[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] >> AT THE END OF MY SHIFT -- I WORK AT THE HOSPITAL.

I HAVE BEEN THERE 20 PLUS YEARS.

WE HAVE INCREASED PATIENTS, NURSES SHORTAGES.

IT'S BEEN TOUGH, WE WANT NURSES TO KNOW IT'S A NICE PLACE TO WORK.

WE HAVE SUPPORT.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE.

>> THIS EPISODE OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY WAS GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY -- >> THE SMALLEST STATE IN THE UNION HAS 400 MILES OF COASTLINE, RHODE ISLANDERS CAN ALWAYS SEE A BRIGHT DAY AHEAD.

OUT THERE INSPIRING, CONQUERING.

STRIVING.

TRIUMPHING.

RISING.

RHODE ISLAND RISING.

IT IS WHAT WE LIVE FOR.

♪ >> TONIGHT, ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

>> I THINK AT SOME POINT, EVERYONE HAS SAID, IS THIS IT?

DO I LOOK ELSEWHERE?

ANCHOR: AFTER A GRUELING TWO YEARS, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE BURNED OUT AND QUITTING, FORCING PROVIDERS TO REDUCE SERVICES.

>> I HAVE BEEN HERE 30 YEARS.

THIS IS NEVER HAPPENED.

>> I FELT TRAPPED.

I FELT TRAPPED INSIDE MY BODY.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF WHAT I WAS FEELING WAS.

>> IT'S A CONCEPT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BETTER.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPROACH IT.

THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO APPROACH IT ARE PEOPLE DEALING WITH IT.

♪ HOST: GOOD EVENING, WELCOME.

PAMELA: TONIGHT, OUR STORES WILL FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH.

MICHELLAE WE BEGIN THE BROADCAST WITH A BIBLE INDUSTRY ON THE BRAIN.

A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, THE WAR IN UKRAINE THE STRESS OF DAILY LIFE HAS AMERICANS ON EDGE.

A STUDY BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION ORDERED 87% OF THOSE SERVING BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN A CONSTANT STREAM OF ICS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THOSE ARE OVERWHELMED THEMSELVES?

THAT IS THE STATE OF MANY OF RHODE ISLAND'S MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

BECAUSE OF DWINDLING RESOURCES AND UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES AT A BREAKING POINT.

>> SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD THREE OR FIVE DIFFERENT CASEWORKERS IN A YEAR BECAUSE OF BURNOUT.

THEY GAIN TRUST IN THIS PERSON, START A RELATIONSHIP, NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT'S GONE.

PAMELA: MARK IS USED TO WORKING IN A STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT.

HE RETIRED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AFTER 23 YEARS ON THE FORCE.

HE SAYS WORKING IN MENTAL HEALTH IS EVEN MORE TAXING, ESPECIALLY THESE PAST TWO YEARS.

>> THERE ARE SOME CLIENTS I WOULD SAY WEEKLY, THE EXTRA CASELOADS.

PAMELA: THEY WORK WITH PATIENTS WHO HAVE SEVERE AND PERSISTENT MENTAL ILLNESS AT COMMUNITY CARE ALLIANCE IN WOONSOCKET.

THEY SAY THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THEIR CLIENTS HAS WORSENED SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC.

>> INCREASED ANXIETY, INCREASED ISOLATION.

CLIENTS THAT DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.

CLIENTS THAT DON'T WANT TO COME INTO THE BUILDING.

>> AND PEOPLE GET HIRED, THE TRAINING PROCESS IS EXPEDITED.

WE HOPE THEY PICK IT UP QUICK.

I HAVE A CASE MANAGER WHO HAS NOT EVEN BEEN HERE SIX MONTHS, AND SHE IS UP TO 30 FOR CLIENTS.

THIS IS THEIR FIRST JOB, GREEN, NOT EXPERIENCE.

>> SOMEONE IN THEIR EARLY 20'S MANAGING THAT MANY PEOPLE.

