Constantly being “on” doesn’t just drain our energy – it can rewire our brains, blur the lines between what’s urgent and what’s not, and leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. In this episode, we explore why our brains and bodies need regular digital detoxes. We sit down with Romila “Romie” Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM, a board-certified physician and author of The Busy Brain Cure, to discuss how modern digital life fuels burnout, why it’s a culture problem – not a willpower problem – and how small, structured resets can help calm an overstimulated brain. Dr. Mushtaq also shares her 3-30-3 method for taking brief, regular breaks from devices to reconnect with people, movement, nature, and meaningful routines.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Show Notes: Lauren Summers
Guest: Romila Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM

Constantly being &ldquo;on&rdquo; doesn&rsquo;t just drain our energy &ndash; it can rewire our brains, blur the lines between what&rsquo;s urgent and what&rsquo;s not, and leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. In this episode, we explore why our brains and bodies need regular <a href="https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-digital-detoxhttps://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-digital-detox">digital detoxes</a>. We sit down with <a href="https://drromie.com/about-dr-romie/">Romila &ldquo;Romie&rdquo; Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM</a>, a board-certified physician and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Busy-Brain-Cure-Eight-Week-Anxiety/dp/1335007113">The Busy Brain Cure</a>, to discuss how modern digital life fuels burnout, why it&rsquo;s a culture problem &ndash; not a willpower problem &ndash; and how small, structured resets can help calm an overstimulated brain. Dr. Mushtaq also shares her 3-30-3 method for taking brief, regular breaks from devices to reconnect with people, movement, nature, and meaningful routines.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Show Notes: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Romila Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM</li>
</ul>

WebMD Chief Physician Editor Neha Pathak, MD, and Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, MPH, explore fascinating stories to find the unexpected things that help us understand our health.

Health Discovered

Digital Burnout: How to Reset an Overstimulated Brain

For years, conversations about ADHD have largely focused on children, often centered on the image of a child who can’t sit still or is disrupting the classroom. But ADHD can look very different in girls and women – and those differences can make it easier to overlook or diagnose later in life. We spoke with Monica Johnson, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Kind Mind Psychology, about why ADHD may be missed in girls and women, including disparities in diagnosis among Black girls and women. She explained how symptoms can shift across the lifespan, the hidden cost of masking, and how an accurate evaluation can help connect people with the right support.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Monica Johnson, PsyD

For years, conversations about <a href="https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd">ADHD</a> have largely focused on children, often centered on the image of a child who can&rsquo;t sit still or is disrupting the classroom. But ADHD can look very <a href="https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-in-women">different in girls and women</a> &ndash; and those differences can make it easier to overlook or diagnose later in life. We spoke with <a href="https://www.kindmindpsych.com/our-team/dr-monica-johnson/">Monica Johnson, PsyD</a>, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of <a href="https://www.kindmindpsych.com/">Kind Mind Psychology</a>, about why ADHD may be missed in girls and women, including <a href="https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-black-indigenous-people-color">disparities</a> in diagnosis among Black girls and women. She explained how symptoms can shift across the lifespan, the hidden cost of masking, and how an accurate evaluation can help connect people with the right support.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Monica Johnson, PsyD</li>
</ul>

ADHD in Women and Girls: Why It’s Often Overlooked

Many people have left a medical appointment with more questions than answers. A rushed visit, a provider focused on a computer screen, or confusing medical information can make it harder to feel heard and confident in your care. We spoke with Neil J. Farber, MD, author of Treating a Broken System: A Physician’s Cure for the Healthcare Crisis, about creating stronger partnerships between patients and healthcare providers. He shares how better communication, thoughtful questions, and open conversations about options can help people feel more informed and empowered in their care. He also shares practical ways to prepare for appointments to make sure your priorities are part of the conversation. You deserve to be heard, understand your options, and have a voice in decisions about your health.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Neil J. Farber, MD

