This is a growing concern not only in families, but with educators and therapists. Excess screen-time has been linked to causing an increase in teen depression, anxiety, stress and even self-harm or suicidal ideation.

Did you know, approximately 95% of teens have their own smartphone and 88% have access to a computer at home? How can we prevent teen internet addiction after the train has already left the station?

Is your teen:

-Constantly checking their phone, always online?
-Get anxious when they don’t have their phone?
-Will become angry or even enraged if you remove their device?
-Are drifting from real life friends?
–Withdrawing from family?
–Isolating in their room for hours?
-Seem depressed, sad or stressed?

Managing your teen’s screen-time can be challenging but it’s also necessary in today’s digitally driven world. The fact is, technology is here to stay and we must teach our children to have a healthy relationship with technology including their social media platforms.

Why Early Prevention of Internet Addiction Is Necessary

When did you give your child their first device? There is a reason why top Silicon Valley executives are saying no to the smartphone until at least 14 for their children. In fact, there is a long list of reasons and parents need to know them.

Wait Until the 8th  invites you to learn more about why parents should consider waiting until their child is at least 14 years old before giving them a cell-phone.

Smartphones are addictive

New research shows dependence on your smartphone may produce some of the same addictive brain responses similar to alcohol, drug and gambling addictions. Smartphones are like slot machines in your children’s pocket constantly persuading them to crave more. The tech industry intentionally designs smartphone apps and social media for people to use for long periods of time because this is how they make their money.

Smartphones are an academic distraction

Elementary and middle school years establish the foundation for your child’s academic success. Children learn how to productively manage time, projects and homework. Introducing a constant distraction with a smartphone is paving a path for academic mediocrity.

The early results of a landmark study on brain development by the National Institute of Health show children who spent more than two hours a day looking at a screen got lower scores on thinking and language tests. Research from the University of Texas suggests the mere presence of your smartphone reduces cognitive capacity and test-taking brainpower. One study demonstrated that using smartphones in classrooms can even lower a student’s grade. Another study found that children who attend schools with smartphone bans did better on tests.

Smartphones impair sleep

Studies show that the use of smartphones and other portable devices with screens affects the quantity and quality of sleep in children and teens. Adolescents are likely restless because they anticipate receiving texts and social media messages from friends, which affects their nighttime routine.

Some children even wake up in the middle of the night to check texts or social media. Sleep disturbance in childhood is known to have adverse effects on health, including poor diet, obesity, weakened immune system, stunted growth, and mental health issues.

Smartphones increase the risk for anxiety and depression

Children are not emotionally equipped to navigate tricky social media waters at such an early age.  Viewing someone else’s highlight reel on social media often leads youth to think they are missing out or are not enough compared with their peers. Research shows that the more time someone uses social media the more likely they are to be depressed. A Harvard Business Review showed the more you use Facebook the worse you feel. Another report demonstrated that adolescents’ psychological well-being decreased the more hours a week they spent on screens.

In addition, when children overuse technology, the constant stimulation of the brain causes the hormone cortisol to rise. Too much cortisol can inhibit a child from feeling calm. The loss of tranquility can lead to serious anxiety disorders.

Suicide rates are on the rise especially for girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years old. For this age group, suicide rates have tripled over the past 15 years.

Read more reasons on why parents should wait to give their child a smartphone.

Tips to Curb Smartphone Addiction

It is no secret, parents are at their wit’s end while their teen (or tween) are hooked to their devices. We are now at a point where if a parent attempts to remove (or even threatens to remove) their phone, they risk a firestorm in their home. We’ve talked to parents that have experienced property damage (holes in walls), their child that will self-harm, become explosive, rage and more — when their smartphone is removed.

Here are some ways to try to take back control:

1. Smartphone contacts:   Cellphones are a privilege, not a right.

It’s never too late to create a smartphone and device contract with your teenager. Another example of a contract is a technology agreement, courtesy of Cyberwise. This contract and/or agreement outline the expectations of the parents, as well as the rules and responsibility of using their smartphone. With this the teens/kids have a clear understanding of the guidelines for using the phone and consequences when they break the rules.

2. Modeling smartphone behavior:  Do as I say, and as I do.

Many experts say it is not only about monitoring but more about mentoring – reality is, it’s more about parents MODELING smartphone behavior. These teen’s already have their heels dug in. Mom and dad need to start modeling good digital behavior. For example – if you are a parent that is constantly checking their text messages or on social media, what message is that sending your child? If you bring your phone to the table for mealtime time, what example does that set? When speaking to your friends, are you also glaring at your screen? Do you leave distasteful comments online, do you overshare on social media? Do you text and drive?

Studies has shown, you are your child’s biggest influence. It’s time for parents to rethink how they use their smartphones too.

3. Lights out – screens out.  Blackout.

It is time to purchase a lockbox or safe. A simple purchase that can literally change your teen’s life and help them develop healthy sleeping patterns again.

