Tag Archive for: Technology and mental health

Is Your Child Suffering from “Digital Overload?”

, ,

By Camryn Cater, MSW, LSW – May 20, 2026 –

Technology. It’s everywhere, woven into the fabric of our daily lives, influencing how we work, communicate and live. While the use of technology can be beneficial to children, it can also have negative effects. Excessive screen time can impact children cognitively, academically, physically, socially, behaviorally, and mentally.

As our world evolves, technology is reducing real-world interaction, creating continuous stimulation and exposing children to harmful content at increasingly younger ages. Our technology-driven world is physically altering children’s brain chemistry, creating many risks during critical developmental years. Therefore, parents and guardians need to take steps to create a safer environment and promote a healthy balance for kids.

Children are often introduced to tablets, iPads, iPhones, and apps like YouTube long before they enter kindergarten. Because the early years are critical to cognitive and social development, the experiences children have during this time can strongly influence their future success. Although technology can improve classroom efficiency and provide valuable educational support, excessive use may hinder a student’s ability to develop essential learning skills. 

High exposure to technology can significantly contribute to lower academic achievement. The instant gratification provided by digital devices and media may shorten children’s attention spans, making it more difficult for them to concentrate on slower-paced or less stimulating tasks. In addition, constant overstimulation from technology can also interfere with healthy brain development and negatively impact memory, focus, and critical thinking abilities. Without these essential foundational skills, students may struggle to meet academic expectations and perform successfully in school. 

Increased technology use can also lead to physical health problems. Children are spending less time playing outdoors, engaging in imaginative play, and participating in physical activity. This shift has contributed to increased rates of obesity among children and teens. Another concern is prolonged exposure to blue light, which can cause eye strain and sleep disturbances.

Technology also impacts children socially. With fewer in-person interactions, school may be one of the only places children socialize face-to-face with peers. Children who spend excessive time on devices may struggle more with conflict resolution, empathy, and basic social interactions. Social media further complicates this by exposing children to highlight reels of influencers, celebrities, and peers. Constant comparison can lead to lower self-esteem, which may contribute to mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression.

Overconsumption of technology can also increase the risk of cyberbullying. Children now communicate with peers at all hours of the day, allowing them to hide behind screens and act unkindly, sometimes anonymously. Children may see posts showing events they were not invited to or may be included in group messages they do not want to be part of. They may also be exposed to information that is not age appropriate.

How can parents avoid digital overload in their children? First, establish clear, consistent boundaries around screen time (such as no screens allowed in bedrooms, at the dinner table, or after a certain time). Involve your kids in creating a family media plan, which makes rules around screen time feel like a shared agreement rather than a punishment.

Parents should also model healthy screen-time habits in their own daily lives. Encourage alternative, non-digital hobbies such as reading, playing board games, crafting, playing sports, and engaging in outdoor activities. In addition, parents should guide children toward interactive or educational content rather than passive scrolling. Whenever possible, co-view media with your kids to promote discussion, engagement, and meaningful family interaction.

Parental control tools and software can be used to block inappropriate content and set screen time limits. And most importantly, have open conversations with your kids about why limits exist and to “pause, think and report” when they encounter disturbing content or someone acting inappropriately online.

For more specific age-appropriate guidelines, consider the 3-6-9-12 rule to guide your approach: No screens before age 3, no consoles before age 6, no internet before age 9, and no social media before age 12.

Camryn Cater, MSW, LSW, is a Youth First Mental Health Professional at Scott Elementary School in Vanderburgh County. Youth First, Inc., is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families. Youth First provides over 100 highly trained mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers), prevention programs, parent engagement coordinators, and bilingual support personnel to 130 schools across 14 Indiana counties. Over 55,000 youth and families each year are served by Youth First’s school-based social work and community programs that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit youthfirstinc.org or call 812-421-8336.

/by

Technology and Mental Health – Positives and Negatives for Your Teen

, ,

By Christina Oschman-Vandiver, MSW, LSW – May 7, 2025 –

Technology plays a large role in the lives of students, particularly those in middle and high school. It seems to have become a big part of their lives and their preferred method of communication.

While technology offers convenience, it also presents more than a few challenges.  Whether it is social media, messaging or video games, they all provide a level of communication and anonymity. Students can portray themselves and their peers any way they want, which often leads to the aforementioned challenges.

As a school social worker, I see students using technology and social media accounts at increasingly younger ages. One benefit of students having a social media account is that it offers a way to stay connected with friends and family that may not be local as well as staying abreast of current events. I believe that staying connected with others plays an important role in good mental health, and a benefit of technology as a whole is that it gives students a way to reach out to others and ask for help if needed. 

On the other hand, technology and social media can present quite a few challenges.  Working in a middle school, I see the constant struggle of keeping students off of their electronics during the school day. With the constant use of social media, I have seen rumors spread rapidly, videos of fights shared, and online bullying, to list a few examples. I have also seen social media accounts made for the purpose of ridiculing other students and even teachers. The challenges have increased with the required use of computers by students for classes and classwork. 

Middle school is difficult enough, and adding technology and social media to the mix does not make things any easier. Social media can have a negative effect on a student’s mental health. When rumors are spread or embarrassing pictures are shared, it often leads to feelings of shame, insecurity and self-doubt. Then when others begin to join in, the student may begin to believe what is being said, possibly leading to depression, anxiety, isolation, anger, and loss of friendships. The more people that become involved, the more challenging it is for the student to handle and the school administration to resolve the issue. 

When it comes to mental health, there are both positives and negatives to students using technology and social media. A positive of a student having access to technology is that when they are feeling down or having thoughts of self-harm, they have the ability to easily reach out and get help, whether that be from a friend, family member or hotline number. Another positive is the possibility of finding a community where they feel accepted and others who may have gone through similar situations who can be an inspiration for the student.

A downside is that there are times when students are focused on their devices and the actions of others and become so wrapped up in what someone else is doing that they forget to live their own life. Another downside is that rumors spread very quickly online and the negative effects on mental health increase.

As with almost anything, technology and social media can have a positive or negative impact on mental health. On the one hand, it can be used for community, connectedness, and support. On the other hand, it can be used as a way to spread rumors, deceit and to tear others down. Therefore, it is important to bring awareness to positive mental health and proper use of technology, especially within the middle and high school student populations. 

/by