PAMELA: ATTRACTING QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES IS NOT EASY.

THE STARTING RATE IS $15 AN HOUR FOR A BACHELORS LEVEL POSITION.

>> IF I DIDN'T HAVE MY SMALL STATE PENSION FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THERE IS NO WAY FINANCIALLY I COULD AFFORD TO WORK HERE.

PAMELA: THE LARGEST OPIOID TREATMENT PROVIDER IN RHODE ISLAND IS ALSO EXPERIENCING A STAFFING CRISIS.

>> AS THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES HAS INCREASED, THE WORKFORCE HAS DECREASED.

PAMELA: SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED, THEY'VE SEEN TO HUNDRED 80 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE SEEKING -- DURING THAT TIME, 113 EMPLOYEES LEFT THE NONPROFIT.

LINDA HURLEY SAYS IT MAINLY BOILS DOWN TO ONE WORD.

>> BURNOUT.

WE GET TIRED.

INSTEAD OF BEING KIND, WE THE OPPOSITE.

PAMELA: THE STAFF SHORTAGE TEMPORARILY FOSTER TO SHUT DOWN A LOCATION AND REDUCE HOURS AT SEVERAL OTHERS, INCLUDING SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND.

FOR MONTHS, THEY ARE CLOSED ON WEEKENDS.

>> I'VE BEEN HERE 30 YEARS.

THIS IS NEVER HAPPENED.

WE HAVE NEVER CLOSED BEFORE.

PAMELA: SHE SAYS IT'S THE PATIENT TO END UP SUFFERING, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON MEDICATION.

SOME SPEND HOURS ON A BUS TRAVELING TO GET MEDICINE.

IT COMES AS RHODE ISLAND SAW A RECORD OF 384 OVERDOSE DEATHS IN 2020.

HAVE YOU SEEN PEOPLE RELAPSE?

>> WE HAVE SEEN THAT.

SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE LOCATIONS WERE CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS.

>> THE SURVIVAL PART OF OUR BRAIN KICKS IN AND SAYS, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN, YOU BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

AT THAT MOMENT WE PLACE THAT INDIVIDUAL IN DANGER OF OVERDOSE AT THAT VERY MOMENT.

IT FEELS LIKE DYING.

IT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION.

PAMELA: TAMMY NOSE WITH THE FEELING IS LIKE.

SHE STOPPED USING OPIOIDS A DECADE AGO.

SINCE COVID HEAD, SHE HAS FELT THE NEED TO TALK WITH HER THERAPIST ONCE A WEEK.

>> THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE COMPLETELY TAKEN MY ENTIRE LIFE AND TURNED IT UPSIDE DOWN.

BAD DREAMS HAVE COME BACK, MY NIGHT TERRORS CAME BACK.

MY CHEST WOULD BE TIGHT.

MICHELLE: THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE PANDEMIC MADE WORST BY THE DEATH OF LOVED ONES INCLUDING HER FATHER WHO HAD CANCER.

>> WHEN MY FATHER PASSED AWAY, IT WAS AN AWFUL -- IT WAS NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION.

THERE WAS NO SUPPORT FOR MY FAMILY.

THAT WAS COVID RELATED, THE HOSPICE UNIT WAS SHORTSTAFFED BECAUSE OF COVID.

WE CALLED IT 2:00 P.M. AND NO ONE ARRIVED UNTIL 9:00.

MICHELLE: SHE IS HARDLY ALONE.

MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS SAY THE NEEDS OF PATIENTS HAVE BECOME MORE ACUTE.

THOSE NEEDS COME AT A COST.

MOST OF HER PATIENTS ARE ON MEDICAID, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 86% OF THE BUDGET.

>> THE STATE IS NOT SHOWING US IT IS INVESTED IN THE POOREST AND MOST ILL PEOPLE THAT RESIDE HERE.

