Hot Topics June
Hot Topics June

The Right Mind Media Podcast

Jon Cohan and Abby Dean talk about AI in mental health care, kids’ phone use, GLP‑1 medications and summer social events from a recovery-focused lens. They compare new research, share personal experiences and offer practical thoughts on what truly supports sobriety and mental health.

InformativeHonestSupportiveEye-openingEncouraging

28:09•14 Jun 2026

RSS Feed

AI, Phones, GLP‑1s and Cookouts: June’s Hottest Mental Health Topics

Episode Overview

AI-assisted CBT apps may improve anxiety and depression symptoms, especially by boosting engagement for people who might not access traditional care.
Digital tools appear less useful for trauma and more complex addiction issues, where human connection and multi-pronged treatment are crucial.
Rising phone use among young people is linked to weaker social skills and increased loneliness, prompting moves towards school-day phone bans.
GLP‑1 medications are correlated with significantly lower odds of several substance use disorders, suggesting a possible effect on craving and reward pathways.
For people in recovery, it can be healthy to set clear boundaries around alcohol at parties and, when needed, to decline social events that feel risky.

“If you can’t get through a two-, three-hour party without a drink, you might want to look at your drinking habits and your idea of fun.”

Curious about how others manage their mental health and recovery in a tech-obsessed world? This Hot Topics instalment of The Right Mind Media Podcast has Jon Cohan and Abby Dean swapping research, stories and plenty of wry humour about some very current issues. First up, they tackle artificial intelligence in mental health care.

Jon shares new research where an AI anxiety app reportedly helped “58% of the participants with clinical level anxiety… improve to non-clinical levels,” and compares it with traditional group therapy.

They talk honestly about the benefits of AI-driven CBT tools – like convenience and better engagement – while still warning that “trauma requires a lot more… interface with a good clinician.” If you’ve ever wondered whether chatting to an app could really help with anxiety, depression, or addiction, you’ll hear both the promise and the pitfalls. The conversation then shifts to phones, kids, and the growing parent movement to get mobiles out of schools.

Abby describes efforts in Massachusetts to bring in a “bell-to-bell prohibition for phones in schools,” while both hosts link constant phone use to loneliness, weaker social skills and that now familiar “epidemic of isolation.” They joke about sounding old, but there’s a serious message: real-life connection still matters. Jon also breaks down a huge new study on GLP‑1 medications (often used for diabetes and weight loss) and their possible link to lower rates of alcohol and other substance use disorders.

He shares how, for him, the medication “really takes out a lot of that noise” of craving – raising big questions for future addiction treatment. Finally, they get practical about summer cookouts, sobriety, and alcohol at social events. How do you host when some guests drink and others are in recovery?

Jon suggests it may be “a common courtesy” to support the sober person, and reminds anyone in early recovery that it’s perfectly fine to skip an event if it feels risky. If you’re juggling tech, cravings and social pressure, this one might get you thinking about what genuinely supports your wellbeing.

PreviousHot Topics: May