Why smartphones aren't ravaging your kids' brains

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Psychiatrist Richard Friedman explained how the myth of adolescent anxiety arose.

There is a lot of talk now that modern digital technologies make teenagers anxious, nervous, unfocused. But don't panic, it's actually not that scary.

Despite media reports of rising anxiety among American adolescents, we have little or no evidence of an epidemic like this. The last extensive survey on mental health problems among young people was conducted over a decade ago.

There are several surveys reporting an increase in anxiety, but they are based on data obtained from adolescents themselves or their parents. At the same time, the percentage of diseases is usually overestimated, because the respondents note mild rather than clinically significant symptoms.

Why is there a belief that teenagers are becoming more and more nervous? Perhaps these messages are the first signs of new epidemiological research. Or, anxiety has only increased in those demographic groups to which the media receives more attention. But most likely, the anxiety epidemic is just a myth. It is much more curious why everyone believed in him.

I think the reason is that parents are imbued with the idea of the toxicity of digital technology. There is a widespread belief that smartphones, computer games, and so on are harmful from the point of view of neurobiology and psychology.

Richard Friedman

If this is believed, it seems self-evident that generations growing up surrounded by this ubiquitous technology are doomed to psychological problems. This dubious belief is based on several studies with serious flaws.

Some have noted a link between electronic communication and a reduced level of psychological well-being. But this does not speak about the reasons, but only about the relationship between the two phenomena. It is possible that the more anxious and unhappy teens are more likely to reach for the phone to avoid unpleasant emotions.

Other researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to study the brains of young people "addicted" to video games, and noticed microstructural changes. But again, it is unclear if this is the result of internet abuse or an inherent risk factor.

There is also the claim that smartphones are addictive just like drugs. Most likely, it arose from MRI studies showing that children with gambling addiction activate the reward system when they are shown images from games. But this is not surprising.

If you scan your brain showing you what turns you on, like sex, chocolate, or money, your reward system will also light up like a Christmas tree. This does not mean that you are addicted to the above.

Richard Friedman

More important is the question of whether digital technology is actually causing permanent changes in the brain like drugs. There is very little evidence to support this. I have seen alcoholics with withdrawal symptoms that threaten their lives. But I have never seen a teenager in the emergency room with withdrawal symptoms without a telephone.

However, many parents still claim that their child has an anxiety problem. I'm afraid this reflects a cultural shift towards pathologizing normal stress levels.

There is a big difference between anxiety disorder and daily anxiety. The first interferes with a normal life due to excessive unreasonable anxiety. The second is a natural response to stress. Teenagers and people of all ages should and will experience anxiety from time to time.

Richard Friedman

Some would say that young people are more nervous today because the environment has become more tense. Including due to the consequences of the global economic crisis and high competition for places in universities. Yes, but then anxiety is not a disorder, but an adequate response to life's difficulties.

Of course, I cannot rely on my own experience alone. However, in my practice, I do not notice an increasing number of patients with true anxiety disorders who need psychotherapy sessions and medications. But I noticed that many young patients worry about minor things, and then worry about this anxiety.

For example, some patients in their early 20s experienced stress at work and started sounding the alarm because they hadn't slept well for several nights. None of them suffered from clinical depression, but they were convinced that insomnia would prevent them from working or seriously worsen their physical condition. Everyone was surprised and quickly calmed down when I said there was nothing to worry about. I couldn't understand why they didn't know this.

I began to realize this when the mother of one of her teenage patients called me a few years ago. She was worried that her son was unhappy after breaking up with his girlfriend, and asked me to call him and "check his condition." But melancholy is a completely natural reaction to disappointment in your personal life. And since there were no more serious reasons for concern, I replied that her son can always contact me himself if necessary.

Since then, I have received multiple calls from parents concerned that their teenage children might not be able to cope with life's challenges, such as an important exam or a summer job. These well-intentioned parents tell their children that their emotional response to difficult but ordinary situations in life is not a natural thing, but a symptom that requires clinical intervention.

In fact, our brains are much more resilient and resilient to change than we think.

Richard Friedman

The myth of an epidemic of anxiety disorders, rooted in the over-immersion of an entire generation in digital technology, reflects an exaggerated idea of the brain's susceptibility to external influences. Yes, it evolved to learn and extract critical information from its environment, but neuroplasticity also has limits. Even when we are young and impressionable, there are some kind of molecular brakes in the brain that control the extent to which it can change under the influence of impressions.

And this is good. Without this, we would risk rewriting over and over again and eventually losing the accumulated knowledge necessary for survival, not to mention our personal characteristics.

Keep in mind that the emergence of new technologies usually provokes panic. Remember how you used to be afraid that televisions cause brain decay. Nothing like that happened. The belief that the brain is a blank slate that can be easily digitally altered is still only good for science fiction.

So don't be alarmed that something is wrong with your child every time he is nervous or upset. Our teenagers and their brains are quite capable of coping with the difficulties of modern life.