MICHELLE: FOR YEARS, SHE'S BEEN URGING STATE LAWMAKERS TO RAISE THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE.

IT'S BEEN STAGNANT FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

>> WHAT BUSINESS CAN POSSIBLY SURVIVE?

14 YEARS.

MICHELLE: SHE SAYS AN INCREASE IN THE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE WOULD ALLOW HER TO PAY HER EMPLOYEES MORE AND REDUCE TURNOVER.

RIGHT NOW, THE ORGANIZATION IS TRYING TO FILL 18%.

>> YOU SEE PROVIDERS CHOOSING MASSACHUSETTS TO BE WITH A PRACTICE RATHER THAN RHODE ISLAND BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE.

MICHELLE: JOSH MILLER HAS BEEN WORKING TO RAISE THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

BUT, HE SAYS IT'S BEEN TOUGH TO GET LAWMAKERS TO CONSIDER THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS.

>> AN INCREASE IN MEDICAID LOOKS LIKE AN INCREASE IN BUDGET EXPENDITURES.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT BEYOND 12 BECAUSE YOU ARE AVOIDING HOSPITALIZATION.

THE PATIENT IS TREATED IN A NON-EMERGENCY SETTING RATHER THAN EMERGENCY SETTING.

MICHELLE: IN THE LONG IT SAVES TAXPAYERS MONEY.

>> RIGHT.

MICHELLE: WHY HASN'T IT BEEN RAISED?

>> THERE IS A TRADITION OF NOT LOOKING BEYOND 12 MONTHS.

MICHELLE: IT'S AT RISK?

-- >> AT RISK?

>> CRISIS RATHER THAN PRECRISIS.

[SIREN WHOOP] MICHELLE: STAFFING LEVELS MAKE IT HARDER TO AVERT A CRISIS.

ITS LEAD PROVIDERS TO REACH A BREAKING POINT.

>> INABILITY TO SLEEP BECAUSE THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT CLIENTS.

WE HAVE CLIENTS THAT ARE HOMELESS.

CLIENTS THAT MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH FOOD, SHELTER.

A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE WIND UP LEAVING THE JOB BECAUSE IT'S AFFECTING THEM THAT MUCH.

MICHELLE: HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT QUITTING?

YES.

>> EVERYONE HAS SAID, DO I LOOK ELSEWHERE?

BUT HERE I AM.

I DON'T SEE MYSELF LEAVING ANYTIME SOON.

MICHELLE: WHAT KEEPS YOU SHOWING UP AT WORK?

>> I LOVE MY CLIENTS.

I HAVE SEEN THEM COME SO FAR.

I AM HERE FOR THEM.

>> LOOK FORWARD TO COMING IN AND MAKING OUR CLIENTS THE BEST THEY CAN BE.

MICHELLE: UP NEXT, AN ESTIMATED 1.4 MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, BUT BECAUSE OF SHAME, THEY SOMETIMES GO WITHOUT TREATMENT.

TONIGHT WE INTRODUCE YOU TO INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED HELP ON THEIR PAINFUL JOURNEY TO LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE.

>> TYPICALLY I WAKE UP AT 3:00, OUT THE DOOR BY 4:00.

>> THE WORST PART OF MY JOB IS PROBABLY THE COMMUTE.

PAMELA: HE IS YOUR CLASSIC BLUE-COLLAR GUY.

HE WAS BORN FEMALE.

HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST REALIZED, I AM NOT A GIRL?

>> PROBABLY AROUND FOUR YEARS OLD.

SOME WANTED TO BE MY BROTHER.

-- I WANTED TO BE MY BROTHER.

I WANTED TO BE A BOY.

PAMELA: THAT FELT NATURAL TO YOU?

>> FELT LIKE WHO I WAS.

MY PARENTS DID NOT UNDERSTAND AND I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WORDS TO TELL THEM.

THEY TRIED TO HAVE ME CONFORM TO A MORE FEMININE PATH IN LIFE.

