While television and the internet have provided new forms of entertainment for adolescents, too much exposure of these forms of media can have damaging effects. They can be very harmful if preventative measures are not taken and the future of many teens is at risk.
Television
According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, children and adolescents aged 8-18 years watch, on average, about four hours of television every day. These hours increase to very drastic numbers over the course of a year, and adolescents tend to spend time in school talking about the shows and advertisements they see on television. Too much exposure to television can have negative effects on adolescents and jeopardize their future academic functioning.
Prognosis: according to research done by the Palo Alto Medical foundation, too much television leads too…
- Stereotypes: TV shows are full of character stereotypes that have unrealistic, “attractive” body types such as men with muscular builds and women with thin frames. When teens are exposed to these messages, they become dissatisfied with their own bodies. Some TV shows also show stereotypes about specific races and religions, which can shape the way teenagers think and interact with others of different backgrounds.
- Risky Behavior: TV shows often portray teens and adults participating in risky behavior such as doing drugs, smoking, and drinking and having premarital sex. Teens can become influenced by these shows, and they will be tempted to engage in the same behaviors. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation:
– Teens who watch TV shows that portray a lot of sex are more likely to have premarital sex than those who don’t watch those types of shows.
– Teens who watch five or more hours of TV a day are also more likely to smoke than those with limited TV time.
- Obesity: When adolescents spend too much time in front of the television, they are not getting the proper exercise due to low physical activity. Teens who watch an excessive amount of TV shows tend to have higher body mass indexes and are greater risk for obesity.
- Poor Academic Achievement: A study published in the May 2007 issue of “Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine” found that watching just one hour of television a day negatively affected grades of adolescents. Teens who watched this amount of television or greater were less likely to complete homework and more likely to have poor grades, a negative outlook toward school and poor prospects for long-term academic success. These outcomes were most likely if teens watched three or more hours of television a day.
- Parental Control: parents should monitor the amount of television their children watch, and encourage non media related activities.
- No TV during meals. It limits the time spent watching TV and instead encourages healthy family conversation.
- Schools should encourage students to participate in after school activities that do not involve media such as sports or art programs.
Social Media
According to Jerald J, Block’s issue in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Internet Addiction Disorder is described as a compulsive-impulsive disorder that involves excessive computer usage, including excessive gaming, sexual preoccupations and email or text messaging.
Patients must meet the following criteria:
- Excessive use (related to a loss in sense of time and/or neglecting basic drives)
- Withdrawal (if a computer is inaccessible, there will be feelings of anger, tension or depression )
- Tolerance (the need for better computer software/ equipment and more hours of use)
- Negative repercussions (social isolation, lying, poor achievement and fatigue)
Do you think the internet has taken control of your life?
Psychologist Kimberly S. Young at the Center for On-Line Addiction classifies people as Internet-dependent if they meet during the past year four or more of the criteria listed below. Ask yourself the following questions. If you answer yes to four or more, it may be a sign that you may be internet-dependent.
- Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet or on-line services and think about it while off line?
- Do you feel a need to spend more and more time on line to achieve satisfaction?
- Are you unable to control your on-line use?
- Do you feel restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop your on-line use?
- Do you go on line to escape problems or relieve feelings such as helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression?
- Do you lie to family members or friends to conceal how often and how long you stay online?
- Do you risk the loss of a significant relationship, job, or educational or career opportunity because of your on-line use?
- Do you keep returning even after spending too much money on on-line fees?
- Do you go through withdrawal when off line, such as increased depression, moodiness, or irritability?
- Do you stay on line longer than originally intended?
Treatment:
Since IAD is a newly recognized disorder, there have not been extensive studies. However, treatment has been effective in maintaining and changing the behaviors of people with the disorder. Abstaining from computer and internet use in discouraged. It is very unlikely that people living in an advanced society can avoid the new and ever changing technologies. Healthy treatment consists of:
- Therapy: Learning how to use the internet in moderation is often the main objective. Many of the procedures that have been used to treat Internet addiction have been modeled after other addiction treatment programs and support groups.
- the reSTART program: an addiction recovery program that integrates technology detoxification ( no technology for 45 to 90 days).
Prognosis: If the disorder is left untreated:
- the person may experience an increased amount of conflict in his or her relationships.
- Excessive Internet use may jeopardize a person’s employment or academic standing.
- physical problems may develop as fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, and eyestrain.
Cyber Bullying
The increase in members of social media websites had made adolescents able to communicate outside of school in news ways. This also means there are new forms of bullying.Cyber bullying is when a teenager (or child) is harassed, humiliated, threaten or tormented using digital technology such as social networking sites or text messaging through cell phones.
Prognosis:
- Cyber bulling can lead to depression and anxiety in adolescents. Victims feel isolated and become fearful of their peers. They fear their reputation will be damaged and that there is nothing they can do to stop it.
- In severe cases, teens commit suicide.
Treatment and Prevention:
- Parental Guidance: parents should monitor their children’s internet activity and encourage appropriate online behavior.
- Psychotherapy/counseling for those experiencing depression