Cut back, log off,breathe in

In May this year, Dr Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon-General, appealed to tech companies, parents and policymakers to take “immediate action to protect kids now”. In his advisory, he expressed concern that in the absence of “robust independent research”, it is impossible to know whether social media is safe for children and adolescents. The president of the American Medical Association Jack Resneck Jr said pretty much the same thing but more forcefully. He said since we are only beginning to understand the impact of social media on mental health, it is even more imperative that we be aware of its risks. 

In fact, globally, there is growing consensus among experts about the long-term negative impacts of social media use, especially on children. Yet, regulation is scarce and advisories are often brushed off. In the UK, there is a growing movement that is urging the government to intervene by creating policies to regulate social media companies and work collectively to find solutions. 

Biologically too, red flags have been raised. Often called the “hacker of human emotions” social media is said to rewire the reward centres in the brain. Psychiatrist Dr Rajani Parthasarathy has seen the worrying effects of screen time. “A three-year-old child was exposed to the mobile phone so much that when taken for a doctor’s visit, the child kept swapping his hand on the doctor’s forehead (mirroring the phone swipe). Many children are unaware of the difference between real and virtual. We come across instances where youngsters resort to extreme measures like suicide if barred from using.”

A ‘safety first’ approach can go a long way in addressing social media and screen time addictions, experts feel.

Catch it before it spreads

India has 467 million social media users (see stats). With social media use increasing exponentially in the youth, screen time can go up to seven to 12 hours. A study in the UK states that this kind of excessive use affects the amygdala and prefrontal cortex causing a series of mental and physical health issues — depression, anger, lack of communication, dysfunction, absenteeism, weight gain, etc.

Alarming in the larger context, to truly grasp the magnitude of what screen time and social media can wreak on humans, more research is needed. However, these recent studies got the UK and US into action — a social media advisory on stipulated use for different age groups was initiated — a five-day age-wise guide was included to address the impending mental health crisis. In India, where the use is rising, awareness and intervention could make a crucial difference before things get out of hand.  

“Excessive use affects one’s social skills: the youth stop interacting and participating. Often, this follows a drastic change in family-based interactions. The Japanese term hikikomori — or social isolation occurs with excessive screen use. This feeling of isolation might be felt even when surrounded by family and friends. Parents and children lack open communication and coping mechanisms are non-existent, adding to the problem,” explains Dr Manoj Sharma, professor of Clinical Psychology, Nimhans.

This exponential rise has seen an increase in deaddiction centres. Today, many deaddiction centres have come up in cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata. Before the blue-lit prongs cause more harm, Dr Sanjiv Nichani OBE, a UK-based paediatric surgeon, believes an advisory, and an awareness campaign are crucial. Dr Nichani recommends that “policymakers and public health departments should send out cautionary warnings with regards to excessive use before it turns into an epidemic.”

In fact, a study by researchers at the University of Bath looked at the mental health effects of a week-long social media detox. Even only after seven days, participants showed significant improvement in general well-being, depression and anxiety compared to a control group, reports The Guardian. 

The biology explained

The tiny amygdala in our brain is where addictive and dopamine-seeking behaviour begin. It is also where addictive patterns are formed, and when dysfunctional, may amplify disruptive feelings and mental health issues. While research is still preliminary, excessive use of social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain, especially in the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (which is important for impulse control, emotional regulation and social behaviour). 

This is one of the primary reasons why Dr Nichani has been advocating for awareness.  “Emerging evidence reveals that there is a very clear temporal relationship between the introduction and proliferation of social media and the massive increase in the incidence of mental health difficulties in children aged 13-17.”

“Overuse has the ability to overstimulate the reward centre in the brain, and when stimulation is excessive, it triggers pathways comparable to addiction,” explains Dr Sharma.

Just like a drug

Israeli historian and anthropologist Yuval Noah Harari has expressed deep concerns about the societal effects of prolonged screen and social media use. In an article in the Economist, he stated that artificial intelligence has “hacked” the operating system of human civilisation, and controls human emotions.

Closer home, the parent of a 15-year-old boy, Rita Kandekar, saw her son go from an exuberant happy boy to a depressed, suicidal and anxious individual who spent night after night online, on gaming and social media platforms. Depression, anxiety, irritability, insomnia and an abject lack of interest led her to an addiction clinic in Bengaluru before it caused irreparable harm. “I felt helpless seeing him waste away...he had stopped eating, and meeting friends. It became untenable, that was when we sought help,” Rita shares.

A UK-based essay published recently has explored how electronic screen time is the cause of an increased incidence of autistic spectrum behaviour in young children. It stated, “Many professionals fear that humanity risks an epidemic of communication and language disorders along with psychosocial developmental deficiencies and disorders, particularly in the population of ‘growing children.’”

Even as Covid-19 drastically increased online use, some students like Prerana Gowri acknowledge the lack of control social media brings: “I found it difficult to balance my social life and school, and my mental health. I would be on my phone in class, or just bunk as I hadn’t gotten enough sleep due to overuse. There was a point where I slept during the day, and stayed up all night watching something or talking to friends.” Eleventh grader, Tanvi Kasi, has witnessed it too: “When anyone is low, unmotivated, and lonely, they often replace emotions with social media. It is a place to ignore problems, give a temporary fix to emotions, or ignore them. I have seen the addictive effect of social media in a friend whose daily screen time was 17 hours.”

Even NCERT is now conducting frequent programmes to sensitise teachers on the harmful effects of social media and screen time. While controlling screen time is a good start, Dr Sharma cites how a teen would show anger when his demands were not met. “The parents consulted a deaddiction clinic to manage excessive phone use. Activity scheduling was initiated — but he was unable to adhere to it. The parents were distressed by his defiance. A structured time period of use and punishment was also initiated.”

Who are the role models?

“These addiction patterns tend to grow on seeing parents using devices excessively, or with the lack of a role model,” explains Dr Sharma, who believes that this need to be connected online is exacerbated by a gaming addiction that predisposes individuals to a wide variety of serious mental health problems. 

For parents, being mindful about their own screen time, and spending quality time with children is important. “Parents should understand the child’s needs, acknowledge and be non-judgemental and reassure the child. If a child shows signs of excessive preoccupation, they must learn to recognise the signs, work on solutions, structure their free time, and manage their stress and boredom,” he adds.