How many times have you awoken to your teen scrolling down their screens at 2am? 3am? It’s not enough anymore to simply say it’s 10pm time to turn-off your phone. Whatever time you have designated in your contract/agreement — is the time that phones are locked-up until morning. Having a good night’s rest not only will improve mental wellness, it will likely help your teen’s academic performance and overall mood.

Also read:

3 Causes of Teen Mental Health Issues

Reducing Your Teen’s Screen-Time

5 Benefits of Boarding Schools

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Is your teen struggling with internet addiction or smartphone addiction? Have you exhausted your local resources? Contact us to learn more about residential treatment and how can benefit your teenager.

The post How to Prevent Teen Internet Addiction first appeared on Help Your Teens.

For years experts have talked about drug addiction or teens addicted to alcohol — however in today’s digital world we are facing young people that are literally attached to their devices — specifically, their social media networks. This is being considered an addiction.

Scrolling and checking through your social media feeds has become an increasingly popular activity over the past decade.

Although many people do not have a problem with overuse, there is a small percentage of users that have become addicted to social networking and engage in excessive or compulsive use.

Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction that is characterized as being overly concerned about social media, driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social media that it impairs other important life areas.

Warning Signs of Social Media Addiction

Like most things in life, engaging in social media in moderation is not harmful. It is about finding a healthy digital balance without overusing it that it effects your emotional wellness.

The negative effects to consider are:

• Develops low self-esteem. This can be prompted by the false reality of online life. The incorrect perception that others’ lives are better than yours, or as many teens do — living for “likes,” for gratification of their self-worth.
• Increased isolation and/or loneliness. Is your teen becoming withdrawn. Not leaving their bedroom, staring at their screen 24/7?
• Depression and anxiety. This is another sign your teen is becoming addicted to social media. They could be developing FOMO (fear of missing out) when they’re not online, in addition to their low self-worth with the compare and despair thinking while online.
• Social anxiety disorder can start to develop. Is your teen suddenly self-conscious of themselves, worries about embarrassing or humiliating themselves, maybe they fear interacting or talking to strangers? This is also when school avoidance can start.
• Disrupted sleep patterns. Is your teen no longer able to sleep well? Waking up, nightmares? This can be very unhealthy.
• FOMO. Fear of missing out (as listed above), which can lead to more social media activity. Sadly, this is very real and causes anxiety, stress, and depression in young people.
• Poor school grades, underachieving. Was your teen once a straight A student and now their school performance is slipping or even failing?
• Ignoring relationships in real life. Have they stopped hanging out with their friends? Dropped out of their favorite activities or participating in their hobbies? Not attending family functions?
• Unable to (or reduced ability) to empathize with others. When people are constantly digitally contacted (without eye to eye contact), they lose their sense to have compassion and empathy towards others.
• Lack of physical activity. This can lead to poor eating habits, hygiene and other physical health concerns.

5 Ways to a Healthy Digital Social Media Life

The truth is social media will always be a part of our lives, especially your teen’s life. There are many positive ways to use social networking, for example, when your teenager needs to showcase their athletic ability to colleges or their volunteer work for a potential internship. The key is finding the right balance of digital life for emotional wellness.

To have a healthy digital life, the entire family needs to be part of the plan. Reality is teens want limits. In a Screen Education survey, 26 percent of teens said they wished that someone would impose screen time limits. It is never too late to start.

1. Smartphone contract. If you don’t have one, it’s time to create one. List your teen’s responsibilities, and limits, the consequences, and your responsibilities as the parent.

2. Limit notifications on smartphones. All those dings, rings, buzzes, and sounds are added triggers that set off stressors. Have your teen choose three apps (or whatever you are comfortable with) for sounds. The others they can manually check periodically.

3. Create daily device-free time. Whether it is dinner time, before bedtime, or one to two hours in the afternoon or morning, develop a schedule when no one is staring at screens.

4. Lights-out, screens-off. Technology is affecting teens’ sleep and mental health. It is up to parents to remove their phones from the bedrooms. You are a parent first. Simply asking them to turn it off is not the answer.

5. Respect. This generation (sometimes) needs to be reminded about old-fashioned respect. If you are with others (family, friends, in a store, checking out, at a restaurant, or any activity that involves others), have respect for the people around you. Do not engage on your devices (which is usually social media). That is digital-free time.

Most importantly for parents, which isn’t listed, since most know this already, is to lead by example. If your teen watches you texting and driving, you are basically giving them the green light to do the same. So, think twice about your own cell phone habits—your kids are watching.

Read: Mental Health Crisis Climbing Among Teens (Pointing at Excessive Screen Time)

Read:  Why Removing Your Teen’s Devices Doesn’t Work

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If you are struggling with your teen that is addicted to their devices and you have exhausted your local resources (phone contracts, removing devices, local therapy, digital detox plans) — it may be time to learn more about the benefits of residential treatment for teen help of internet addiction. Contact us for more information.

