Digital technology and its risks to adolescent mental health

sammarco (25)in #technology • 2 years ago

Digital technology has many positive benefits, which can easily be achieved through appropriate exposure of children and youth and the use of digital media, but despite these positive benefits there are still many important issues that deserve attention.
Proper access to and use of media among children and adolescents has many positive benefits, but many issues have been discovered with the problematic impact of media and digital technology (including Internet use), so clinicians should be aware that improper use of digital media and technology can lead to It leads to great social isolation and withdrawal and this has a negative effect on normal development.

Digital technology definition

Digital media is usually defined as mass communication and includes factors such as broadcasting, publishing, the Internet and communications, the reach of media continues to grow exponentially and digital technology becomes more readily available.
Digital technologies such as social media are becoming a popular means of communication while online games provide another means of interaction, quick access to instant messaging is increasingly becoming the norm and access from highly portable sources is creating an atmosphere of continuous access to the digital world.
The impact of digital technology on adolescents.
Digital technology, participation and access to online services are important to society as a whole Everyone needs to interact with digital media and technology in a smart, safe and responsible way, but for young teens who are learning to navigate the online world at a younger age they must consider some specific issues.
Children and teens are the biggest beneficiaries of the digital age and bring many positive benefits, but they may also face exposure to age-inappropriate content, cyberbullying online, or a loss of privacy.
So you need to understand the impact of media and digital technology in order to offer parallel and exemplary advice and support.
Psychiatrists must be in a very good position to help young adolescents with mental health issues, as digital technology and negative media experiences play an important role, and more research is needed on the impact of excessive exposure to digital technology on adolescent mental development and health.

Smartphones and their relationship to mental health

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Although exposure to digital technology and media has many obvious benefits and appropriate use, where smartphones can be used, we still don't know a lot of things and found some obvious issues, which are related to exposure to excessive digital technology that smartphones represent on adolescent development and mental health.
Scientific research also found that teens spend a lot of time on social media through their mobile phones every day and log up to 50 times a day, and the study also found that heavy use of social media and digital technology can affect self-esteem, as they feel Two out of three teens are pressured to look good.
Through smartphones, many strangers are contacted or communicated with them via Facebook, as the study said that 15% of those connected to Facebook happen to them daily, and although the impact of social media on the mental health of adolescents is not clear, by encouraging Better usage patterns can help reduce adverse effects.

The dangers of smartphone addiction (the harms of mobile addiction)

Excessive use of smartphones and devices can have a negative impact on the mental, physical and mental health of our children. Among the most important risks of smart devices for children and young people are:

Slower social and emotional development of children and reduced social skills of adolescents .

Excessive use of smart devices in early childhood may delay children's speech.
Using smartphones at night can cause disturbances such as insomnia, lack of sleep, poor sleep quality etc., using smart devices at night may also affect the natural production of melatonin that regulates sleep, detoxification and the blue light emitted from the screen of the smart device is the radiation that inhibits melatonin production.
Obesity is a common problem among children and adolescents because they spend a lot of time in front of an electronic device screen without exercising or any physical work.
Addiction to video games and smartphones can have a negative effect on memory and concentration.
Smartphone addiction can affect the relationship within the family, and cause separation between individuals because everyone is addicted to electronic devices and does not have time for communication, dialogue and common activities that achieve family relationships.
Because of the impact of fighting video games or any programs or videos that they constantly watch on smart devices, children's attacks and violent behavior are increasing.
Having smart devices with children or teens keeps him online at all times, allowing him to access any inappropriate content such as porn sites, violent videos and dangerous addictive games except for communicating with strangers and unwelcome characters.
Any child or teen is constantly connected to the internet through their uninterrupted presence on their smartphone, which makes them more at risk of cyberbullying.

There are health and psychological problems caused by severe addiction to the smartphone, including

Neck problems caused by constantly looking at the phone.
Vision problems such as dry eyes, fatigue, poor vision and blurred vision.
headache.
In the long run, electronic devices will increase the likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease.
Laziness, lethargy and confusion. An article on the health risks of technological equipment to children’s health stated on the Altibbi website: “Scientists have recently revealed that intermittent flickering caused by high and contrasting light levels in video game animations can cause epileptic seizures in children, and scientists are warning children against using constantly vibrating computer games. Because it may be linked to the possibility of developing arm twitching disease .

Attention to mental health

With the development of digital technology and the media, profound changes have occurred in society. These changes have brought benefits, but also more challenges and risks, so a series of suggestions have been put forward to take care of mental health.
All mental health professionals in the field of health recognize the positive benefits of digital technology and encourage the use of digital technology to enhance development and well-being, as a variety of mental health resources have been developed to help people navigate the Internet safely, such as websites and applications to ensure that people can access With confidence to quality resources.
We must be aware that the problem of improper use of the Internet can cause severe social isolation and withdrawal, and may have a negative impact on psychological development, and clinicians should exercise caution and provide guidance and support when necessary.
Parents, caregivers and youth workers should be made aware of the potential benefits and problems associated with the use of digital technologies, and should be encouraged to educate themselves on these topics, because they believe they lack knowledge, and should be allowed to help young people circulate around media use and set reasonable limits to promote its development And reduce the use of problems

Digital technology has many positive benefits, which can easily be achieved through appropriate exposure of children and youth and the use of digital media, but despite these positive benefits there are still many important issues that deserve attention.
Proper access to and use of media among children and adolescents has many positive benefits, but many issues have been discovered with the problematic impact of media and digital technology (including Internet use), so clinicians should be aware that improper use of digital media and technology can lead to It leads to great social isolation and withdrawal and this has a negative effect on normal development.