Dependence on technology and mental health in children

Take a moment to glance around the next time you leave your house and go somewhere public. It will not be long until you see a child with their eyes glued to a screen nearly the size of their face. But is overdependence on technology a sign of mental illness in children? 

The use of technology is constantly increasing in our ever-changing world. Our era is rightly termed the “digital age” since technology has become an integral part of our human lives. The consideration of our dependence on technology including the Internet, smartphones, and other digital devices is a relevant topic, given the increasing rate at which new innovations are being introduced and the various ways in which it influences every single aspect of our lives – from communication to work to entertainment and much more.  Additionally, the prevalence of technology use is expanding in the lives of all age groups, including children. While technology has been a blessing to us for offering multiple avenues to readily avail information, connect with our loved ones, work efficiently and seek support, research has provided vast evidence for significant well-being risks associated with our increased reliance on it that cannot be overlooked. 

Technology dependence can be understood when a child relies on technology in order to function throughout their daily lives. This type of dependency is not a healthy way of living and can have a negative impact on the child’s mental, physical, and emotional development. But, the opposite can be true too – children who overuse technology may be hiding mental illness, using technology as a way to escape from daily life. According to a 2018 study published in the journal of Preventive Medicine Reports, it was found that young people who spend seven hours or more a day on screens are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety than those who use screens for an hour a day (Twenge & Campbell, 2018). The data for this study was collected from more than 40,000 kids aged between 2 to 17 and was obtained as part of the Census Bureau’s 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health. 

In recent years, technology has provided us with a space for fulfilling our human needs for stimulation, interaction, and changes in our surroundings with great effectiveness. When young children experience dissatisfaction or stress in any area of life, they have the means of relying on technology through their digital devices in order to satisfy their needs. This is true when children experience the symptoms of mental illness, too. Parents have also discovered that handing their child their smartphone or tablet is a convenient solution when their child is bored, upset, or throwing temper tantrums. 

There is significant evidence that proves the negative impacts of technology dependency on children’s mental well-being. Some of them are:

• Susceptibility to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues 
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Obesity
• Learning barriers 
• Decreased interpersonal communication 
• Cyberbullying 
• Feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth 
• Loneliness 
• Inability to concentrate and complete tasks

The internet is one of the majorly utilized components of technology by children. Research has found that approximately 55% of children are dependent on the internet. While a little bit of internet use has positive effects, too much dependency may result in troublesome behaviors at school, inability to make friends, and negative effects on their intelligence and relationships with their parents, which can worsen mental health symptoms. Some of the other disadvantages that come with excessive use of the internet are as follows: 

• Harder time getting to bed and sleep deprivation.
• Loss of interest in other activities.
• Limited physical activity. 
• Social isolation. 
• Inability to follow schedules.
• Frequent mood changes.
• Increased possibility of developing depression, anxiety, and attention problems, including ADD and ADHD.

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