Image provided by Pexel

The post How to Help My Teen’s Social Media Addiction first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Screen time use rose by nearly 50 minutes per day for those ages 8 to 12 (tweens) to five hours and 33 minutes per day, and by more than an hour and 15 minutes for teenagers, to eight hours and 39 minutes per day. And those increases do not include students’ screen time in class or for schoolwork.

Is your teen:

-Constantly (attached to their device) online?
-Always checking their social media platforms?
-Become anxious when they don’t have their phone?
-More engaged with their digital life than real life friends?
-Become enraged if you even mention removing their phone?

Teachers say they see the effects of heightened digital exposure in the classroom. In a nationally representative survey by the EdWeek Research Center in February, 88 percent of educators reported that in their experience, students’ learning challenges rose along with their increased screen time.

Moreover, 80 percent of educators said student behavior worsened with more screen time. Over a third said student behavior has gotten “much worse” due to rising screen time.

More concerning is the impact that screen time is potentially having on a teens’ mental health. Their behavior at home, when parents attempt to limit screen time or remove devices all together, becomes erratic to explosive. A teenager can go into a rage, destroying property, being verbally abusive and overall out-of-control when they feel detached from their screen. This is very, very real. Parents are at their wit’s end with this screen addiction.

Teens and Screen Time: How Much is Too Much?

Learn more about:

• How much are kids and teens spending with their screens?
• What are they doing and why should I worry?
• What should I do if I find my teen has an unhealthy dependence on screens?
• Do parental controls really work?

Tips to limit screen time:

-Home tech contract: Need help creating a smartphone contract or device contract? Cyberwise offers a technology agreement you can download and create to fit your families needs.

-Modeling good digital behavior: We hear this so frequently, it’s about leading by example — but the truth is, research backs this up. Studies have said that parents have the most influence over their children and especially their teenagers. If you are constantly checking your social feeds, or oversharing on social media, this give your teen the greenlight to do the same. It’s time to become more self-aware of our own digital behavior.

-Create device free time: Whether it’s meal time or one of day during the weekend, in your tech agreement be sure there is a time when everyone is off their devices.  Having this digital detox can really help develop healthier connection with people and with your family.

-Lights out, screens out: How many parents wake up in the middle of the night only to find their teen scrolling down their screens? MANY. You thought they had their phone off, or it was put away. This is when it’s time to invest in a lockbox — whatever time you have designated for screens out, is when the phones are placed in the lockbox or safe. Too many teens are now struggling with disrupted sleep patterns from staying up with their devices.

Also read:

How to Help My Teen’s Social Media Addiction

Tips for Creating a Smartphone Contract

The post How Much is Too Much Screen Time for Teens first appeared on Help Your Teens.

As long as there are smartphones and digital devices, sadly we will probably always be dealing with online hate and harassment. The fact is, this is human behavior – it’s not something that we can raise money for, find a cure and finally eradicate, like we are about to witness with polio.

Research is showing a rise in cyberbullying and this is causing emotional and physical concerns for young people. Nearly one third of teens have experienced symptoms of depression, which, in addition to changes in sleep pattern, include persistent irritability, anger and social withdrawal, according to the U.S. Office of Adolescent Health.

In a University of Buffalo study, nearly 15 percent of US high school students report being bullied electronically. At severe levels, depression may lead to disrupted school performance, harmed relationships or suicide.

Misol Kwon, the first author of this recent research said:

“Cyber victimization on the internet and social media is a unique form of peer victimization and emerging mental health concern among teens who are digital natives.” said Kwon. “Understanding these associations supports the need to provide sleep hygiene education and risk prevention and interventions to mistreated kids who show signs and symptoms of depression.”

Be an educated digital parent about cyberbullying and mental health

ould you know if your child is being harassed online? Here are a few signs parents need to be aware of:

• He/she suddenly stops using the computer or phone, even though he’s always enjoyed it before.
• He/she doesn’t want to use the computer/phone in a place where you can see it.
• He/she turns off the computer monitor or changes screens every time you walk by.
• He/she seems nervous or jumpy when he gets an instant message, text or email.
• He/she alludes to bullying indirectly by saying something like “there’s a lot of drama at school” or “I have no friends.”
• He/she doesn’t want to go to school or appears uneasy about going.
• He/she becomes withdrawn.
• He/she changes eating habits.

It helps to understand why some tweens and teens don’t tell parents when bad things happen:

1)  Fear of consequences: Your child’s online existence is a critical part of their social life. With all their friends online, being excluded would be devastating them. They don’t want to risk you banning them from their friends and their digital lives.

2)  Humiliation and embarrassment: Our kids are human and have feelings. Although some kids portray a tough persona and believe they are invincible, deep down everyone feels hurt by cruel keystrokes. Your teen may fear looking stupid or weak.

