Effects of Technology on Mental Health

In our ever-changing world, the use of technology is constantly expanding. It affects every area of ​​our lives, from our ability to communicate with loved ones to accessing information at our fingertips. Unfortunately, we have also seen some negative effects of technology on mental health.

While technology has links for people to easily access information, help and support, there are significant risks present. With technology becoming more and more common in children’s lives.It is important to decide at what age children should have a phone, as phone use at a young age can have lasting effects. In particular, screen time and social media use among children. The effects of technology on children and adolescents may influence social skills and their development, and may be related to many other downstream factors.

Research

Research has found that Internet addiction, particularly among younger demographics such as teens, is becoming a widespread problem. It has been linked to depression, low self-esteem and loneliness, symptoms that often lead to diagnosable mental illness and the exacerbation of pre-existing problems. Passive use of social networking sites (such as Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook) has been specifically linked to being a risk factor for increased levels of depression.

Overall, with regard to the relationship between screen use and physical and mental health outcomes, there have been several studies suggesting that higher levels of screen use in children and adolescents are associated with decreased physical activity, increased risk of depression and decreased well-being. being.

Effects of technology on mental health

While not all youth mental health problems are of technology, it is important to recognize the large number of children affected by these problems. Research shows that 1 in 5 children aged 13-18 has or will have a serious mental illness before they reach adulthood. Within this group of children:

11% are mood disorders
10% are behavioral or behavioral disorders
8% are anxiety disorders

Unfortunately, the effects of technology on children and young people not only trickle down to a larger population, but have proven to be long-lasting. To put things in perspective, about 50% of lifelong cases of mental illness started at age 14 and 75% started at age 24. With this in mind, it is important to take precautions to limit potential risk factors for our children. , including their access to technology. These steps may include adding parental controls to limit the amount of time your kids can spend on their mobile device or while watching TV. It’s important to consider how a child’s exposure to technology and social media can have a lasting impact on their mental health.

Activities for your children

As their parents, it is your duty to find other activities for your children to participate in. Whether that means enrolling them in a kid’s summer camp, putting them in art classes, or even just organizing extra parent-child bonding activities throughout the week. Other activities can have positive effects on children’s behavior and quality of life. With a variety of activities available, your kids don’t have to rely solely on a screen for entertainment. Ultimately, focusing less on using technology and prioritizing other activities can stimulate your child’s brain and have positive effects that ultimately benefit your child.