Haven’t You Seen? Screen Addiction is The New Norm

1. Is Phone Addiction Really on The Rise?

If you’ve been anywhere online or watched the news for a day you have probably heard soundbites warning about young people and their screentime. In Canada, news articles and studies discuss the epidemic of “screen-agers” who spend ridiculous hours on their phones. With over 8 hours of screen time what does this mean for kids’ health?

While social media spaces have people sharing the effect their screen time has had on them. Studies have shown that screen time is a very real variable in our lives, but is it all truly negative? How much is it affecting me as a university student? 

2. Screen Time In the News

Even as my mother complains that it’s always my phone that causes the problems in my life, I stop to wonder how much scientific truth is behind her words. The conversation about screen time is all over the news, with the BBC and other news outlets having a dedicated category about screen time news articles. But what are those articles saying?

In a study by Marras et al. they found a statically significant link between sedentary screen time and more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. This is echoed in Johnson and Garcia’s article for the BBC. The article follows Violet, a young girl from the UK, in her experiment to cut down on her screen time. As she decreases her screen time, she finds more enjoyment in her life. 

These findings align with what I’ve seen in my own life. Days where I’m mostly on my phone, in bed or around the house, are days that I don’t feel my best. This seems like an obvious observation, but when you’ve grown up with technology all around it isn’t as obvious.

3. What About The Benefits

It seems from all the outrage that there is no benefits to screen time, all it is doing is rotting our brains. But that’s not the whole truth.

Screen time does carry with it some benefits to adolescents and children when managed responsibly.

In a study done by Cassidy Fry, benefits of screen time are weighted alongside the adverse effects. In it she considers the social benefits and increased sense of independence that adolescence development relies on.

My phone makes me feel more connected than ever to my friends and family. A conversation is just a few swipes away. But as Fry says, even the benefits need moderation or else they become just as bad as the negative effects of screen time.

Fry found a connection between the over use of screen time and sleep deprivation. Doctors recommend to limit our screen time and explore to devices two hours before bedtime. I know personally I don’t follow that recommendation.

Interview

In this interview Noah, a young college student, discusses his relationship with screen time and social media. He voices his concerns around its place in his life and how it has helped his life in connecting with friends and family. This candid discussion helped me understand the issues around screen time in the people I care about.

4. My Journey

After reading and researching, I’ve realized the harm screen time is imposing on my life. I do believe it has benefits, but my excessive use is overshadowing any benefits I experience. So I’m going to try and experiment where I cut back on my screen time.

I constantly feel an impulse to use my phone in the downtime over reading a book or doing a puzzle. So in order to decrease my screen time, my phone will be limited to only using necessary apps, like email or apps for work. Otherwise, I will be using a digital camera and an old flip phone.

I’m excited to see if some of the sleep deprivation and depressive symptoms I feel will decrease with this detox. And I will document my experience through this project.