Gary Direnfeld

I'm hearing a lot of the themes that are similar to when I discussed the loneliness epidemic.

Certainly COVID put the loneliness epidemic in the spotlight, feelings of isolation from one's community.

That's the major part or at least one of the major parts of the problem here is what you're saying?

So intervening with students, if I were a parent or a teacher and I see a kid who has signs of feeling isolated, not feeling like they have community, how can one intervene?

Technology certainly doesn't help.

It's really easy to live a very isolated life, but still be like entertained and engaged, at least on the surface, because of technology, online games, phone, this sort of thing.

I don't want to blame phones, but I just want to speak to your point that right now, it does seem like it's a lot easier to be isolated than it was when I was a kid, at least.

I feel like in the 90s when I was growing up, there was like a huge campaign against bullying, anti-bullying.

It was a sort of a hot mental health topic you'd see on TV or hear on radio shows like this one.

I wonder if the deeper thing, though, is social health, which is really kind of like a broad topic that addresses the underlying cause and effects of bullying.

I do wonder if social health is the kind of deeper thing, the more worthwhile conversation here.

Is there anything else you would want parents to know who are hearing this concept of social health for the first time?

Steve Jordans is a professor of psychology at University of Toronto Scarborough.

Steve, I have enjoyed this chat.

I do, again, wish you had come onto the show under better circumstances.

And thanks so much for being here.

Okay.

After that heavy conversation, we're pivoting to something sweeter after the break.

Chocolate.

Why does a cheap Valentine's Day chocolate gift feel so dangerous?