Is Teenage Addiction to Technology a Real Threat to Our Children?

Teenage addiction to technology is a growing issue across the globe. There have been reports of issues in multiple countries, including China, Japan, and the US just to name a few. Now, I’m not saying we should all deem this the apocalypse, but we definitely need to consider the possible effects of teenage addiction to technology–even if it sounds ridiculous. In a recent article by Vice News, a new book discussing teenage addiction to technology was highlighted.

Is teenage addiction to technology a real threat to our children?

According to Dr. Nicholas Kardaras–author of Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids–teenage addiction to technology is very real and very scary. Research is just beginning to be conducted in this area because of the novelty of technology, our world has never experienced this type of interconnectedness before so we don’t know the possible effects, good and bad. Dr. Kardaras believes that technology can become as addictive as any other behavioral or substance addiction. His book delves into “how compulsive technology usage and reliance on screens can damage the developing brain of a child the same way that drug addiction can.”
Dr. Kardaras has done tons of trials and research into addiction and what causes it, but his new obsession is teenage addiction to technology. He thinks that too much screen time can actually keep a child from reaching their creative potential.

Should we limit screen-time for our kids?

Dr. Kardaras proposes letting “children’s brains fully develop first before” exposing them to “digital drugs.” He’s referring to the way video games or social media elicits dopamine and adrenaline responses, possibly making the technology addictive. He thinks that overuse of technology can hinder growth in the frontal cortex–which is basically the part of the brain that makes you able to control impulses.
While this all sounds very troubling, there’s still much research that needs to be conducted in order to confirm the full effects and causes of teenage addiction to technology. Dr. Kardaras’ worries are definitely justified and shouldn’t be taken lightly, but this isn’t a call to suddenly throw all your screens out the window.
Instead, this is a call to limit screen time. Create zones and times for no screens. Encourage your children to get into hobbies that will keep them physically or mentally interested in the real world, not the digital one. This can help combat teenage addiction to technology.

Trails Carolina can help

Trails Carolina is a wilderness therapy program for struggling youth, ages 10-17. Our students commonly deal with issues such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other behavioral challenges. We use outdoor learning and wilderness therapy to improve the lives of young people.
For more information about how Trails Carolina handles teenage addiction to technology, please call 800-975-7303 today!