Teens/ Young adults, Tech and mental Health
In this digital age, tech is an important part of everyone’s daily lives, from a fortune 500 companies CEO and workers to a 2nd grader in public school, the need and usage of tech is inescapable. One of the biggest questions is how if at all does the usages of said tech change/ alter young developing minds. As we navigate the new frontier that is technology and its ever-advancing landscape, we must take accountability for how it shapes our lives and connections and confront the challenges it presents in education, privacy, and social dynamics. With this Op-ed I hope to be able to take a peek at into the double edges sword that is technology.
The rapid incorporation of technology into our daily lives has been found to have profound effects on the developing brains of young people. Although technology offers a variety of benefits, its negative impacts on the young brains are increasingly evident. Excessive screen exposure has been linked to a range of cognitive and emotional issues. It has been reported that an increased screen time has been correlated with the development of ADHD symptoms in children over time 1.
Although the percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD has increased from 6.1% in 1997 to 10.2% in 2016, the CDC argues this rise in diagnoses is influenced by things such as increased awareness, better screening, and changes in diagnostic criteria.
According to Harvard Medical School, digital devices can interfere with sleep, which is crucial to growing bodies and brains, also the change can affect creativity, and the ability to process and store information 2. The blue light emitted by screens can disrupt sleep patterns by suppressing melatonin, leading to insufficient REM sleep, which is vital for memory. You can take precautions with things like using blue light glasses or lenses when you working or learn in a setting that requires an abundance of screen time but is that all it would take to protect growing minds?
Common sense media reported that 50% of young people feel that they are addicted to their electronic devises and that does not surprise me. Young people’s brains are still developing up until around the age of 25-28, the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain associated with complex behaviors, decision-making, impulse control, and social interactions.
It is one of the last areas of the brain to fully mature, typically reaching full development in the mid-20s 3, and research has shown that technology, in particular digital devices and social media, can impact the development and functioning of the prefrontal cortex, which can lead to decreased attention span and impulsiveness 4. As an adult I spend on average 9 hours and 30 min on my phone daily, with an average of 91 pickups. Some time I find it's hard to focus on tasks that need to be completed when my phone is accessible and or I’m not actively concentrating on NOT using my phone or social media. Since its election time I see a lot of political adds, but commonly don’t click on them. I spend less than an hour a day out of the 9 hrs. I use my phone, on political adds. Ts mainly social media or some form of entertainment.
As a millennial parent it feels like we are the first true generation of parents that have to about how soon is too soon to give our children phones, and what should they have access to. The implications on our children’s health can give a lot of us pause, when it comes to putting a supercomputer in the hands of our children. However, gun violence in schools has been a significant concern over the past decade and a lot of parents feel like it’s imperative for them to be able to reach their child at moment’s notice and vice versa. Also, what works for one child may not work for another, we would do well to take in account that particular child’s maturity.
Personally, I think that instead of fighting tech, which is a losing battel we need to teach/ learn accountability when it comes to time spent on devices. iPhone have the ability to tell you how long you have been on your phone and what you have been looking at daily, we should be putting research into cut off times and how to pass the restraint on to our children. We should be promoting self-care that includes disconnected from the world in a healthy way every so often. Mental health awareness is at an all-time high and that pairs perfectly with idea of detoxing from social media, I myself make a point to ready at least 45 min a day. Not for homework but for pleasure and I make sure to read a physical book or article to keep me from scrolling or mindlessly clicking on an ad.
1. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2021)
2. Screen Time and the Brain | Harvard Medical School
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6680665/
4. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/08/technology-brain-development
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