Current location:style >>
Children addicted to tech including smartphones are more at risk of psychosis, study suggests
style6People have gathered around
IntroductionChildren addicted to smartphones, iPads and video games are more likely to suffer psychotic episodes ...
Children addicted to smartphones, iPads and video games are more likely to suffer psychotic episodes later in life, a study has indicated.
Scientists found that smartphone and social media use in adolescence is linked to paranoia, delusions, hallucinations and 'bizarre ideas' by the time a person reaches 23.
But researchers said that the tech itself may not actually be the cause of the problem and that a child's addiction to the devices could be a warning that they are already vulnerable to mental illness.
Writing in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, the Canadian team behind the study said: 'Higher media use and mental health problems appear to share risk factors, such as parental mental health problems, loneliness, bullying and parent-child relational problems.'
Researchers advised that clinicians should consider why a gadget-addicted youth who is suffering from psychotic experiences became hooked in the first place, before blaming the technology (stock picture)
A child's addiction to the devices could be a warning that they are already vulnerable to mental illness (stock image)
The researchers also warned that forcing addicted youngsters to go 'cold turkey' by abruptly depriving them of screen time may not help and could be more harmful.
The study looked at the media habits and psychotic experiences of 2,120 Canadians born in 1997 and 1998. It found that those who drastically reduced their computer use still had more frequent psychotic experiences in adulthood, even after other personal experiences were considered.
READ MORE: Fascinating charts show explosion in number of children who think they are trans amid claims Covid lockdowns fuelled rates - especially in young girls
AdvertisementIt also said internet use is more strongly associated with depression than video gaming or television viewing. Meanwhile, gaming may support emotional regulation and the development of social skills more than 'passive' forms of technology such as TV.
The researchers advised that clinicians should consider why a gadget-addicted youth who is suffering from psychotic experiences became hooked in the first place, before blaming the technology.
Dr Simona Skripkauskaite, of Oxford University, said: 'High digital technology use in adolescence can be an early marker, rather than a cause, of later mental health problems.'
He added experts are 'moving away' from seeing digital technology as a 'root cause of all contemporary troubles': 'Pre-existing personal circumstances often underlie both elevated media use and mental health difficulties.'
Earlier this year, the Millennium Cohort Study, which followed 18,000 families, found almost half of British teenagers feel addicted to social media.
And recent research by King's College London concluded that one in three people meet the criteria for clinical smartphone addiction. Addicts may lose control over how long they spend on their phones, become distressed when they cannot access their devices and neglect other more meaningful parts of their lives.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“International Iterations news portal”。http://www.videocameralive.com/html-11a399982.html
Related articles
Long flu season winds down in US
styleNEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. flu season appears to be over. It was long, but it wasn’t unusually severe. ...
【style】
Read more10th National Constitution Day Marked in China
styleContact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom ...
【style】
Read moreEfforts to Improve Child Development in Rural Areas
styleContact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom ...
【style】
Read more
Popular articles
- Proof you CAN outrun bad genes with just four lifestyle tweaks
- China Achieves Full Coverage of Educational Assistance
- China continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza
- Heating Services Against Strong Cold Wave That Sweeps Across Most Parts of China
- Walmart shutting down its 51 health care clinics, virtual care service
- University Opens Course to Improve Parenting Skills
Latest articles
In unusual push, funders band together to get out grants around election work 'early'
Young Entrepreneurs Turn Fine Art into Gen
China, Australia to jointly promote stable development of strategic partnership
Guest Countries of Honor Attract Visitors at 6th CIIE
Bank of America, PNC, Citizens and Chase behind latest branch closures
UN Security Council strongly condemns terrorist attack in Russia
LINKS
- US Olympic committee strikes sponsorship deal to help athletes get degrees after they retire
- Microsoft invests $1.5 billion in AI firm G42, overseen by UAE's national security adviser
- China, Nauru gathering momentum for growth of ties
- The Paris Games' grandiose opening ceremony is being squeezed by security and transport issues
- China's science foundation funds 31 bln yuan in research in 2023
- Hockey business is booming as the NHL bounces back from the pandemic in a big way
- Two killed in shooting at Ferguson, Missouri, gas station; officer fired shots
- Anya Taylor
- Asian CL semifinal postponed in United Arab Emirates after flooding caused by heavy rain
- Coverage of China's basic medical insurance stable