Sister Dr. Carletha Hughes, a Chicago-based pediatrician, is among the less than 3% of Black women physicians. She is also the daughter of Mother Ola Muhammad, wife of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Sister Dr. Carletha recently shared a presentation during the National Medical Association Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly, which was held at the Hilton in downtown Chicago from July 19-23. The NMA is a professional organization of Black physicians which was founded in 1895.
Sister Dr. Carletha was part of a special panel held during the convention called “Hot Topics in Women’s Health and Clinical Practice” and presented on “From TikTok Trends to Toxic Thoughts: The Dark Side of Social Media and Childhood.”
She is also the medical director/owner of Suburban Pediatrics in Chicago Heights, Illinois, and is an attending physician at Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago.
As a pediatrician, she explains she treats pre-teens and teenagers who are self-conscious, shy, experience social anxiety, and, sadly, some who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts due to social media.
“TikTok is not the typical social media app. TikTok gets people, particularly teenagers, hooked based on the user’s interests. For instance, once you click on a video, TikTok provides the same type of video over and over,” she explained during her presentation.
“TikTok dominates youth culture by combining hyper-personalized algorithms, addictive short-form content, and immersive community. In my clinic, the most shy teenagers are popular on TikTok, but they cannot hold a face-to-face conversation.
When I talk to them, their heads are down, but they are popular on social media. Social media negatively impacts mental health, emotional well-being, physical health, social pressure, body image, and [can contribute to] behavioral risks,” said Sister Dr. Carletha.
She explained the importance of adults collaborating to address the needs of young people in terms of monitoring their social media exposure and use. “Parents, teachers, doctors, and policymakers need to work together to make the digital world a healthier place for children,” she said.