The constant notifications, the access to social media, the tens of thousands of apps that include gaming and gambling, which are in themselves addictive, make these small-screen devices bad for our health.

Smartphones feed reward and expectation, make us anxious when we are disconnected, fuel our need for validation, increase anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy.

Many never turn off their smartphones that can continue to notify them through the night contributing to sleep disruption, excessive use, reduced cognitive function and changes to brain chemistry.

In researching this topic I came across Jacqueline Nesi, a psychologist and professor at Brown University. Jacqueline is a mom with two young children, who she says can lose their mind when small screens are taken away. Her kids have iPads. Yours may have a smartphone, laptop, or gaming console. In most cases, depriving kids of screens and screen time produces a common set of behaviours. Why does this happen?

Children react negatively to having their small screen time reduced. It has something to do with the reward system in their brains. Small-screen addiction is driven by dopamine. What is it, and how does it contribute to small-screen addiction?

Dopamine is a hormone and chemical neurotransmitter that stimulates nerve cells in the brain. It contributes to feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. It affects movement, learning, memory, mood, attention, and sleep. When we enjoy something, the brain releases dopamine, making us want to experience it again. Small screens provide instant rewards in the form of messages or feedback when using an app. Hence small screens contribute to dopamine release.

Overuse of small-screen devices means dopamine is being continuously released. That leads to potential problems including loss of impulse control, acts of aggression, compulsive behaviour, mania, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, increased anxiety, and impaired decision making. Adults can, to some degree, self-regulate when experiencing these emotions, recognizing the source. This is something we learn as we mature. Children, however, do not, creating unintended behavioural consequences which parents have to address.

Jacqueline notes that certain types of screen use by children can lead to short-term deficits in executive functioning skills like memory, attention, and self-regulation. This is not a child’s strong suit and leads to unpleasant episodes after screen time ends.

There is also the content that children are exposed to on small screens. Jacqueline writes:

“Kids copy the things they see. This is true for both positive and negative behaviours. There is evidence that playing violent video games, for example, can result in children modelling aggressive behaviour, and, alternatively, that watching shows with prosocial messages can encourage positive behaviour.”

Jacqueline cites evidence that physical activity positively impacts mood, as does time spent outside. This is not, however, what happens when children stay inside, sedentary, and staring at a device where they may experience a game or video that they find difficult to process. Some online media for children is seen as overstimulating, particularly if the child has conditions such as ADHD, Autism, and Asperger’s. These medical conditions could lead to emotional meltdowns when a parent requests that screen time be over.

Jacqueline has this advice for parents dealing with the emotional hangover of child misbehaviour related to small-screen addiction. She has come up with 8 steps.

1. Experiment with different media and content. She writes, “Sensory experiences are highly individualized, everything from the colours on the screen, to their familiarity with an episode, to the soundtrack, to the device type can all make a difference. So, find what works (and doesn’t work) for your child.
2. Try different stopping times that relate to the onscreen activity. Always give the child a warning well ahead that screen time is ending after one more episode or in five minutes.
3. Talk to your child about what they feel when they turn their small screen off. Ask them why they feel this and then raise coping skills to try the next time they are frustrated that screen time is over.
4. Make screen transition time plans with your child that they can agree to, like a five-minute warning, and what screen activities should be on or off limits. Agree to revisit the plan if needed.
5. Consider post-screen activities because, after small-screen dopamine highs, homework or cleaning up toys may not be the best activities. Something physical might be a good choice, or the opposite, a low-energy activity like reading.
6. Be consistent with when screen time is over. Don’t change your mind and succumb to a negotiation or a tantrum. Jacqueline states that you can still be nice and understanding without giving in.
7. Use stopping cues to signal that screen time is over. This is easiest if a child is watching an episode in a series or has reached a logical stopping point in a game.
8. Reduce screen time using a less-is-more approach. If you are planning a road trip or vacation, the small screens don’t have to come along.

Good luck, and let me know if these steps work for you and for the health of your child.