Many people have left a medical appointment with more questions than answers. A rushed visit, a provider focused on a computer screen, or confusing medical information can make it harder to feel heard and confident in your care. We spoke with <a href="https://neiljfarber.com/about-the-author/">Neil J. Farber, MD</a>, author of <a href="https://neiljfarber.com/treating-a-broken-system/">Treating a Broken System: A Physician&rsquo;s Cure for the Healthcare Crisis</a>, about creating stronger partnerships between patients and healthcare providers. He shares how better communication, thoughtful questions, and open conversations about options can help people feel more informed and empowered in their care. He also shares practical ways to <a href="https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/getting-the-most-from-your-doctors-appointment">prepare for appointments</a> to make sure your priorities are part of the conversation. You deserve to be heard, understand your options, and have a voice in decisions about your health.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Neil J. Farber, MD</li>
</ul>

Making the Most of Your Doctor Visit: Be Heard, Decide Together, Know What’s Next

Setting limits around screen time can feel complicated and overwhelming for parents. How do you move beyond simple rules and consider how different kinds of digital media may affect a child’s attention, sleep, creativity, learning, mood, and relationships? We sat down with Jane Tavyev Asher, MD, director of the Division of Child Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, to discuss why endless feeds can be so hard to stop, how to set boundaries without making screens feel like a forbidden reward, and why it’s never too late to reset your family’s habits. Families can shift their digital habits. Start with one intentional change – and replace screen time with a shared activity.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Jane Tavyev Asher, MD

Setting limits around screen time can feel complicated and overwhelming for parents. How do you move beyond simple rules and consider how different kinds of digital media may <a href="http://childhood/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://childhood/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1790903573155000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1k7bfSPZ_rxctNTEIPB7pv">affect a child&rsquo;s attention</a>, sleep, creativity, learning, mood, and relationships? We sat down with <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://researchers.cedars-sinai.edu/Jane.Tavyev___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplMTFmMWRiNGI3YzA1ODExMjRlZGJhOGYzNGQ4NmMyYTo3OjBmOWM6ODdmNGJjZjBiNjNiYWRjNWE3YmMwMmUyOWM1YzI5OTc4ODA5ZmM2YzEzZjU0ZTg2ZGQ3YjRiYTVkYWRhOTBhOTpoOlQ6Rg" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://researchers.cedars-sinai.edu/Jane.Tavyev___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplMTFmMWRiNGI3YzA1ODExMjRlZGJhOGYzNGQ4NmMyYTo3OjBmOWM6ODdmNGJjZjBiNjNiYWRjNWE3YmMwMmUyOWM1YzI5OTc4ODA5ZmM2YzEzZjU0ZTg2ZGQ3YjRiYTVkYWRhOTBhOTpoOlQ6Rg&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1790903573155000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3wf8LDvmoSXOTfY2WRohCS">Jane Tavyev Asher, MD</a>, director of the Division of Child Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, to discuss why endless feeds can be so hard to stop, <a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/raising-children-electronic-world___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplMTFmMWRiNGI3YzA1ODExMjRlZGJhOGYzNGQ4NmMyYTo3OmZjYzk6ZjM1Nzg2NzQ4MGYzMDVhYTE4YjdjN2RmMGFlYzUxMGUyNTgyZWQ5MWE2YTY0ZDc2Zjc0NWZmODliMjJmMDMwNjpoOlQ6Rg" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/raising-children-electronic-world___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplMTFmMWRiNGI3YzA1ODExMjRlZGJhOGYzNGQ4NmMyYTo3OmZjYzk6ZjM1Nzg2NzQ4MGYzMDVhYTE4YjdjN2RmMGFlYzUxMGUyNTgyZWQ5MWE2YTY0ZDc2Zjc0NWZmODliMjJmMDMwNjpoOlQ6Rg&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1790903573155000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0XhEAGlFmOhjffQ0dAmJfD">how to set boundaries</a> without making screens feel like a forbidden reward, and why it&rsquo;s never too late to reset your family&rsquo;s habits. Families can shift their digital habits. Start with one intentional change &ndash; and replace screen time with a shared activity.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Jane Tavyev Asher, MD</li>
</ul>

Digital Burnout: How to Reset an Overstimulated Brain

Health Discovered

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