By Antonio Cooper and Mary Rose Kulczak
The internet and computers are ingrained tools that help ease lives and allow resources to remain readily accessible to society. While these tools can be used for pleasantries, such as sharing a funny status on Facebook or uploading cute videos of your dog on TikTok, some can’t find a balance between enjoying life online and offline. This lack of balance creates issues for users’ mental health, becoming what is classified as Internet addiction.
Internet addiction is having detrimental effects on teenagers. In an article published by the Pew Research Center, a survey discovered that 95 percent of 13 to 17-year-olds have access to a smartphone, and 46 percent of teens say they are “almost constantly” online. That’s up from 24 percent eight years ago.
Pew researchers surveyed 1,316 teens in April 2022. More than half (54 percent) said it would be difficult for them to give up social media, especially for the older respondents ages 15 to 17.
“There is clear evidence that compulsive use of social media and internet-based interactions are on the rise among teens,” said Philip D. Atkins, PhD, Chief Care Coordination Officer and Vice President at Harbor of Toledo. He cited the Pew research findings as cause for concern.
“We also know that the COVID-19 pandemic took an issue that was already concerning and seriously compounded the problem. Even kids with limited screen time had their online time increase in order to do school and have any social interaction. Most of the time, kids with healthy family relationships and supportive peers manage social media okay. It’s when we see distress in those relationships that we often see internet and social media use escalate in a way that can be harmful.”
Atkins noted that there are a number of conditions that can foster these addictions.
“Overuse of social media, or social media “addiction,” is part of a cluster of behavioral addictions that can depend on certain conditions for development. Some of these conditions include feeling detached from your family, school, friendship losses, boredom, isolation, anxiety or depression. The more of these risk factors a child has, the more diligent we need to be about their social media use,” Atkins stated.
It’s Not Just A Kid Thing
Internet and social media consumption can be a problem for adults as well as teens. In stressful circumstances, teens and parents alike may look for diversions and distractions like the internet as a coping mechanism.
“As a culture, we are restless,” Atkins said. “We all look for things that soothe us in a world that can feel out of control sometimes. It’s not just a kid thing — it’s us as adults as well. There is something wonderfully mind-numbing about scrolling through Instagram when you’re stressed. The prevalence of mental health concerns and emotional disruptions for kids is at an all-time high. Sometimes, there is simply too much going on for kids’ brains to handle developmentally. The adults in their lives are also stressed-economically, emotionally, in their adult relationships- and kids are like sonar in receiving those signals we put off, even if we think we’re masking it well.”
Local parents speak out
Mike Manore is a local father of two sons. When asked if his family was concerned about the rise of internet addiction among teens, he responded “Of course! It is a concern for us, as I imagine it is for most every family. It is a daily reality, as a great deal of most teens’ day-to-day interactions now take place via social media and/or texting,” he said.
Manore has found ways to get his teens off the screens and engaged.
“We try to keep them involved in extracurricular activities, such as marching band and youth group, as well as family activities and trips, in order to create in-person connections and foster strong friend and family relationships.”
Alesia Aromas is the mother of five children, ranging in age from 10 to 19. She knows the daily challenge that parents and teens face when it comes to screens.
“I am very concerned about social media addiction. As a mother, I see first-hand how a small device can create anxiety,” she said.
“I believe teens today do not know how to turn off the pressures and expectations of parents, academics, the world, and their peers. They rely heavily on clicks and likes to prove their status or popularity. Instead of taking a moment to self-soothe or problem solve internally, they instantly post and wait for their social media activity to solve the problem. Sleep deprivation is a terrifying thing, and the addiction of always being connected adds to this issue.”
For Aromas, it is important to be vigilant about her children’s screen usage.
“I monitor screen time with weekly reports, no phone at the dinner table, and I talk about the need to unplug for their health. The youngest one has parental controls on his phone, so it shuts off for certain periods of time.”
Do I have an Internet addiction?
Atkins noted that there are signs for parents to watch for in their teen’s screen usage.
“The first thing to check out before we take on screen time are the environmental contexts kids are experiencing. When a fish is swimming in a polluted pond, we don’t blame the fish for trying to cope!,” he said.
“Check out the environmental factors your kids are experiencing. Are they living in a household that is distressed? Is their neighborhood unsafe? Are they becoming increasingly disconnected from caring adults and parents? Are there enough positive activities and connections in their lives? If the answer is no, the place to start is not screen time, it’s relationships. Becoming more secretive, losing interest in activities they used to enjoy, being violent or angry, or doing things that are self-harming such as alcohol or drugs are typically symptoms of a greater disconnection. Ask yourself: Is my kid using Tik Tok as a substitute for connecting with me? Then remember, we’re the adults, and it is our job, not theirs, to fix that.”
For those unsure if they’re struggling with Internet addiction, Duke University posted a series of statements, recommending that you seek help If you agree with most of them. The statements from the article are listed below:
- I think about being online almost constantly. If I’m not online, I’m thinking about the next time I can be or that last time that I was.
- I need to be online longer and longer each time before I feel satisfied.
- I have tried to control, reduce, or stop my internet use, but haven’t been able to do so successfully. I feel irritable or depressed when I try to reduce the amount of time that I am on the internet or when I can’t get online.
- The way I use the Internet has threatened a relationship with someone I care about, my job, or my school work.
- I lose track of time when I’m online. I sometimes lie to important people in my life about the amount of time I spend — or the types of activities I participate in — on the Internet. Being online helps me to forget about my problems or improve my mood when I’m feeling sad, anxious, or lonely.
What are the best ways to assist your teenager in curbing their Internet addiction?
Atkins noted three important ways to combat teen internet addiction.
“Engage, engage, engage,” he said. “Even the most distressed families have touch points-those times where people connect even briefly around something. Maybe it’s sports or taco Tuesday or a simple good night ritual. One of the best things you can do is set aside time to do a family vision. The Paxis Institute has a great way to do it. Set aside some time, maybe fifteen minutes, when there is (relative!) peace in your household. Ask something like ‘If we were going to have a loving, connected family, what would we see more of? What would we feel more of? What would we do more of?’”
After this exercise, Atkins suggests carefully wording any negative conversational starting points.
“Spend some time on the positive before you ask ‘If we were a loving, connected family what would we see less of? Feel less of? Do less of?’” he offered. “ Don’t expect a Brady Bunch moment. Just try to listen. Add your ideas, too, but avoid blaming. Saying ‘I’d like to do more game nights’ instead of ‘You kids need to be home more’ or ‘I’d like to feel less frustrated and stressed’ instead of ‘You kids need to not infuriate me!’”
Atkins notes that building better relationships is the key to positive change.
“The treatment for all behavioral addictions is connection. Sure, game night might not be the single answer to combating the negative effects of over-using social media, but when we continue these little elements, they become transformative.”
For those struggling with addiction of any form, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health hotline at 1-800-662-4357, or visit their website.
