Everyone and their mother has a phone nowadays, but the amount of time we spend on them may affect our mental health. Not only that, but excessive use of our phones and social media can also affect our personal relationships.
How does it affect our mental health?
An overindulgent use our our phones has been linked to depressive symptoms as well as suicidal thoughts. Phone users have had higher levels of anxiety, insomnia and impulsivity as well as depression. It affects our ability to socialise in real life as why do that when you can communicate online?
How does it affect personal relationships?
Whether it be friends, family or a partner, phones and social media is a big problem when it comes to relationships. Nowadays you don’t have to go see someone to see how they are, you can text/phone them. Social media can be very toxic and can cause insecurities within your relationships, however you may not realise this if you are too indulged in your phone. Phones allow us to disconnect from reality, but it can also make us forget our real life and commitments we may have.
Mobile phones and sleep
It can be very easy to zone into your phone and the next thing you know, it’s been 4 hours. With apps like Tiktok, instagram, snapchat, it can be easy to scroll and talk for hours without realising. This can cause you to stay up really late and it may start to affect your sleeping pattern causing insomnia. Although insomnia is treatable, excessive use of your phone increases the chances of mental health disorders.
Too much screen time and socialising
Phones and social media is a very popular thing, although it stops us from spending time with our loved ones. If you want to see them you can just pick up your phone and facetime them. Phones suck us out of the real world and suck us right into theirs. However, this depends on the individual as there are many people who still will socialise. But you start to notice the amount of time someone spends on their phone when they are out with friends, family, partners, etc. There are many people who go out and just spend the full time on their phone rather than enjoying the moment in reality.
Social Media
Social media creates a false reality and certain expectations that often affect teenagers the most. These apps are designed to hook you and can cause obsessive behaviours such as constantly checking for updates even when you have just checked. Because of social media, we are all hooked on our phones and constantly updating and refreshing them.
How can too much screen time affect us physically?
Laziness
Headaches
Cyber bullying
Eye strain
Cramping in wrists, hands, fingers
Process of emotions
Can increase mortality
Obesity
Sleep problems
Neck and back problems
Lack of concentration
How much screen time is recommended?
Kids 6 and under – 0 hours, although not necessary, everyone parents differently and that is ok.
Kids 6 to 10 – 1 hour
Age 10 to 14 – Max 1-2 hours
Age 14 to 18 – 2-3 hours flexible limit
Adults – 2 hours
Although these are the recommended times, these are not always possible with kids using computers at school and adults may use computers at work.
How to avoid too much screen time?
Limit the amount of screen time per day
Regular eye movements and breaks
Take a break when you start to experience eye pain/headaches
Limit screen time before you go to sleep
Turn your phone off for a day and spend some time with loved ones
How does too much screen time affect kids?
Too much screen time in kids can affect physical, emotional, behavioural and cognitive development that will occur in young children. It can cause them to lose interest in real life activities that are not on screen. This can affect a child’s maturity and growth. It can also cause language problems and cause them to have lower concentration levels.
How can parents help their children to lessen screen time?
Encourage socialisation
Free play
Outdoors
Reading
Independent work
Signs to watch out for:
Overstimulation such as aggression, irritability, can’t sit still, meltdowns, etc.
Take notice with their interactions
Reacting badly when you tell them no to screen time
Digestive issues
Tiredness
Gaming
Gaming is a very popular thing to do, with violent and adult games, this can affect how one acts in certain situations and can cause violent behaviours. On average, gamers play 7 hours and 7 minutes each week. Gaming has been associated with psychological problems and some of the addictive symptoms are;
Withdrawal
Tolerance
Loss of relationships
Loss of interest in other activities
Preoccupying gaming
Lack of control
Anger
Depression within too much screen time
Depression is a very serious illness that can be triggered by many things. Too much screen time is one of them. All of the social apps that we can access and the insecurities it can cause can trigger depressive symptoms. Screen time lowers the amount we spend time with our loved ones and can cause us to isolate ourselves and turn to our phone when we want to escape our feelings.
Depression symptoms may include:
Persistent sadness
Trouble concentrating
Loss of interest in things we normally enjoy
Irritability
Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness
Restlessness
Appetite loss or overeating
Insomnia
Conclusion
Although the amount of articles there are about too much screen time, there are thousands of people who won’t care. Our phones have got a hold on all of us, it is a very addicting circle with new and popular apps upcoming all the time. It is a hard cycle to get out of, but we need to start being careful of the amount of screen time we indulge in. Make sure you take regular breaks, go and stretch. It is really important that we look after ourselves physically, emotionally and mentally. Limit the amount of screen time usage a day, I guarantee you will feel better and you will be able to enjoy reality.