"Technology and Mental Health," Sep. 9 (W) at 3:30pm

[Daniel Lake]

*The Institute for Ethics in Public Life invites you to join us for
"Technology and Mental Health" on Wednesday, September 9, at 3:30pm (in
person and on Zoom) with special guest James Norton, '13, Government and
Community Affairs Manager at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
New York.  *
Technology has become central to our lives, with daily use of networked
computers and tablets, and phones at work and home. This has transformed
many jobs and helps us stay connected to family and friends, but it also
has important implications for  mental health. On the plus side,
telemedicine has the potential to improve access to mental health care and
improving social connections is an unambiguously good thing. However, there
are also significant ways in which our use of technology can threaten our
mental health. Most of us are aware that screen-time can interfere with
sleep, and poor sleep is associated with depression
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/08/sleep-mental-health-connection-what-science-says.html&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788963047061029&usg=AOvVaw0d5y-KJsH4XP33NtE_0WKB>.
Social media has been found to contribute to low self-esteem, narcissism,
and self-harm and undermine learning in young people (see Jonathan Haidt's
"After Babel" substack
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.afterbabel.com/&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788963047061029&usg=AOvVaw0tFmXm0BkCy7CrmG-Ve8OB>).
Dependency on tech
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://mhanational.org/technology-mental-health-report/&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788963047061029&usg=AOvVaw1gjNj8T70Sd-koEejcXsbd>
is increasing (including addiction), particular among young people. And
there is rising concern
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/ai-chatbots-spark-mental-health-concerns-including-psychosis-risk&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788963047061029&usg=AOvVaw3TvVPb-je3GQzAMXvjLukz>
about the risks AI chatbots may pose to mental health, including depression
and psychosis.

To help us better understand this important issue, we are joined by James
Norton '13, Government and Community Affairs Manager at the National
Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New York.

James Norton, '13 joined NAMI in 2025 as the Government and Community
Affairs Manager after having spent 10+ years at the intersection of
behavioral health and justice. Including roles with the State of New York,
State of Vermont, NYS Senate, AHEC, EMS, Public Safety, and Fire. He has
focused mainly on the opioid crisis and still works with Recovery centers
and Harm Reduction groups. James also continues to work as an adjunct
professor of criminal justice and volunteer in local politics. James
graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2013 after majoring in criminal justice
with a minor in psychology.

Please join us in the Moran Seminar Room of the Institute for Ethics in
Public Life (Hawkins 233) or on Zoom (see below).

Topic: Technology and Mental Health
Time: Sep 9, 2026 03:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://plattsburgh.zoom.us/j/81316064694
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://plattsburgh.zoom.us/j/81316064694&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788963047061029&usg=AOvVaw2zXE4sCBwxSncUaBYq--Rq>

Meeting ID: 813 1606 4694


-- 

*Daniel Lake*

(pronouns: he/him/his)

Professor of Political Science

Director, Institute for Ethics in Public Life

Hawkins 149A

101 Broad Street
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

Plattsburgh, NY 12901
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

(o) 518-564-5833 <(518)%5645833>

*plattsburgh.edu <http://plattsburgh.edu/>*
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