THAT IS WHEN I DOVE INTO DEPRESSION, HAVING ANXIETY.

I BECAME CLOSED IN AND DIDN'T TALK TO PEOPLE.

I ENDED UP TRYING TO KILL MYSELF WHEN I WAS 17 BECAUSE OF WHO I WAS.

PAMELA: YOU CAME CLOSE TO SUICIDE?

>> I FELT TRAPPED INSIDE MY BODY.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF WHAT I WAS FEELING WAS.

WHEN I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE MYSELF.

PAMELA: LIKE COLD WHO ARE TRANSGENDER, IT CAN BE AGONIZING.

TRANSGENDER IS AN UMBRELLA TERM WHEN A PERSONAL IDENTITY DOES NOT MATCH WITH THE BIRTH SEX.

COAL SAYS HE FOUND THERAPY THROUGH A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

>> THEY HAVE BEEN A BEACON OF LIGHT.

PAMELA: THE THERAPIST LINKED THEM UP WITH SUPPORT GROUPS WHERE HE MET OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

>> I WAS ABLE TO TRY OUT HE AND HIM PRONOUNS.

BEING CALLED COLE.

IT FELT SO RIGHT FOR ME.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WENT HOME AND WAS CRYING BECAUSE I WAS SO HAPPY.

THAT IS WHEN I KNEW.

PAMELA: A 2017 STUDY FOUND ALMOST 20% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IDENTIFY WITH THE OPPOSITE GENDER, OR NO SPECIFIC GENDER AT ALL.

MANY TEENAGERS CONFRONT STIGMA.

ACCORDING TO THE YALE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS ARE SIX TIME MORE LIKELY TO HAVE MOOD OR ANXIETY DISORDERS AND 10 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

RELIABLE DATA IS HARD TO COME BY, BUT ANECDOTALLY, PROVIDERS REPORT MORE TEENS ARE COMING OUT AS TRANSGENDER THAN ANY -- EVER BEFORE.

THEY ARE INSPIRED BY THOSE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

FROM BEAUTY PAGEANT QUEENS, TO THE FIRST TRANS-WOMAN WINNER ON JEOPARDY, LAVERNE COX, AND CELEBRITIES SUCH AS CAITLYN JENNER AND CHAZ BONO.

>> WE SEE OF VALVING IDENTITIES, PEOPLE WHO GENDER FLUID.

ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT LABELS THAT ARE STARTING TO DESCRIBE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES.

PAMELA: A PEDIATRICIAN AND CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST SAYS THE SOCIETAL SHIFT TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE HAS STAUNCH CRITICS.

20 STATES OF INTRODUCED ANTI-TRANSGENDER LEGISLATION AIMED AT EVERYTHING FROM BATHROOMS TO SPORTS.

>> WE ARE SEEING BILL'S BAND GENDER AFFIRMATIVE CARE, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL INTERVENTIONS.

THAT'S REALLY ALARMING.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE WITH ISSUES OF RACE OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, BECOMING A MORE ACCEPTING CULTURE, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME RESISTANCE.

PAMELA: A SOCIAL WORKER SAYS THE OCEAN STATE HAS BEEN FAIRLY OPEN-MINDED.

>> WE ARE PRETTY PROGRESSIVE, WE HAVE LAWS ON THE SIDE OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH IN SCHOOLS, NOT ONLY DON'T DISCRIMINATE, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.

PAMELA: SHE SAYS THE GOAL OF SERVICES IS TO TRANSFORM GENDER DYSPHORIA INTO EUPHORIA, BUT OFFERING AFFIRMING CARE.

>>>> THESE SESSIONS ARE AN EXAMPLE.

IF THEY CAN HAVE A STRONGER SENSE OF SELF, IT BECOMES RESILIENCE BUILDING.

BECOMES EASIER TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THEY MAY BE ENCOUNTERING.

PAMELA: THE CENTER HAS PROVIDED A SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE LIKE THIS TEENAGER.