3)  Fear of making it worse: We have taught our children well so they understand that bullies are looking for attention. By reporting the incident of cyberbullying to a parent, your child may fear it could anger the bully and make matters worse for them online. In some cases bullies will enlist more online trolls to cyber-mob your child. Of course the child’s dreaded fear is his or her parent reporting it to their school or camp and more people knowing whereby they become a possible target in the future.

Developing digital resilience

Today our kids consider their digital life as important as their lives offline, so it’s important to give them as much knowledge and encouragement to know they are not alone when they are faced with cyber-hate.

1. Prepare them for the ugly side of the Internet or possibly being upset by what people say. Remind them it could be inappropriate content that slips through filters. Being forewarned is being forearmed.
2. Show them how to block individuals, flag and report abusive content, and when to report incidents. Emphasize the importance of telling someone “in real life.”
3. Show your teen how easily digital pictures can be manipulated. The realization that not everything is what it seems is a useful first step – understanding that life is not as perfect as it may seem virtually. Teens may be familiar with the digital world but less familiar with the motivations for creating ‘fake’ images.
4. Help them to think through the possible consequences of what they post online. Remind them that there is no rewind online, once it’s posted it’s nearly impossible to take back. Fifteen minutes of humor is not worth a lifetime of humiliation.
5. Encourage your teen to socialize in person with their friends. Communicating solely behind a screen can be isolating. Socializing in person builds more face-to-face contact in helping your child have empathy and compassion towards people.

Never doubt, your kids might be an app ahead of you, but they will always need your offline parenting wisdom.

Also read:

Where to Send My Troubled Teenager.

5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

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Are you concerned about your teen’s mental health? Have you exhausted your local resources to get them help? Contact us today to learn about the benefits of residential treatment for your teen that could be addicted to technology.

The post How Technology Affects Teens’ Sleep and Mental Health first appeared on Help Your Teens.

The technology is becoming more acceptable among the masses. Billions of people use smartphones and have internet access. Those who were not digitally connected are now getting connections for internet.

However, this phenomenon has created serious challenges for the people. But for the parents, it has many issues which are actually troublesome. There are a number of issues for the parents. Smartphones, internet, social media and dating sites are the major sources for the teens who spend their time.

This led to the addiction of screens among the teens.

Let’s review ways we can change their tech habits:

Talk to kids

In order to deal with the kids and beat their screen addiction, the parents should talk to their kids. Parents know their children better than anyone else. This method can be actually fruitful to help the teens get rid of screen time and spend their time on more productive stuff.

If parents ignore this thing, it will lead to many serious issues which will harm the kids and destroy their upbringing. Such teens will perform worse in their studies and their mental health will also be damaged.

Set Rules at home

Experts believe that rules can be helpful for the kids when it comes to dealing with their screen addiction. We know that governments create rules to handle the public. Due to the rules and laws, people behave within their limits. This should be the case with the kids at home.

Even every person at home should follow the rules so that kids don’t get bad impressions of the rules. Parents should set examples for the kids so that they can follow them easily. Rules should be regarding the use of smartphones and internet to deal with screen addiction. It’s important to have a smartphone contract in place so there are no surprises when rules are broken and consequences are put in place.

Get Psychological Help

In many cases, the parents are unable to handle their kids and prevent screen use in the teens. This is seriously challenging. Such parents should get psychological help from the experts. Kids need help at this age because they don’t know how harmful this can be for their health and future. That is why parents should provide them support in every possible way.

The psychological assistance will help understand the kids and their issues. Then, parents can take robust measure to ensure their kids don’t spend more than a certain limit of time on their devices.

If you find you have exhausted your local resources, and your teen has totally shutdown, become depressed and withdrawn – it may be time to consider residential treatment.

Educate the Teens

Apart from this, education can also be helpful for the parents as well as kids. In this option, the parents will be educating their kids and teens. Guidance regarding the use of smartphones, internet and social media will be provided. Examples should be shared in order to help teens understand.

Furthermore, parents should tell the kids about the possible dangers of technology and screen addiction. Kids should understand how it can affect their mental health and brain development. This way, they will be more conscious about the harms and dangers of screen addiction which can be then controlled.

Limit Screen Time

Limiting screen time is a great option that many parents don’t know about. It is the best possible idea to deal with screen addiction. Most of the new smartphones and gadgets have this feature. According to this option, the kids can use phones and devices to some time. After that, the device will be locked.

This way, the parents can have better control over their kids and deal with the screen addiction. Limiting screen time has become a popular feature among the parents. Less tech-savvy guardians should also use this feature if they want to handle the screen addiction in their kids.

Use Latest Tools to Handle it

Lastly, technology has provided us with a good number of options and tools to help ourselves against the screen addiction. Such apps can be of great help for the parents who are worried about their teens and kids. It will provide parents with a tool to manage the screen time, set parental control options and reduce screen addiction. This way parents will feel more relaxed and satisfied about their kids.

