Finding the balance: Helping teens avoid negative health effects from phone use
What’s the difference between using a phone as intended and having a phone addiction? It’s all in the way it affects you
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As many as 50 per cent of teenagers admit that they feel addicted to their phones, with as many as 72 per cent noting they check their phone every hour, and 72 per cent feeling pressure to immediately respond to any notifications they get.
These stats show just how alarming phone addiction has become in teens, even more so due to the fact that research has shown how detrimental phone addiction can be for health and well-being.
Dr. Alexandra Gold, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Member of the Faculty at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, notes that it’s both physical and mental health that can take a hit.
“Let’s start with sleep,” she said. “If teens are spending time on their phone, we know that phone use emits blue light, and blue light can interfere with the production of hormones like melatonin that actually promote sleepiness.”
Because of the vast array of cognitive and physical changes that occur during those formative years, stunting one area of sleep can cause a snowball effect that pours over into their mental health, leading to compounded issues.
But it’s not just a lack of sleep that can affect mental health.
“We know that phone use can promote social comparison, evaluating oneself next to what people are seeing online, and a lot of those posts online could be artificial. They might not actually reflect reality, but teens are comparing themselves to those,” said Dr. Gold.
Cyberbullying is another significant driver of teen mental health decline. Roughly 25 per cent of Canadian teens between the ages of 12 and 17 have experienced cyberbullying, which can lead to “really negative mental health effects.”
Because of how detrimental phone addiction and excessive phone use can be, parents might want to keep a closer eye on their children this summer. But it’s not simply about banning the use of technology.
Recognizing the signs of phone addiction
What’s the difference between using a phone as intended and having a phone addiction? It’s all in the way it affects your teen. For example, if your teen spends what you see as too much time on their phone but isn’t experiencing any ill effects, continues to perform well in school, and indulges in hobbies outside of their phone, all while seeing friends in person, there may not be an issue, at least when it comes to phone addiction. If they have no issue putting the phone down to eat dinner or engage in other activities, you may also not have a problem.
As Dr. Gold notes, recognizing the signs of excessive or harmful phone use is a bit more complex than just measuring screen time. For example, if your teen cannot put their phone down even when asked, that could be a warning sign, but you have to notice their behaviours outside of a phone in their hand that serve as red flags.
“You’re noticing your teen is acting somewhat different. Maybe you don’t know that it’s due to the phone, could be due to something else, but you just notice parallel with the phone use, your teen is not acting like themselves,” she said.
“They seem more down. They seem more depressed. They’re isolating. Maybe they’re spending time on the phone at the exclusion of social activities that they used to enjoy or hobbies or interests that they used to excel in.”
She also notes that abandonment of school activities and worsening grades are things to watch out for.
Setting boundaries to encourage better phone use
Putting your foot down when it comes to phone use can be beneficial, but going about it the right way is crucial. But it’s important to broach the topic with compassion and sensitivity so that teens feel more open to sharing what’s going on with them if their phone is causing an issue.
Asking questions like, “Are you noticing any patterns between going on one app and how that makes you feel versus another app?” is a great way to start a no-judgment, curiosity-based conversation.
Sharing your own struggles with phone use may also help to find common ground.
“Problems with over phone use are not exclusive to teens. A lot of us in this world find ourselves attached to our phones, and many adults can benefit by observing that and being thoughtful and curious about it. So, you could kind of present the conversation as talking to your teen like, ‘Hey. I notice it myself. I overuse this app. Sometimes it makes me feel this way. What do you notice?’ They might open up when they see that you’re opening up.,” she said.
Setting specific boundaries that apply to the entire household, for example, not using the phone after a certain time each night, is a great place to start.
Dr. Gold notes that kids “often follow what they see,” so if you can also put your phone down, your teen is far more likely to be on board when the rule is put into effect because they’re seeing healthy phone use and boundaries firsthand.
With the summer season, when kids are out of school, phone use may also increase, but it doesn’t have to. As a parent, you can encourage your child to make the most of their free time in other ways.
“One way that you could indirectly get at decreasing phone use is by encouraging your teen to get out in the world and do activities, maybe a hobby, that they haven’t been paying as much attention to,” she said. “That can have an indirect effect of lowering phone use.”
If you do experience pushback from a teen, it’s crucial to keep the conversation open by validating their emotions and working together to find a solution.
“Part of it is … making them aware of the fact that you hear what they’re saying and how they’re feeling,” said Dr. Gold. “I hear you; I get it. This is frustrating, and I understand that me setting limits for you on your phone like that doesn’t feel good … So, what do you think would make sense? Let’s work together, and you tell me what you think would be an appropriate boundary here … it’s more collaborating here.”
Using a phone for good to negate negative effects
Social media is often a driver of negative effects in teens, but it doesn’t always have to be. For example, Instagram is often criticized for being a problematic app. But it’s not the app itself. It’s the accounts they choose to expose themselves to.
“Sometimes an app can have positive elements, and it can have negative aspects,” said Dr. Gold.
It’s important to take advantage of the positive over the negative, because while phone addiction should be addressed, phone usage in and of itself isn’t likely to stop altogether.
“There’s app blockers that are built in or kind of timers built in to different phones like Android and iPhone that could allow you to restrict access at certain times of the day so you’re not overusing,” she said. “If an app has some positive benefits, you don’t want to get rid of that use totally.”
It’s also about exploration that you and your teen can do together regarding the content they see and interact with, and how it all affects them.
“You could be on a social media app like Instagram or TikTok and notice that when you look at one account, it makes you feel one way. When you look at another account, it makes you feel another way,” said Dr. Gold. “I do think it’s each teen being curious about their own relationship with different content creators and how that makes them feel.”
For parents, it’s also important to remember that your perception of certain content and how it makes you feel isn’t necessarily how your teen responds to it. That needs to be taken into account when having the conversation as well.
“You also want to be mindful that your teen can have one thought about a content creator or an app or whatnot, and you might observe something different,” said Dr. Gold. “That’s part of the conversation, again, where you explore that relationship that the teen has with the app … How do we allow you to channel the positive that you get out of that app in a safer, healthier way? Maybe through exploring other accounts.”
Using the phone to encourage hobbies outside of phone use can also be beneficial. For example, Dr. Gold notes that many young people are into BookTok, which is TikTok content centred around books. She suggests taking that interest offline.
“Maybe it’s an online community, but it doesn’t have to be online. There could be a way of exploring your interest in a book group or book community in person with young people, with other peers,” she said. “It’s channelling those interests and figuring out how to explore those in person.”
According to Dr. Gold, knowing the signs of phone addiction and getting adequate help is also important. However, if you don’t believe your child needs a professional, it’s all about reducing phone time and actively working together to ensure that what they’re consuming on their phone is beneficial rather than harmful.
“Like many things in life, moderation is the key, and so there can be positive benefits,” she said. “And again, seek professional help if needed. If you find that it’s really hard to get your teen off their phone. If this teen is really attached, they’re starting to have negative mental health effects … absolutely seek help.”
