Mental Health Seminar: “Online But Disconnected”

Likes, comments, retweets and selfies are part of our everyday life, but can social media compromise our mental health? A free panel discussion about this facet of modern life will take place at 7 p.m. June 18 at the Community Resource Center, 44151 15th Street West, in Lancaster. “Online But Disconnected” will be moderated by Roger Girion, PhD, executive director of mental health services at Antelope Valley Medical Center. Panelists include a marriage and family therapist, a sheriff’s deputy and a college freshman.

Panelists will explore:

• Social media usage and emotional maturity in adolescents.
• Recognizing the addictive tendencies associated with social media.
• How to set healthy boundaries on social media.
• How to navigate social media and weaponized words.
• Questions posed by attendees.

“Social media is a critical issue for everyone, but especially parents and teenagers,” said Girion. “It is our intention in this seminar not to demonize social media, but provide tips and methods to have a balance between the real world and the digital world.”

For more details, click hereto view the lecture event page on Facebook and RSVP. Don’t miss the next panel discussion July 16 regarding veterans and PTSD.

Opened in 1971, the hospital’s mental health unit is the only inpatient facility of its kind in the Antelope Valley. An expert team of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, therapists, mental health technicians and clinical social workers provide compassionate and comprehensive care.