Read: Why removing your teens’ devices isn’t always the answer.

Read: How Much Is Too Much Screen Time?

Read: How Cyberbullying Effects Teenage Mental Health.

Read: 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

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Are you considering a therapeutic boarding school for your tech troubled teen? Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about finding the right therapeutic boarding school for your teen.

Contributor: Lina Jackie

The post How to Change Your Teen’s Tech Habits first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Video games have become famous with people of all ages engaging in them. They are also a massive part of the economy. Video gaming is now a multi-billion-dollar industry churning in more money than movies and DVDs. Since everyone is willing to pay for video games, the industry has seen a remarkable improvement with realistic and sophisticated features added to the games.

Players can connect to the internet while playing and interact with each other. The impact of video games has been dissected and discussed by many. But how are they affecting students – especially college students? Let’s find out.

The Good Side of Video Games for Teens

With all the noise about the effects of video games on children – school-going children – there are those who argue the positive side of things. It may not be great to have a student sitting on a computer playing games all day, but it is great for a student to play some games sometimes.

Here are some advantages

1. More students can develop an interest in STEM

The STEM workforce of the future needs enthusiastic individuals who will continue to revolutionize it. Many students often chicken out of science, technology, engineering, and math because introductory courses like calculus are so challenging. Calculus games have been developed to help students learn by gaming. Learning games are the new way of convincing students to stay in STEM.

2. Video games can help with experiential learning

Learning in the 21st century is taking on a new trajectory with students encouraged to learn as they do. In order to learn creative problem-solving, games have been developed to help students with critical thinking. For example, students can learn to solve problems with games like DragonBox Algebra. 

3. Video Games encourage learning from failure

It’s never a good video game if it’s too easy to play. Video games are designed in such a way that it’s safe to fail. Students can easily learn from their failures while playing video games. Some games like Burnout Paradise even make failing in video games seem like fun – the more you fail, the more points you earn.

4. Students can stay engaged in the classroom

The best way to make sure that students internalize everything they learn is to make the learning engaging. The more engaged they are, the more they are likely to take in. Educational games have been designed to improve engagement and motivation for students to stay more focused on tasks.

The Negative Side of Video Games

This is the side that researchers are spending more time on. The effects of video games on students have been well-documented for a long time now.

Some adverse effects of these games include students being exposed to violence – killing people and animals, using drugs, and foul language and obscene gestures. Some negative effects of video games include;

1. Students find less time to learn

Studies have shown that students who play video games excessively spend less time learning. This leads to poor performance in class and poor grades eventually. Even students with the potential to become better may slack in their education when exposed to excessive video game playing.

2. Poor social skills

Students who are overly involved in video games may have difficulty controlling the amount of time they spend on the screen. This reduces the amount of time they engage with teachers and other students. Poor social skills can lead to negative behavior in students. For those involved in creating behavior essays for students to write, this is something they often encounter. Negative behavior affects the overall performance of any student and sometimes even leads to some students leaving school.

3. Less reading 

When students spend excessive time playing video games, it cuts into their reading time. This may lead to poor performance in class and may even encourage cheating. Some students would rather cheat than spend time reading for tests.

4. Less exercise and becoming overweight

This is a typical symptom with most gamers. Since some video games can be very addictive, students will spend most time sitting and playing. Such students often consume junk food as they continue to play, sometimes late into the night.

5. Some develop aggressive thoughts and behaviors

Due to the content in the video games, some students may develop cynical behavior and express them towards other students. Although there hasn’t been enough research to link bad behavior to video games, some students find it hard not to copy what they see in these video games.

Conclusion

Video games have become a huge part of people’s lives. With many more people becoming engaged in them, the industry will only grow further. The impact of video games on students is clear to see. While there are positive things to pick from video games, the negative side of things has to be observed carefully as well. 

Also read:

5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

Why Therapeutic Boarding Schools Are Effective

Author Bio: Joshua Robinson 

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Contact us if you have exhausted your local resources of your troubled teen’s gaming addiction. We help you make smart decisions for teen help programs, therapeutic boarding schools and other options for struggling teens to help them develop a healthy relationship with technology.

The post Teen Gaming Addiction first appeared on Help Your Teens.

The tech giant has studied how the app affects youth.

• An article in The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook’s own documents found Instagram to be damaging to teens.
• A 2017 survey, published by the U.K.’s Royal Society for Public Health, found Instagram to be “worst social media network for mental health.”
• Seeing others “edited to perfection” can be challenging for teens who may struggle with self-esteem or are vulnerable to social approval.

When one of my daughters was about 13 years old, I took her to a Teen Vogue event at our local mall. Afterward, she started getting a Teen Vogue magazine in the mail each month. One Saturday morning she walked into the kitchen with a stack of them and asked, “Will you please take these away? I don’t think looking at pictures of perfect girls is good for me.”

