Is tech toxic for our teens (and us)? AI, social media bans and digital well-being

Is tech toxic for our teens (and us)? AI, social media bans and digital well-being

Are smartphones, social media and AI helping us connect, or steadily reshaping our attention, relationships and ability to cope with discomfort? Recorded at the Integrated Mental Health Conference in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, mentl founder Scott Armstrong speaks with Justin Thomas of Sync, the global digital well-being programme from the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Ithra. Justin examines the evidence linking problematic technology use with anxiety, depression, loneliness and disruption to work, study and relationships. Drawing on research across 35 countries and seven world regions, he makes an essential distinction: the concern is problematic technology use, not technology use in general. As Justin puts it, “correlation isn’t causation, but it is cause for concern.” The conversation explores: • Why anxiety cannot be blamed on smartphones alone • How doomscrolling can amplify fear and perceived threats • Why the attention economy rewards louder and more manipulative content • How technology can become a way of avoiding difficult emotions • Whether addictive design should be regulated • The risks of artificial intimacy with AI chatbots • Why children and vulnerable users may be especially exposed • Whether social media bans will protect young people or push them elsewhere • How families, platforms, governments and individuals all share responsibility • What a healthier relationship with technology could look like The debate has moved rapidly. The UK has announced plans to prohibit under-16s from using certain social media platforms, with implementation expected from spring 2027. The UAE has introduced Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2026, prohibiting children under 15 from holding personal social media accounts and requiring enhanced safeguards for users aged 15 to under 16. This is not an argument against technology. It is a discussion about benefit, harm, human vulnerability and whether regulation and research can keep pace with innovation. Watch the full episode of The mentl space for a wide-ranging conversation about the anxious generation, digital wellbeing, AI companionship, social health and the fight for human attention. Chapter list 00:00 Introduction and the youth anxiety question 02:34 What research across 35 countries reveals 05:59 The three threats facing the anxious generation 09:06 Doomscrolling and emotional avoidance 11:34 The attention economy and addictive design 14:14 Social media bans: protection or unintended harm? 18:05 AI chatbots, loneliness and artificial intimacy 25:50 Regulation, responsibility and safer technology 32:11 Reclaiming control, digital wellbeing and AI slop 39:27 The mentl awards and mental health progress in the UAE

Burnout, Silence and Survival: The Real State of Mental Health in Marcomms

The marketing and communications industry runs on creativity, relationships and judgement. But what happens when the people behind the work are exhausted, anxious, always on and afraid to speak up? In this special webinar and podcast episode, Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, brings together leaders from across the regional marcomms industry to unpack the PRCA MENA Mental Health Report 2025 and ask what the findings really mean for agencies, clients, leaders and young professionals. The report points to a clear warning: anxiety, stress, exhaustion and depression are not isolated issues. They are signs of a system under sustained pressure. Joining the conversation are John Rynehart, Managing Director Middle East at Kekst CNC and Chair of the PRCA MENA Mental Health Committee; Sinead O’Connor, Senior Director at Current Global MENAT, Mental Health First Aider and Agency Culture Champion; Tania Kteily, Associate Director at Weber Shandwick MENAT and President of the MEPRA Youth Board; and Lester Posner, strategic communications advisor, Trustee of GamCare, and a voice on leadership, policy and compassionate workplace culture. Together, they explore why awareness is no longer enough, why burnout can be hidden behind performance, why younger professionals are challenging old ideas of boundaries, and why mental health must become part of business strategy rather than a campaign week or HR side project. This is a conversation about pressure, leadership, culture, clients, boundaries and the urgent need to move from talking about mental health to changing the way work is designed. Topics include: * Why anxiety, stress, exhaustion and depression point to a system under pressure * What burnout looks like inside agency life before someone says “I am burnt out” * Why mental health awareness has not yet translated into consistent action * The pressure on younger professionals and why Gen Z is challenging old work norms * Why peer support matters, but cannot replace trusted managers and formal systems * How stigma still stops people from speaking up at work * Why leaders must stop passing pressure down to their teams * What the Mental Health Charter offers the marcomms industry * Why performative wellbeing can increase resentment and disengagement * What agencies, clients and industry bodies can do next 10-point chapter list 00:00 Welcome and why marcomms needs this conversation 02:00 Anxiety, stress, exhaustion and depression: what the report reveals 04:25 What burnout looks like inside agency life 05:47 The younger professional perspective and Gen Z’s mental health awareness 07:15 Key PRCA MENA Mental Health Report findings 09:04 Awareness versus action: why ticking boxes is not enough 13:56 Leadership, stigma and why only some people feel supported 20:25 Psychological safety, peer support and trust in managers 22:05 The Mental Health Charter and moving from framework to action 25:06 What leaders should stop doing immediately 30:29 Gen Z, boundaries and the future of work 39:14 The business case: turnover, disengagement and culture 45:03 Compassion, psychological safety and collective responsibility 48:59 Performative wellbeing, well-washing and authenticity 53:04 Audience questions: values, courage and speaking up 55:19 Be brave: the closing message for leaders and teams

