Everywhere we may be, school, trains, work and even just at a bus stop, we see that most people are staring intensly at their phones. However, with the age children are exposed to electronic devices, specifically mobile phones decreasing each year, addictions to them and screen time only appear to be rising. The older generation weren’t brought up with this technology, so we can’t understand how it may affect the brain as life progresses – but what effects on teenagers and children’s wellbeing can already be observed?
With new apps such as tiktok and instagram with endless scrolls rising in popularity, it is only causing more dependency on social media for pleasure, which, for developing brains, is leading to students being too weary to concentrate in school, as well as ruining their mental health and behaviour.
A study by researchers from Leeds Beckett University found that: ” 96% of roughly 600 children aged between 11-18 said they checked their phones every two minutes with 85% spending between four and six hours a day online”
Around a fifth of their days wasted on their devices can lead to difficulties coping without them, and suffering “withdrawal symptoms”, which once again can spike anxiety – as if there is a loop of mental health consequences in which they are stuck.
Researchers also found that adolescents were getting as little as two hours of sleep, when the suggested amount is between 8 and 10 hours – eventually resulting in “low confidence and low self-esteem” felt by the individual, since there is disengagement in school and a lack of focus in learning.
Using a screen offers a “limited sensory environment” where there is no physical exertion or socialising with anyone else. What may have previously interested young toddlers, such as playing with stuffed animals and dolls, has been widely replaced by watching TV or youtube, as some parents find it easier to deal with for tantrums or the need for attention by using them. They are missing out on valuable experiences that they won’t be able to cherish – children born in the late 2010s earliest memories will be watching cartoons, instead of spending quality time with family and friends.
Precautions can be taken by parents as well as the person to avoid the constant need to always be online. These can include restricting screen time access, and limiting whereabouts they can be used, for example not while eating.
Although these are just a few of the challenges we should be aware of, they should be enough to prevent harmful habits emerging from persistent uses of electronic devices.
For all the latest Education News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
