received an MA and an MD from Stanford.

This program is sponsored by the Santa Clara City Library Foundation & Friends