This incident predates Instagram, the social media network owned by Facebook that enjoys 500 million+ active users daily and is used by 76 percent of U.S. teens. Whereas my daughter was troubled by perhaps a few dozen images in a magazine she might have leafed through once or twice a month, today’s teens are literally barraged with such images daily—some even spend hours a day using this app.

What brought the memory of my daughter back was a recent article in The Wall Street Journal titled, “Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show.” The article reports that “(f)or the past three years, Facebook has been conducting studies into how its photo-sharing app affects its millions of young users.” Facebook’s own researchers “found that Instagram is harmful for a sizable percentage of them, most notably teenage girls.”

By reviewing internal documents produced by Instagram (Facebook), The Wall Street Journal‘s reporters found these statements in a company slide presentation from 2019: “We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls” and “Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression… This reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.”

Perhaps the most disturbing revelation in the WSJ article was this:

“Among teens who reported suicidal thoughts, 13 percent of British users and 6 percent of American users traced the desire to kill themselves to Instagram, one presentation showed.”

This News is Not New

To me, what’s most irritating about this revelation is that it’s old news. While writing my book a few years ago, I referenced a 2017 #StatusOfMind survey, published by the United Kingdom’s Royal Society for Public Health, that predates and mirrors Facebook’s own findings. Surveying almost 1,500 teens and young adults, the study found Instagram (along with Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter) to be associated with high levels of depression, bullying, and FOMO, the “fear of missing out.”

Instagram, where personal photos or selfies (often carefully staged or touched up) rule, was discovered to be “the worst social media network for mental health and well-being.” A teen respondent to the survey wrote, “Instagram easily makes girls and women feel as if their bodies aren’t good enough, as people add filters and edit their pictures in order for them to look ‘perfect.’”

“Instagram culture creates an environment that rewards perfection,” says Dr. Pamela Rutledge, Director of the Media Psychology Research Center. According to Rutledge:

“The trouble is, when people look, they forget that many of these images are not real and it creates unattainable expectations and beauty ideals. Our brains are wired to react as if virtual images were real. We are hardwired to compare ourselves to others. This had some evolutionary benefit as it was how people learned to navigate the social environment. It has little benefit on social media when we use it to judge ourselves against imaginary, often unattainable goals. This is particularly harmful to teens who already struggle with self-esteem and are vulnerable to social approval.”

Photoshop is So Five Minutes Ago

Today, a digitally perfect body or face is just a few clicks away, thanks to the ubiquity and ease of use of new “editing” apps. One of the most popular is “Facetune.” According to its own website, Facetune is the #1 self-editing app in the world, used by over 100 million worldwide. With this app, users can “(s)mooth skin, whiten teeth, swipe away blemishes, contour features, add makeup…” and more.

Facetune, which experienced a 20 percent increase in usage at the start of the pandemic, sees 1 million to 1.5 million retouched photos exported every single day. It is so widely used that the word itself is used interchangeably with “edit… in much the same way “Photoshop” was used by the generation before.

According to the study “Selfies-Living in the Era of Filtered Photographs,” a direct correlation exists between the proliferation of digitally manipulated selfies and body dysmorphic disorder, an under-diagnosed mental health condition causing sufferers to obsess over minor or imagined defects in their appearance.

Researchers at Boston University who conducted the study warn that Facetune and similar apps “are making us lose touch with reality because we expect to look perfectly primped and filtered in real life as well,” which can cause serious psychological harm.

What exacerbates the situation further is the Instagram (Facebook) algorithm. It feeds users more of what it thinks they like or have expressed interest in. In other words, if a teen looks at health, beauty, diet, or similar posts, they are likely to be bombarded with more of the same kinds of posts every time they open the app.

What Can Parents Do?

Don’t wait for your daughter (or son) to walk into the kitchen asking you to take Instagram away. Chances are that’s not going to happen because the app isn’t just feeding them images that might promote self-loathing—teens are also using it in a myriad of (and sometimes really awesome) ways. They might be communicating with friends, sharing life updates, learning about current events, sharing inspiring or funny images, or advocating for causes they care about.

There is even an ever-growing community of Instagram users with huge followings who are calling attention to touched-up content and unattainable images of beauty. One of my favorites is @beauty.false who has over 1.2M followers. If you have an Instagram-using teen, ask them if they have heard of or follow this or similar accounts.

Finally, if you need a checklist to help you address this problem, here’s a very short and easy-to-follow list:

1. Spend a little time exploring Instagram yourself, but remember what you see has been curated specifically for you.
2. Talk to your teen about Instagram.
3. Listen (non-judgmentally) to what your teen has to say about Instagram.

By Diana Graber, founder of CyberCivics author of Raising Humans in a Digital World.

