PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2023

Caitlin Scott, clinical director with Family Core

‘WE’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING THAT CONSTANT FLOOD OF DOPAMINE’ — Kim Scardina “Getting likes on your social media post is the equivalent of someone in real-life saying, ‘Hey, great job,’ or ‘Hey, I like your shirt,’” said Scott. “It’s a way of defining self-worth in adolescence. Some see it as ‘I’m only as good as how many likes I get,’” said Scott. That constant dopamine boost can be addictive, said Scardina. “Social media can provide that sense of reward again and again. Real life doesn’t provide that and it’s not supposed to,” she said. “We’re not supposed to be get ting that constant flood of dopamine. Real life is supposed to be calmer than that, but social media certainly does make everything else seem boring.” PHYSICAL SAFETY The Center for Prevention of Abuse provides adolescent education programs about social media and staying safe. Center CEO Carol Merna says “sextor tion” is very prevalent on social media.

said Scardina. “Because of who they are, their hormones, they’re testing a lot of things out with their identity, but those images … can be saved forever with a screen shot. “The teen age group is not always concerned about consequences in the future, like adults are.” Sending something inappropriate may have repercussions that are more immediate. “An individual thinks they’re just sending an attractive-looking picture,” said Scardina. “But then it gets sent around. By the next day, everybody at school, including their teachers, may have seen that picture.” At that point, a previously well-adjust ed young social media user is suddenly sorting out unintended consequences, which could be traumatic, bringing on mental health issues. THE DOPAMINE SURGE The young brain appears to be quite sensitive to the effects of the neu rotransmitter called dopamine. The human body makes its own dopamine, which allows a person to feel pleasure, satisfaction and motivation.

“Sextortion is where kids or even grownups will unknowingly provide very inappropriate pictures online and they become blackmailed,” said Merna. “We have children in therapy here who were caught up in it. It causes trauma. It’s fairly common.” Once predators have the inappro priate photographs, they can threaten to share them with friends and family. “It increases the suicide rate tre mendously, with the fear and anxiety that it puts in young people that they have done something wrong,” said Merna. “They don’t realize they can get help.” Merna emphasizes that young people need to know this criminal behavior is not their fault. “Sextortion is something that the FBI is very interested in investigating,” she said. “Calling local law enforcement is very important and keeping copies of all the communication that’s taken place. “We want our kids to go and safely explore the world and be able to use the internet to do it, but it’s a danger ous place.” The Center is often invited to schools to present social media safety programs,

JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 59