The Connection Between Technology and Anxiety

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend a class on Childhood Anxiety.  It easily could have been a two day course.  There was so much great information presented.  More information than I can share in just one blog post.  So, I wanted to begin by sharing one of the most POWERFUL pieces of information I learned in the class.  "Technology/screens and anxiety".  You guys....I had NO idea of this connection.  I hadn't even thought about it before in terms of childhood anxiety (in terms of learning/focus...yes).  This information was very life changing for me.

When we talk about childhood anxiety, we can't really begin without first having a grasp on how a child's brain develops.  A child's brain is going to develop from the bottom up.  The primitive brain develops first (sensory/motor/movement/breathing).

The Limbic brain develops second (emotional brain).  It usually takes a child until they are 7 to 9 years of age for this limbic brain to fully develop.  *This was enlightening to me because how many times have I been guilty of trying to get my two or three year old to "stop crying" or "talk them out of it".  Wow... their brains have not even fully developed being able to control their emotions.

The final stage of brain development is the Critical brain, or the prefrontal cortex (thinking, learning, logical, executive functioning, emotional regulation, common sense).  You guys...this part of your brain isn't fully developed until you are 25 to 30 years of age!!!  Most children are functioning out of their lower brains.  Food for thought.

Technology & Anxiety:

Most of our children/teens are spending WAY too much time on screens.  Screens can be on the chrome books at school, iPad, computers, video games, smartphones etc.  The research has said that on average (an average of a seven day week), a child is spending 7.5 hours of screen time a day.  And teens are spending on average of 11-13 hours a day in front of a screen!  These numbers are shocking to me!!!  That means by the time you are 70 you will have watched 7-10 years of TV.  

Anxiety and depression have been linked to technology overuse.   When you spend too much time on screens, the sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight, flight, freeze).  Continued activation will cause the release of adrenaline.  Then the child's body is flooded with dopamine.  This can leave the child in an irritated but exhausted state.

  

Here is some food for thought about anxiety:

• Tech/screens cause a hypervigilant sensory system
• The sensory imbalance creates huge problems in overall neurological development, as the brain's anatomy, chemistry and pathways become permanently altered and impaired.  
• This can cause a weakened immune system.
• We have kids attaching to technology vs. people.  Tech is replacing relationships with peers and parents.
• Tech/screens is AS addictive as cocaine and nicotine; activating the same addictive pathways in the brain.
• Children under 2 should have NO television.  
• Children 2-6 should have no more than 1 hour of screens per day.
• Children 6-13 2 hours of screens.
• Children 14+ no more than 3 hours per day.

 Here are some things you can do to help:

• Keep Tech off 2 hours prior to your kiddos going to bed.  The blue light interferes with their natural melatonin production.
• Kids were meant to play and be creative (tech/screens limits the creativity).
• Playing OUTSIDE is so important!


• Play activates the entire brain
• Play improves memory
• Play increases language development
• Play is the primary way children learn under 10 years
• Play wires the brain for empathy, problem solving and social skills
• Combats stress!  Lessens anxiety

Kids need 2 to 3 hours of play each day!  Take a look at the scans of the brains below.  One shows a child not playing and the right side shows a child's brain while playing.  The more a child moves, touches, plays the bigger the brain will be.  

If you have the chance click the link Free The Kids

It was one of the most powerful videos I saw during my Saturday class. 

As a parent of a child(ren) with anxiety, I need to make playing outside a priority and start putting the iPad up on the fridge for days at a time (which is what has been happening around here).  

Glow Kids is a book that I ordered off Amazon and I can't wait to read it.  It was recommended at the class I took last Saturday.  

All this is NOT to say that tech is bad and screens are bad.  Used wisely it is a great tool!  However, I am guilty of this, using tech too much has many negative effects on our kids and increased the anxiety that they can have.  More play...less screens leads to a healthier life and happier more relaxed kids.

*Information shared was taken from my notes on the class attended Saturday.  If you ever had a chance to attend a class offered by The Institute of Child Psychology, I strongly recommend them!