podcast
Chasing Life
If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking at a phone or a computer screen. These days we spend most of our lives looking at screens – whether it’s for work, school, or fun – but how is it shaping us? On season six of Chasing Life, Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes us on his most personal journey yet, while he dives into the science behind how technology is impacting our brains. As a dad of three teenage girls, he explores how worried we should be about the effect screen time is having on kids’ health. Join us each Tuesday as we bring everyone to the table – from members of the Gupta family to content creators and medical professionals – and look for guidance on how to navigate a world surrounded by screens.

A recent advisory from US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy says there’s not enough evidence to determine whether social media is safe enough for children and adolescents when it comes to their mental health. In this special episode of Chasing Life, Dr. Sanjay Gupta goes one-on-one with Dr. Murthy to examine what led him to sound the alarm, and who should be responsible for tackling the issue. Plus, Sanjay will reflect on conversations he’s had with his own family about the topic and ask Dr. Murthy how his family handles screen time and social media.
Jun 6, 2023
Ten years ago, when Dr. Sanjay Gupta began investigating medical marijuana, very few people had ever heard of cannabidiol, or CBD. Six years later, two-thirds of Americans were familiar with CBD and 1 in 7 had tried it. In this episode, Dr. Gupta’s fifth documentary on medical marijuana explores how the science has grown by leaps and bounds and could benefit everything from autism to anxiety.
This special report originally aired on CNN on September 29, 2019.
This special report originally aired on CNN on September 29, 2019.
May 30, 2023
Ten years ago, when Dr. Sanjay Gupta began investigating medical marijuana, very few people had ever heard of cannabidiol, or CBD. Six years later, two-thirds of Americans were familiar with CBD and 1 in 7 had tried it. In this episode, Dr. Gupta’s fifth documentary on medical marijuana explores how the science has grown by leaps and bounds and could benefit everything from autism to anxiety.
This special report originally aired on CNN on September 29, 2019.
This special report originally aired on CNN on September 29, 2019.
May 23, 2023
Dr. Sanjay Gupta examines the potential benefits of medical marijuana. Over 10 years, Dr. Gupta's reporting on the topic has produced six CNN documentaries and a seventh is in the works. In this episode, the very first of those CNN documentaries. Dr. Gupta travels the world and speaks to experts and patients looking for answers. What does marijuana do to you? What does it do to your kids? In the process of his reporting, Dr. Gupta made some discoveries of his own. This special report originally aired on CNN on August 11, 2013.
May 16, 2023
Dr. Sanjay Gupta examines the potential benefits of medical marijuana. Over 10 years, Dr. Gupta's reporting on the topic has produced six CNN documentaries and a seventh is in the works. In this episode, the very first of those CNN documentaries, Dr. Gupta travels the world and speaks to experts and patients looking for answers. What does marijuana do to you? What does it do to your kids? In the process of his reporting, Dr. Gupta made some discoveries of his own. This special report originally aired on CNN on August 11, 2013.
May 9, 2023
Chasing Life is taking a short break and will be back with new episodes next month. In the meantime, we want to highlight some amazing work from CNN. This week, The Assignment with Audie Cornish. This podcast knows the fiery twitter threads and endless news notifications never capture the full story. Each week host Audie Cornish pulls listeners out of their digital echo chambers to hear from the people who live the headlines. This week, just in time for Mental Health Awareness month, she dives into “therapy speak” with two psychologists, Dr. Arianna Brandolini and Dr. Luana Marques.
May 2, 2023
This season, we’ve heard from experts, parents, and teens about how screen time is shaping our lives. But this has also been a family affair. On today’s episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with his wife, Rebecca, to reflect on their biggest lessons learned along the way, and the pressure on parents to get it right. Plus, we hear from some of our listeners about how they have changed their own habits.
Apr 4, 2023
Think back to the first time you held a smartphone or tablet in your hands. For most adults, this probably happened later in life. Now, a new generation of kids is growing up exposed to screen time as toddlers, or even babies. What impact will this screen time have on their very young and still growing brains? Dr. Dimitri Christakis takes us inside his lab at the Seattle Children's Research Institute and demonstrates how he studies some very young research participants. Plus, Dr. Christakis sits down with CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and shares his most realistic tips for setting screen time limits.
Mar 28, 2023
Gen Z is the first generation to truly grow up online and now they’re joining the fight to log off. In February, college student and founder of the Log Off Movement, Emma Lembke, testified in front of a Senate committee about the impact that social media companies have on youth mental health. Emma is one of many activists, including parents and politicians from both sides of the aisle, calling for increased government regulation of social media companies. Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with CNN Technolo...Show moregy Reporter Brian Fung about a Supreme Court case that could open those companies to more lawsuits. Plus, we dive into what we actually know about the privacy concerns surrounding TikTok and if a nationwide ban is possible.
Mar 21, 2023
American teens are experiencing a rise in mental health challenges according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes high levels of sadness amid significant declines in overall well-being, especially among girls and LGBQ+ youth. Could social media be part of the problem? Dr. Sanjay Gupta turns to Professor Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, a child psychologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, to unpack this data and discuss the connection between social media and youth mental health. Sanjay also asks his teenage daughter, Sky, about how social media affects our self-esteem.
Mar 14, 2023