>> WE WENT TO COMIC-CON.

PAMELA: THE 18-YEAR-OLD IS A FAN OF STAR WARS AND PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.

BUT GROWING UP, NOT SO TYPICAL.

AT 14, THERE WAS AN INKLING OF AN IDENTIFYING FEMALE.

>> I BROUGHT A GIRL ON A DATE FRESHMAN YEAR.

I WISHED I WAS HURT.

-- HER.

I COULDN'T GET MYSELF TO REALIZE THAT THOUGHT.

PAMELA: YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE TRANSGENDER.

>> DISCOVERING IT WAS ROCKY.

FOR ME, I TRY TO DO THE MOST MASCULINE THING, THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.

IT DID NOT WORK.

THE MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, IT DOES NOT GO AWAY.

IF IT WASN'T FOR ME GOING TO THE MARINE CORPS AND HAVING THE BARE-BONES STANDARDS OF SHAVING YOUR HEAD AND SEPARATING YOU FROM BOYS AND GIRLS, AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF HOW YOU ARE PERCEIVED IN THE MILITARY, IT HIT ME THAT I'M IN THE WRONG SPACE.

I PUSH THIS BACK MY ENTIRE LIFE.

IT'S A FEELING THAT REPEATEDLY SHOWS UP.

I FEEL I SHOULD BE A GIRL.

I FEEL I SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS ONE, BECAUSE I AM ONE.

PAMELA: NOW, A LIFE ALTERING DECISION.

SHE IS GETTING COUNSELING AND JUST STARTED HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY.

SHE PLANS ONE DAY TO HAVE GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY.

>> IT'S A CONCEPT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPROACH IT.

THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO APPROACH IT ARE THE PEOPLE DEALING WITH IT.

>> I HAD A DOUBLE VASECTOMY.

PAMELA: COLE HAS FOUND SUPPORT FROM HIS PARENTS AND WIFE.

DAVID MARRIED THREE YEARS.

TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOU MEANT.

>> WE MET AT A HALLOWEEN PARTY.

I INTRODUCE MYSELF AS COLE.

I DIDN'T DISCLOSE MY TRANS-STATUS UNTIL A COUPLE OF DATES.

PAMELA: HEADED YOU BROACH THAT?

>> I SAID I'M AM A TRANCE.

SHE SAID OK. PAMELA: WERE YOU NERVOUS?

>> A LITTLE BIT.

IT WAS MORE SO, I HAVE TO GET THIS OVER WITH SOMEONE TO CONTINUE DOWN THAT PATH.

PAMELA: DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A FAMILY?

>> WE PLAN ON DOING IVF OR FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION.

PAMELA: RIGHT NOW, COLE IS CONTENT BEING COMFORTABLE IN HIS OWN SKIN.

ARE YOU A HAPPY MAN?

>> YES.

I'M LIVING MY BEST LIFE.

I MOURN FOR WHO I WAS, BUT I'M HAPPY I'M ALIVE NOW.

MICHELLE: OUR FINAL STORY DEALS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADDICTION.

IT CAN'T BE READILY SEEN, BUT THE IMPACT IS ALARMING.

THOSE MOST AFFECTED ARE TEENAGERS, TEENAGE GIRLS.

THE DOPAMINE HITS TO KEEP USERS COMING BACK HAVE BEEN LINKED TO ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE.

TONIGHT WE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW ALGORITHMS CREATED BY BIG TECHNOLOGY ARE HURTING MILLIONS.

>> A MOTHER IS SUING SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.

>> FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM IS HARMFUL.

>> WE ARE SEEING INCREASED ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

THINGS LIKE GETTING LIKES AND APPROVAL.

>> ON AVERAGE AMERICAN CHILDREN SPEND FOUR TO SIX HOURS A DAY WATCHING OR USING SCREENS.

>> 45% OF TEENS SAY THEY USE THE INTERNET ON A NEAR CONSTANT BASIS.