Read: How Much Is Too Much Screen Time.

Read: How Cyberbullying Effects Teenage Mental Health.

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If you are struggling with your teenager’s  internet addiction addiction and have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your troubled teen develop a healthy relationship with technology. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post How Instagram Could Be Damaging to Teens first appeared on Help Your Teens.

In today’s society, the internet can be a valuable asset and educational tool, as well as a dangerous attraction and lethal weapon. Many teens are turning to social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to make friends, mingle and more.

An unfortunate reality is that potential predators can also sign up and chat with your kids. Social networking are many teens’ ways of communication which can be entertaining and fun; yet, if they are not careful, it can also be unsafe.

Teen Internet Addiction Warning Signs:

• Your teen may suffer from anxiety. They may use the internet to distract themselves from worries and fears. An anxiety disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder may also contribute to excessive email checking and compulsive internet use.
• They are depressed. The Internet can be an escape from feelings of depression, but too much time online can make things worse. Internet addiction further contributes to stress, isolation, and loneliness.
• They have any other addictions. Many internet addicts suffer from other addictions, such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sex.
• They lack social support. Internet addicts often use social networking sites, instant messaging, or online gaming as a safe way of establishing new relationships and more confidently relating to others.
• They are an unhappy teenager. They might be wondering where they fit in and the internet could feel more comfortable than real life.
• They are less mobile or socially active than they once were. Some are withdrawing from activities (sports and family events) as well as isolating themselves.
• They are stressed. While some people use the internet to relieve stress, it can have a counterproductive effect. The longer you spend online, the higher your stress levels will be.

An educated parent is better equipped to help limit potential danger of internet predators and online identity theft, as well as helping them develop a healthy relationship with technology.

Is cellphone addiction real? YES!

Today we are facing a time when teen depression is on the rise. Young people are struggling with anxiety, stress and overwhelmed by peer pressure. They are completely immersed in their screens without considering their emotional or physical health.

Have you tried:

• Phone contracts
• Removing their devices
• Local therapy
• Digital detox plans

But find your teen still falling back into their old obsessive patterns?

At P.U.R.E. we promote parent awareness to help you, as parents, understand that it’s not about removing the devices as much as it’s about helping your teen learn more about the risks behind the screen. In addition to the consequences of what they post and the impact it can have on their future.

These are only some of the concerns, while the most important issue is your child’s mental wellness. If you feel that it has now taken over their lives – and yours, it might be time to consider outside help.

Quality therapeutic boarding schools can help students to detox from their screen addiction and learn how to self-regulate, as they participate in individual and group therapy. They will eventually have a healthy relationship with devices. The fact is, technology is only growing – it’s not going away.

Read: The Effects of Cyberbullying on Teens.

Read: 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

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If you are struggling with your teenager’s internet addiction and you have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your troubled teen develop a healthy relationship with technology. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post Will Teen Help Programs Help Cell Phone Addiction first appeared on Help Your Teens.

In today’s society, the internet can be a valuable asset and educational tool, as well as a dangerous attraction and lethal weapon.

Many teens are turning to social networking sites such as Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to make friends, mingle and more. An unfortunate reality is that potential predators can also sign up and chat with your kids.

Social networking are many teens’ ways of communication which can be entertaining and fun; yet, if they are not careful, it can also be unsafe.

Teen Internet Addiction Warning Signs:

• Your teen may suffer from anxiety. They may use the internet to distract themselves from worries and fears. An anxiety disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder may also contribute to excessive email checking and compulsive internet use.
• They are depressed. The Internet can be an escape from feelings of depression, but too much time online can make things worse. Internet addiction further contributes to stress, isolation, and loneliness.
• They have any other addictions. Many internet addicts suffer from other addictions, such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sex.
• They lack social support. Internet addicts often use social networking sites, instant messaging, or online gaming as a safe way of establishing new relationships and more confidently relating to others.
• They are an unhappy teenager. They might be wondering where they fit in and the internet could feel more comfortable than real life.
• They are less mobile or socially active than they once were. Some are withdrawing from activities (sports and family events) as well as isolating themselves.
• They are stressed. While some people use the internet to relieve stress, it can have a counterproductive effect. The longer you spend online, the higher your stress levels will be.

An educated parent is better equipped to help limit potential danger of internet predators and online identity theft, as well as helping them develop a healthy relationship with technology.

Is internet addiction real? YES!

Today we are facing a time when teen depression is on the rise.

Young people are struggling with anxiety, stress and overwhelmed by peer pressure. They are completely immersed in their screens without considering their emotional or physical health.

Have you tried:

• Phone contracts
• Removing their devices
• Local therapy
• Digital detox plans

But find your teen still falling back into their old obsessive patterns?

At P.U.R.E. we promote parent awareness to help you, as parents, understand that it’s not about removing the devices as much as it’s about helping your teen learn more about the risks behind the screen. In addition to the consequences of what they post and the impact it can have on their future.

