Social Diary has collaborated with a medical expert to allow our readers to connect and have their concerns answered over their wellness-mental and physical. This week:
Social Diary has collaborated with a medical expert to allow our readers to connect and have their concerns answered over their wellness-mental and physical. This week:
Afaan Sohail Asks:
How do we combat the excessive screen time among adolescents which is becoming a growing social concern?
Recent years have seen a rising social concern over the growing obsession of adolescents with screens. As smartphones, tablets, and computers have become increasingly widespread and technology has rapidly advanced, adolescents are spending more and more time glued to screens. Although technology has undoubtedly provided ample benefits and opportunities for learning and connectivity, excessive screen time can prove detrimental to adolescents’ well-being and development. The addiction to using gadgets comes with a lot of consequences. The physical health fallout of excessive screen usage ranks among the topmost concerns. Sedentary lifestyles plague adolescents spending extended hours in front of screens, discouraging physical activity, and promoting several health afflictions, including cardiovascular health problems, obesity, and musculoskeletal issues. Unsupervised screen time in younger children can expose children to potential risks online, such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and online predators. It’s important for parents to monitor and guide their children’s online activities. This behavior seems to be prevalent among all socioeconomic classes, although the reasons may be completely different. The middle class has a struggling pattern for financials and social responsibilities and children remain unnoticed and unguided, while the upper class has different priorities in life, most frequently negligent behavior of the parents and caregiver, as supported by relevant data. Children often mimic their parent’s behavior. Making a conscious effort to reduce your own screen time and demonstrate healthy alternatives such as reading, engaging in hobbies, or spending time outdoors. Although, not very easy, but providing a variety of engaging and age-appropriate activities to divert children’s attention away from screens. Encourage them to participate in physical activities, sports, creative play, reading, board games, or spending time with friends and family.
Disrupting the normal sleep cycle is a common occurrence with excessive screen time. This can lead to inadequate sleep and negatively influence cognitive functionality, mood, and overall health. Adolescents may also suffer from psychological issues due to extreme screen use. Research has shown that increased screen time is linked to depression, anxiety, and low self-worth. Social media platforms are especially problematic, endorsing unattainable beauty standards, encouraging social comparison, and cyberbullying. Furthermore, endless exposure to edited images of other people’s lives can lead to anxiety. The excessive use of screens can have a detrimental impact on cognitive development. Rapidly consuming information and multitasking as a norm can result in attention span, memory, and concentration issues. Studies have indicated that overuse of screens can negatively affect cognitive skills deemed essential, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. Furthermore, screens’ constant stimulation may also make it challenging to focus on tasks requiring continual mental effort, resulting in shorter attention spans.
It’s crucial that parents, policymakers, and educators take proactive measures to tackle this rising concern. Through educational programs, adolescents and their families can be aware of the potential risks of excessive screen time. Promoting hobbies that involve non-digital engagement, fostering open communication with adolescents, and encouraging outdoor activities can help establish a more balanced screen use. Creating safe spaces for adolescents to find guidance, express concerns, and cultivate healthy habits is important.