>> I CHECK IT WHEN I GET UP.

ALSO THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

>> I HAVE MY SCREEN TIME ON MY HOME SCREEN, I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I'M USING.

THE HOURS ROCCO PRETTY QUICKLY.

>> IF YOU POST SOMETHING IN THOSE >> ARE COMING IN, IT ACTIVATES THIS PART OF OUR BRAIN , THE PLEASURE PART OF OUR BRAIN IS ACTIVATED AND WE GET A PAYOFF.

FOR TEENS, WHAT THAT DOES IS, THEIR BRAIN IS STILL DEVELOPING, IT MAKES IT HARD FOR THEM TO DISCONNECT FROM THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A GOOD FEELING.

YOU WANT TO GO BACK FOR MORE.

THAT IS ONLY SEE THINGS LIKE SLEEP DISTURBANCE, THIS ANXIETY LEVEL.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL MEDIA, SEEMINGLY REAL PEOPLE ARE INFLUENCING YOUNG PEOPLE.

>> IT'S LIKE CORPORATIONS AND CELEBRITIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO DECEIVE THE PUBLIC, AND THE ONLY PEOPLE BENEFITING ARE THE CORPORATIONS AND CELEBRITIES.

THEY MANIPULATE CHILDREN.

>> RESEARCHERS LINK DEPRESSION TO SNAPSHOT AND INSTAGRAM.

>> IN MIDDLE SCHOOL I STRUGGLE WITH BODY DYSMORPHIA.

EATING DISORDERS.

THAT DEFINITELY STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT I SAW SOCIAL MEDIA, THESE IDEOLOGICAL GIRLS.

I THINK I WANTED TO ATTAIN THAT.

IT'S HARD ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AS HUMANS, WE ARE NOT DESIGNED TO SEE EVERYONE IN THE WORLD, BUT SOCIAL MEDIA ALLOWS US TO DO SO.

NOT JUST PEOPLE YOU KNOW, BUT AMONG THE ENTIRE WORLD.

>> FACEBOOK KNOWS ITS AMPLIFICATION ALGORITHMS CAN LEAD CHILDREN TO ANOREXIA.

>> FOR MANY TEENAGERS, REGULARLY USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MEANS ISOLATION.

>> DEFINITELY DURING COVID.

THERE WAS NO IN PERSON SCHOOL.

DURING A TIME EVERYONE'S LIVES OR FALLING APART, IN SOME CASES, SOCIAL MEDIA, SEEING OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING BETTER THAN YOU CAN MAKE A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM WORSE.

>> YOU WANT TO LOOK OUT FOR MAJOR CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR.

INVOLVED WITH THEIR FRIENDS, SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, ARE YOU NOTICING THINGS LIKE SLEEP DISTURBANCE, CHANGES IN APPETITE OR EATING.

IF THEY ARE NOT THEMSELVES AND THAT'S INTERFERING IN THEIR DAILY LIFE, THAT'S A SIGN THAT REACHING OUT TO A PROFESSIONAL CAN HELP.

>> IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUNG CHILDREN SAFE AND HEALTHY, SARAH HAS A SUGGESTION.

PUT OFF INTRODUCING YOUR CHILD TO SOCIAL MEDIA AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

IT'S EASY TO GIVE MORE FREEDOM DOWN THE ROAD.

THAT IS OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.

MICHELLE: WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND VBS WEEKLY.

UNTIL THEN, VISIT US ONLINE TO SEE STORIES AND PAST EPISODES.

OR LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST, AVAILABLE ON STREAMING PLATFORMS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, GOOD NIGHT.

[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] >> THIS EPISODE WAS UNDERWRITTEN BY -- >> THE SMALLEST STATE IN THE UNION IS 400 MILES OF COASTLINE.

OUT THERE, INSPIRING, CONQUERING.

STRIVING.

TRIUMPHING.

RISING.