Are Men Okay? Men’s Mental Health, Modern Masculinity & Silence

Why do so many men still struggle in silence? Recorded live on Afternoons with Helen Farmer on Dubai Eye 103.8, this special roundtable asks a simple but urgent question: are men okay? Helen Farmer is joined by Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl; Manny Djornor, founder of Mentality; and Mark Samways, Counselling Psychologist and Director of Wellbeing at Alkalma, for an honest conversation about men’s mental health, pressure, silence, community and what support can look like. This episode explores the realities many men carry but do not always say out loud: work pressure, loneliness, financial stress, fatherhood, relationships, anger, identity, therapy, friendship and the difficulty of asking for help. In this episode, we explore: • The pressure to be the provider, protector and problem-solver • How loneliness can show up in expat life and modern adulthood • Why men may reach crisis point before asking for help • How work, money, job security and family responsibility affect mental health • The role of social media, comparison and modern masculinity • Why depression in men may not always look like sadness • How partners and families can begin difficult conversations • What therapy can actually look like for men • Why community, connection and workplace support matter This conversation does not pretend to have all the answers. It opens the door to a question more men, families, workplaces and communities need to be asking. If this episode makes you think of someone, share it with them. If you are struggling remember you are not alone, and please reach out to someone close or a professional. Recorded live on Afternoons with Helen Farmer, Dubai Eye 103.8. 00:00 Are men okay? Why this conversation matters 01:05 Why this work is personal 03:21 Why the first step is still so hard 05:21 Identity, performance and the problem-solver role 08:29 Expat life, loneliness and finding safe spaces 11:13 Reaching breaking point and asking for help earlier 13:09 Job security, finances and modern masculinity 18:14 Boys, emotional literacy and parental shame 21:13 Anger, depression and supporting the men we love 30:22 Strength, therapy, community and workplace support (background music credit Dmitrii Kolesnikov / Pixabay)

Neurodiversity at Work: What Actually Works

Neuroinclusion is having a moment. But the real test is not what’s written in policy, it’s what happens on a normal Tuesday, inside a real team. In this special Workplace Harmonics episode, supported by Viatris and AmCham Abu Dhabi, Scott Armstrong (mentl) is joined by Dr Khaled Kadry (psychiatrist, Sakina), Geoff McDonald (former Global VP of HR, Unilever) and Sara Boueri (CHRO, board advisor) to move the conversation beyond labels and into practical work design.This is a direct, candid discussion about psychological safety, meeting culture, interruptions, disclosure, and why “performance” can look fine on paper while people are quietly burning out.We explore: • Why do so many people still feel unable to disclose what they need to do their best work? • What does a neuroinclusive workplace look like in practice, not theory? • Which “accommodations” improve performance for everyone, not just neurodivergent colleagues? • How do you reduce overload created by meeting culture, constant interruptions, and chaotic operating rhythm? • Why are KPIs not a reliable signal of health, sustainability, or psychological safety? • How do leaders shift from “doing wellbeing to people” to improving the organisation itself? Who should watch or listen If you lead a team, work in HR, or are trying to build a workplace where people can thrive without masking, this episode will give you language, perspective, and practical levers you can use immediately. Chapter List: 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY] Organisations and psychological safety, why performance can hide harm 01:38 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=98s] Why this topic became personal (adult ADHD, lived experience lens) 02:10 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=130s] Meet the panel (Dr Khaled Kadry, Geoff McDonald, Sara Boueri) 05:03 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=303s] What “neuroinclusive workplace” means in practice (a normal Tuesday) 09:17 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=557s] What neurodivergent employees may be struggling with silently 12:01 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=721s] Sara’s regional HR reality check: belonging, expectations, meeting culture 17:19 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=1039s] Geoff: organisations make people sick, stop “doing wellbeing to people” 22:21 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=1341s] Poll 1: biggest barriers to neurodiversity support at work 45:20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=2720s] KPIs are not a sign of health (and why burnout can be invisible) 50:12 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-bOkjmqlY&t=3012s] Poll 2: the one change teams will make next (meetings, focus, flexibility)

#BeTheChange at Work | Reducing Stress, Burnout and Rebuilding Engagement

For many teams, stress is no longer a spike. It is something that sits in the background of everyday work. It shows up in different ways. Slower thinking, reduced focus, more tension in conversations, and a sense that work takes more effort than it should. In this episode of our Workplace Harmonics series, supported by Viatris, mentl founder Scott Armstrong is joined by Dr Valentina Faia, Specialist Psychiatrist at the BioPsychoSocial Clinic, and Andy Fieldhouse, Team Relationship Coach at The Team Space, to explore the real drivers of stress, burnout, and disengagement in today’s workplace. Together they unpack how stress shifts from a short-term response into a chronic condition, how team dynamics influence how people cope, and why clarity, communication, and trust are critical to maintaining performance. Key Highlights • How chronic stress changes how people think and perform • Burnout is not just about working too hard • Team culture determines performance under pressure • Clarity and communication are critical psychological buffers If work feels harder than it should right now, this conversation will help you understand why, and more importantly, what can be done about it. Whether you lead a team or are part of one, this session gives you practical ways to reduce friction, improve focus, and create a more sustainable way of working. This session is part of our Workplace Harmonics series focused on practical well-being tools for leaders and teams navigating pressure and uncertainty at work. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and context for Stress Awareness Month 02:00 The cost of disengagement and why it matters now 03:30 What chronic stress does to the brain and body 08:00 Early warning signs of stress and burnout 10:45 How stress shows up in team dynamics 13:40 The role of leadership behaviour and trust 18:00 Why burnout is about more than workload 20:00 Poll: What is driving stress in teams right now 23:30 Communication, clarity and cognitive overload 25:50 How to improve meetings and reduce friction 29:00 Psychological safety and team performance 33:30 Poll: What changes teams are willing to make 36:30 Practical tools for leaders and teams 50:50 Supporting people through uncertainty 53:10 Actions leaders can take immediately 55:55 Final reflections and key takeaways