May 12
31
Screen Addiction: America Hooked on Television
“Addiction”— the first things that come to mind are drugs, alcohol, and sex addictions. Of course, they’re the ones that have the greatest exposure and are the most pervasive, but we know there are many other addictions. One you may not be aware of is screen addiction. Yes, an uncontrollable need to stare at screens. It may sound silly, but you probably won’t be laughing by the time you finish reading this.
Screen addictions cover a plethora of issues. Television, computers, I Pads, Smartphone, the list goes on. According to Dr. Aric Sigman, a clinical biologist and psychologist, people are at risk of forming addictions similar to those of drug and alcohol addictions because the production of dopamine, the brain’s “pleasure” chemical, increases rapidly during “screen time.” And who can deny that watching television—and being captivated by all the information and images thrown at you—will trigger pleasure chemicals in the brain. This has been seen in gaming addictions (including gambling).
The average child from age 10 to 11 spends 6.1 hours daily looking at one screen at home (where the average is about 5 screens available). By the age of 7, the average child born today will have spent a dramatic portion of his life in front of a screen. One thing to remember is today’s growing forms of media, which unlike the recent past, a child can move from TV, to a handheld game, and then to a smart-phone screen. There is more access hence more mediums in becoming addicted. Another concern, of course, is the long term effect of such a length of exposure on the development of the brain.
Interestingly, a recent study by the Council for Research Excellence discovered the greatest screen time occurs in the 45-54 age range. Streaming videos, computers at work and home, emails, smartphones, online research, and television consume nearly 10 hours a day for this age demographic. Certainly this can have some possible benefits. Since research time is reduced, productivity may increase significantly. That means more output for the same dollars to an employer. Watching your favorite show online or recorded means you don’t need to rush home to see your favorite show. The Smartphone has the ability to handle your email, so you can communicate while traveling.
So what’s the downside? The longer you remain in a sedentary state, the fewer calories you burn. This leads to s multitude of problems like obesity, high blood pressure, depression and isolation from friends and family. Socially, you may become a recluse!
Establishing boundaries for screen time may be critical to proper development of the brain, social skills, and general health. Since there is little hard data at this time, maybe it’s best to play it safe, especially with kids, and limit screen time to an hour or two a day. Let them find a new way to have fun—outdoors, playing ball, running around, and staying healthy. A more novel approach indeed…
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Whether you are concerned about yourself, or someone you know. You don’t have to deal with screen addiction alone. Recovery is possible. Others have done it. You or your loved one can do it too.
For information on our treatment programs, contact us at:
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