I Am Conference 2025: Young Barbadians Urged to Balance Online and Offline Lives

Dozens of young Barbadian men and women were given advice on how to cope with social media in this digital age.

The advice came from Health and Wellness Practitioners Leah Clarke and Sherene Haynes of the Roots Wellness Movement, who spoke on the topic ‘Youth Wellness in the Social Media Age’ during the I Am Conference at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

They told attendees that recent studies have shown that young people in the Caribbean spend between six to nine hours a day on social media platforms, and there’s no denying that social media and artificial intelligence have impacted the lives of young people both positively and negatively.

The duo contended this is taking place even though research has shown that if someone spends more than three hours daily on social media, they are likely to encounter anxiety problems which impact their mental health.

Both Ms Haynes and Ms Clarke contended that whilst there are many benefits to be gained from using social media, there are also many unhealthy habits that accrue.

They implored attendees to ensure that “if they are to live online, they must ensure they don’t break down offline.”

The Roots Wellness practitioners also warned of emotional fragility, symptoms of overload, distress, cyber-bullying, normalising suffering and lower self-esteem that can result from the use of social media.

Both Ms Clarke and Ms Haynes also disclosed that studies have shown that 46 percent of persons who use social media have experienced cyber-bullying, whilst 48 percent have contemplated suicide.

Stating that all individuals are unique, the Roots Wellness duo advised attendees “to indulge in more self-love, self-worth and self-care, and to desist from wearing distress as a badge of honour.”

They also told attendees they “deserve a life where their mind is at peace, their emotions have space, their money supports them and their spirit feels grounded.”