These are only some of the concerns, while the most important issue is your child’s mental wellness. If you feel that it has now taken over their lives – and yours, it might be time to consider outside help.

Quality therapeutic boarding schools can help students to detox from their screen addiction and learn how to self-regulate, as they participate in individual and group therapy. They will eventually have a healthy relationship with devices. The fact is, technology is only growing – it’s not going away.

Read: 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

Read: Goals of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

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If you are struggling with your teenager that’s addicted to the internet and you have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your troubled teen develop a healthy relationship with technology. Contact us today for  a free consultation.

The post Will Therapeutic Boarding Schools Help Teen Internet Addiction first appeared on Help Your Teens.

They never knew a world without technology at their fingertips, and they’ve grown up with screens and digital devices at every turn. So, smartphones, tablets, and computer screens are part of everyday life for most teenagers.

But, is that a good thing?

Parents and scientists alike have shown great interest in the effects of screen time on a teenager’s health. Some studies have argued that too much of it can cause physical health issues.  On the other hand, many teens use technology as a way to stay connected. Taking it away could impact their mental health.

So, what’s the answer? As a parent, that’s up to you. But, it’s important to know what screen time can really do to your teen – especially when it comes to their mental health.

Common Mental Health Concerns

It’s estimated that teenagers spend over seven hours looking at their phones each day. Whether they’re scrolling through Instagram, creating TikToks, or chatting on WhatsApp, it’s easy for teenagers to get lost in the social aspect of being on their phones. Of course, phones and tablets are also used for entertainment, like watching videos and playing games. The options are endless, which makes it easy to waste hours without really thinking about it.

That connection can lead to things like peer pressure, bullying, or even just the desire to “fit in” on different social media platforms. Your teen might feel as though they have to constantly be plugged in just to keep up with their friends.

Unfortunately, that can take a toll on their mental health. One study found that teens who spend at least three or four hours a day looking at a screen have an increased risk of depression, thoughts of self-harm, and even suicide. Another study found that young people who spend at least seven hours in front of a screen each day are more likely to officially be diagnosed with depression or anxiety. It also found that the less screen time a teen had, the better their overall wellbeing.

The mental health issues associated with too much screen time can lead to bigger problems. Depression and anxiety can cause teenagers to:

• Become fatigued
• Have trouble concentrating
• Isolating themselves
• Losing interest in things they love
• Have lower test scores

It can be difficult to understand teen depression. But, paying attention to these warning signs can alert you that something isn’t right. If you know that your teen spends most of their time in front of a screen, it won’t be hard to connect the dots and find out where their problems are stemming from.

Don’t Overlook the Physical Issues

In addition to mental health concerns, spending too much time in front of screens can lead to physical problems, too. For starters, starting at a screen all day can wreak havoc on your eyes. When a teenager spends too long looking at a screen, they can strain their eyes because the constant movement makes it harder to focus.

The light from the screen can also cause the eyes to become tired and lead to vision issues. Some of the common signs of vision problems include:

• Squinting
• Head tilting
• Poor hand-eye coordination
• Rubbing their eyes
• Headaches

In addition to damaging the eyes, staring at a digital device all day can cause back and neck problems. It can even lead to poor sleep quality, which could leave your teen feeling tired and make them more prone to getting sick or injured. While feelings of depression and anxiety are important to recognize, don’t ignore the physical problems your teen could have to deal with because of their phones or tablets, either.

How to Talk to Your Teen About Screen Time

As a parent of a teenager, you probably already know it’s not always easy to talk to them – especially about things they don’t want to give up. But, knowing how screen time can impact them, it’s important to set boundaries. That’s especially true if your teen is spending most of their time at home.

Create a schedule that works for everyone, allowing them to use their electronic devices during certain hours of the day and only for a set amount of time. You might get some pushback at first. But, creating a schedule is a great way to be fair. Eventually, your teen will look forward to those times when they have their devices and will know how to handle it when each time is over.

To promote less screen time, encourage your teen to try other things. What are their other interests and hobbies? Or, what’s something you think would love if they tried it? If they have a passion for art, encourage them to create their own art, like a comic book. Do they love music? Suggest an instrument.

Maybe they have gotten into running or strength training. Why not encourage a sport? When your teen really discovers their passion, they’ll be less enamored with their screens. As a result, they can be mentally and physically healthier, and you can take comfort in knowing they aren’t depending on a digital device to find contentment.

Read: 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.

Read: Are Therapeutic Boarding Schools Effective?

Read: Where to Send My Troubled Teen.

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If you are struggling with your teenager’s internet addiction and have exhausted your local resources, learn more about how residential treatment can help your teen develop a healthy relationship with technology. Contact us today for a free consultation.

The post How Screen Time Can Impact Your Teen’s Mental Health first appeared on Help Your Teens.