Teens glued to screens at risk
Study suggests need to unplug, be mindful
Young people have turned to digital devices to fill holes left by the COVID-19 pandemic, a practice that elevates depression, anxiety and hopelessness, suggests a California study released Wednesday.
“Our kids weren’t built to live their lives chained to supercomputers,” said Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who is married to the California governor and founder of the California Partners Project, which wrote the study alongside the Child Mind Institute.
“COVID has really shown us how damaging this new normal is to our kids’ mental health.”
This problem is not a new one. Even before COVID-19, 95% of teens could access a smartphone and spent multiple hours a day on a screen, according to the Pew Research Center in 2019.
But in March, schools across the nation closed and shelter-in-place requirements forced many teens home.
“What many teens initially embraced as a short, unexpected school break has become an extended trip to new territory, with no return ticket,” the study says.
Teens’ new existence is “plagued by loss,” said Dr. Harold Koplewicz of the Child Mind Institute: “the loss of school, the loss of social experience, the loss of academic accomplishment, the loss of extracurricular activities, the loss of freedom.”
The internet and electronic devices emerged as the platforms where social, educational, professional and developmental activities take place, the study says.
And though the internet is essential to staying connected in a pandemic, Koplewicz said, people are using it “as a way to numb themselves.” Problems arise when they can’t stop.
With everything uprooted, “you can’t really blame” teens for their media use, Newsom said. But several solutions’ to teens’ destructive use of technology do exist.
Some of those tips for parents and teens include:
Keep moving and prioritize sleep
It is important to keep healthy sleep and exercise habits, Newsom said.
Getting enough sleep improves students’ ability to concentrate, maintain a good mood and healthy weight and even improves the quality of a person’s skin, the study says.
“Kids cannot go to bed with devices in their room,” Newsom said. What’s more, sticking to a bedtime routine that is screen-free can allow the brain fully to recharge.
As for exercise, the study recommends engaging in an hour of moderate physical activity every day to keep the mind and body feeling good.
“If you can’t get outside, turn on the music and dance, or do some yoga,” Newsom said.
Mindful reality checks
Living in a pandemic means that we are all socializing on screens, the study acknowledges. But teens should take time to consider how they feel and what they think when they’re using tech.
“If you notice that you actually feel worse after you post, know that this is common, and look for more reliable ways to improve your mood,” the study says.
Newsom advocated for having that internal conversation even before using tech – to ensure a person is “emotionally conscious” before looking at a screen.
“Why are you picking it up? What are you feeling right now? Are you in an anxious state? Are you in a fearful state?” Newsom said.
This advice applies to parents, teens and other adults, she added.
Be a role model and empathize
The best way for parents to promote healthy screen use is to model it themselves, Newsom said, and to be honest and open about their own challenges with overusing tech.
“I’m learning myself that when I’m online, delegating something or ordering something, whether it’s food or making a doctor’s appointment, that I have to communicate what I’m doing to the kids, so they don’t think I’m just surfing the internet or social media,” she added.
The study also suggests trying to designate special screen-free times or rooms and stick to those rules yourself.
Empathizing with the rough time teens are having during the pandemic is paramount. The best thing parents can do to help teens?
“Validate that their experience in many ways is worse than the experience of older adults,” Koplewicz said.
Recognize the warning signs
If you notice that you or your teen is more withdrawn than usual, is experiencing severe mood swings or has drastic changes in behavior, talk to your pediatrician, the school psychologist or a mental health specialist, Newsom said.
Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
Peer support resources are also listed at warmline.org.
The Trevor Project also offers a peer support network called TrevorSpace for young people ages 13 to 24, and the Trans Lifeline is a peer support service run by trans people for callers who are transgender or questioning.
Survivors of sexual assault can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org/online and receive confidential support.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time or chat online.