By Aura Singh
Perhaps the most debated topic in modern times, are phones really helping us, or do the cons outweigh the pros?
Many argue that phones are a distraction and far too addictive. They would not be wrong. The addiction to the internet and the effect of it on our brains can be detrimental to development, especially for children. Nearly half of all children 8 and under have their own tablet device and spend an average of about 2.25 hours a day on digital screens, according to Common Sense Media. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, “1-year-olds who were exposed to more than four hours of screen time per day showed delays in communication and problem solving at ages 2 and 4. Also, more screen time for 1-year-olds was associated with developmental delays in fine motor and personal and social skills at age 2”. Not only does screen time affect development in motor skills and problem solving, it negatively affects the ability to interact with people. Screen time can affect all different aspects of a child’s growth.
Screen time doesn’t only affect children this drastically. It can also have a negative impact on a teenager’s and an adult’s mental health. A study on how phones can affect mental health revealed that:
“smartphones contributed to increased depression rates” and “individuals with heavy social media use had a minor gray matter in their brains”.
Additionally, being away from a phone can even present itself as withdrawal symptoms, which generally occurs when a drug-abuser stops taking drugs. If phones have gotten society as addicted to them as drugs, surely they are harmful and you should stop using them.
On the contrary, phones are useful tools that have become necessary for a functional member of society. They are wonderful sources of information and are portable. They allow for communication around the world, and they are highly versatile. They can serve as a GPS, MP3, calendar, to-do list, the list goes on. So, how do we make sure that they don’t become a source of problems in our lives?
There are a few solutions to the problems that phones present. For children, it is imperative that parents control their exposure to screens. Children should be outside playing and interacting with the world. They should be learning how to talk to people, how to be a team-player, how to use their imagination. Screens should always be a last resort, once one has exhausted all other options for engaging their child. For teenagers and adults, parents can do little to help their screen time. In fact, they themselves can do little to help their screen time. They spend all day at school or work on a screen, and then, for teenagers, all night at home on a screen doing homework. What they can do, however, is set a limit on how long they use their phone in their free time. Of course, it is easier said than done but try reading a book, going out with friends, taking a nap. There are alternatives to doom scrolling on TikTok.
Technology is complex. With every benefit, it seems as though there are five disadvantages but one must remember that most of the disadvantages are due to excess use. With a little bit of self-control and mindful actions, one can reap all the benefits of a phone and the internet, while not being affected by the drawbacks.
Image Credits: Panda Security
Biblography:
https://healthmatters.nyp.org/what-does-too-much-screen-time-do-to-childrens-brains/
https://www.butler.org/blog/phone-affecting-your-mental-health#:~:text=A%20study%20among%20teenagers%20on,part%20in%20non%2Dscreen%20activities.
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