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SCREENTIME IS MAKING KIDS
MOODY, CRAZY and LAZY
by Victoria Dunckley, MD
6 ways electronics use can make children angry, depressed,
and unmotivated
Children or teens who are
"revved up" and prone to rages or - alternatively - who are depressed and apathetic have become disturbingly
commonplace. Chronically irritable children are often in a state of abnormally
high arousal, and may seem "wired
and tired." That is, they're agitated but exhausted. Because chronically
high arousal levels impact memory
and the ability to relate, these kids are also likely to struggle academically
and socially.
At some point, a child with these symptoms may be given a mental-health
diagnosis such as major
depression, bipolar
disorder, or ADHD,
and offered corresponding treatments, including therapy
and medication.
But often these treatments don't work very well, and the downward spiral
continues.
What's happening?
Both parents
and clinicians may be "barking up the wrong tree." That is, they're trying
to treat what looks like a textbook case of mental disorder,
but failing to rule out and address the most common environmental cause of such
symptoms - everyday use of electronics. Time and again, I've realized that
regardless of whether there exists any "true" underlying diagnoses,
successfully treating a child with mood dysregulation today requires
methodically eliminating all electronics use for several weeks - an "electronics
fast - to allow
the nervous system to "reset."
If done correctly, this intervention can produce deeper sleep,
a brighter and more even mood, better focus and organization, and an increase in
physical activity. The ability to tolerate stress
improves, so meltdowns diminish in both frequency and severity. The child begins
to enjoy the things they used to, is more drawn to nature, and imaginary or
creative play returns. In teens and young adults, an increase in self-directed
behavior is observed - the exact opposite of apathy and hopelessness.
It's a beautiful thing.
At the same time, the electronic fast reduces or eliminates the need for
medication while rendering other treatments more effective. Improved sleep, more
exercise, and more face-to-face contact with others compound the benefits - an upward
spiral! After the fast, once the brain
is reset, the parent can carefully determine how much if any electronics use the
child can tolerate without symptoms returning.
Restricting electronics may not solve everything, but
it's often the
missing link in treatment when kids are stuck.
But
why is the electronic fast intervention so effective?
Because it reverses much of the physiological
dysfunction produced by daily screen time.
Children's brains are much more sensitive to electronics use than most of
us realize. In fact, contrary to popular belief, it doesn't take much
electronic stimulation to throw a sensitive and still-developing brain off
track. Also, many parents mistakenly believe that interactive
screen-time - Internet or social media use, texting, emailing, and gaming - isn't harmful, especially compared to passive screen time like
watching TV. In fact, interactive screen time is more likely to cause
sleep, mood, and cognitive
issues, because it's more likely to cause hyperarousal and compulsive use.
Here's a look at six physiological mechanisms that explain
electronics'
tendency to produce mood disturbance:
1. Screen
time disrupts sleep and desynchronizes the body clock.
Because light from screen devices mimics daytime, it suppresses melatonin, a
sleep signal released by darkness. Just minutes of screen stimulation can delay
melatonin release by several hours and desynchronize the body
clock. Once the body clock is disrupted, all sorts of other unhealthy
reactions occur, such as hormone imbalance and brain inflammation. Plus, high
arousal doesn't permit deep sleep, and deep sleep is how we heal.
2. Screen
time desensitizes the brain's reward system.
Many children are
"hooked" on electronics, and in fact gaming releases so
much dopamine
- the "feel-good" chemical - that on a brain scan it looks the same as cocaine
use. But when reward pathways are overused, they become less sensitive, and more
and more stimulation is needed to experience pleasure. Meanwhile, dopamine is
also critical for focus and motivation,
so needless to say, even small changes in dopamine sensitivity can wreak havoc
on how well a child feels and functions.
3. Screen time produces
"light-at-night."
Light-at-night
from electronics has been linked to depression and even suicide risk in numerous
studies. In fact, animal
studies show that
exposure to screen-based light before or during sleep causes depression,
even when the animal isn't looking at the screen. Sometimes parents are
reluctant to restrict electronics use in a child's bedroom because they worry
the child will enter a state of despair - but in fact removing light-at-night is
protective.
4. Screen
time induces stress reactions.
Both acute stress (fight-or-flight) and chronic stress produce changes in
brain chemistry and hormones
that can increase irritability. Indeed, cortisol, the chronic stress hormone,
seems to be both a cause and an effect of depression - creating a vicious cycle.
Additionally, both hyperarousal and addiction
pathways suppress the brain's frontal lobe, the area where mood regulation
actually takes place.
5. Screen time overloads
the sensory system,
fractures
attention, and
depletes mental reserves.
Experts say that what's
often behind explosive and aggressive behavior is poor focus. When attention suffers, so does the ability to process
one's internal and external environment,
so little demands become big ones. By depleting mental energy with high visual
and cognitive input, screen time contributes to low reserves. One way to
temporarily "boost" depleted reserves is to become angry, so meltdowns
actually become a coping mechanism.
6.
Screen-time reduces physical activity levels and exposure to "green time."
Research
shows that time outdoors, especially interacting with nature, can restore
attention, lower stress, and reduce aggression. Thus,
time spent with electronics reduces exposure to natural mood enhancers.
In
today's world, it may seem crazy to restrict electronics so drastically. But
when kids are struggling, we're not doing them any favors by leaving electronics
in place and hoping they can wind down by using electronics in "moderation."
It just doesn't work. In contrast, by allowing the nervous system to return to a
more natural state with a strict fast, we can take the first step in helping a
child become calmer, stronger, and happier.
This
article was originally published November 11, 2015
at DrDunckley.com
Read the blog "Electronic
Fast Experiment: The Wake Up Call", the story of one woman's experience with
a 23 day Electronic Fast Experiment.
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Dr.
Victoria L. Dunckley is an award-winning integrative child,
adolescent and adult psychiatrist, author, and speaker with a focus on
addressing environmental factors to optimize treatment and minimize
the need for psychotropic medication. A frequent media commentator
for print, radio, documentaries and TV, she has been interviewed on such
outlets as the Today show, NBC Nightly News,
Investigation Discovery, Hallmark Home & Family, NPR, and
Fox News LA.
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