Digital Addiction
What Is Digital Addiction?
“Digital” addiction refers to addiction to the Internet, social media, smartphones and/or other technology. Digital addiction can also, but does not always, include overlap with pornography addiction. You or someone you know may be suffering from digital addiction if you (or they) are using digital technology to the point it is adversely affecting your (or their) day-to-day life (including being unable to stop using digital technology even when you desire to do so).
What Is Gaming Addiction?
Gaming addiction is now recognized as a medical health condition. It can be defined by a player feeling dependent on repeated engagement with the game or activity.
Signs of Gaming Addiction
- Lowered interest in school/college, university/work
- Excessive signs of frustration, unhappiness, anger, anxiety, and depression when not allowed/able to play/able to engage with the game.
- Manipulating situations, diary/schedule to avoid periods offline
- General loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities (sports, cinema, socialising, parties, sex etc) and loss of good friends/relationships and an increasing reliance on “virtual/online” friends/relationships
- Lack of sleep due to playing through the night
Articles About Digital Addiction
“You’ve Got a Friend” – The Power of Friendship in an Intervention
So, I have been thinking about how my life is blessed. Every once in a while I get to witness how absolutely magnificent friends can be especially when they courageously show up for their best friend whose in need of help. And I smile and sing to myself with warmth...
Social Media Apps -Youth Exploitation and Legislative Oversight- A California update
I was excited to learn that my alma mater, the University of San Diego, their School of Law Children’s Advocacy Institute, along with Republican Jordan Cunningham of Paso Robles and Democrat Buffy Wikes Of Oakland, have authored a California bipartisan bill in state...
Where is Your Phone on Thanksgiving Day?
In the spirit of Dr. Suess, have you ever wondered about all the places you go with your smartphone and if you are addicted? I ran across a wonderful study, of course, on my smartphone by Solitari - this is a company that creates games, and they were curious to learn...
Super Achievers & Addiction: Big Highs, Big Lows
Over my career I have witnessed the vulnerability of Entrepreneurs, CEOs (women and men), Artists, Fashionistas, Writers and other Creative Folk, and each of these creatives that I worked with have been at high risk for depression, addiction and suicide. I have met...
What’s Behind Your Mask – Mental Health – Anxiety – Depression – Addiction?
Halloween is fast approaching, and it is the one time a year everyone is given permission to hide behind a mask of their choosing. Which has me considering, what kind of masks do we put on (all year long) that allow us to hide behind who we truly are? Consider this,...
What Type Of Modern Parent Are You? Helicopters, Submarines, Snowplows, or Saran Wrap — how do you parent?
Louise Stanger is a speaker, educator, licensed clinician, social worker, certified daring way facilitator and interventionist who uses an invitational intervention approach to work with complicated mental health, substance abuse, chronic pain and process...
Has FOMO Got You Down?
We’re all guilty of it - drawn into the glowing wonder of a smartphone or laptop screen like a moth to the flame. We scroll through social media, fashioning posts about our latest adventures, liking, clicking, buying and even dating. The amount of time we spend on our...
Video Game Addiction in the Communication Age
And The Golden Buzzer Goes To… Responsible Digital Use Society is hooked on a video game in Steven Spielberg’s stellar new film, Ready Player One. Citizens are so crazed about winning in the digital environment, they risk to be the best player in the game. Spielberg’s...
What’s Brotopia?
Anyone familiar with Greek mythology knows it doesn’t turn out so well for Narcissus. So transfixed with his own beauty, Narcissus died staring at his reflection in a pond. Of course this is where we get the term narcissism, a personality disorder seeping into the...
Digital Snubbing: Lady Bird & the 6 Ways a Narcissist Leads You On
Stop for a moment, put your cell phone down and imagine this hypothetical situation. You are out on a date, you’re anxious and eager, you have had that first glass of wine. Are you or your partner guilty of phone “phubbing” or snubbing? Digressing, the...
Additional Resources on Digital Addiction
How Smartphones Are Killing the Conversation
Instagram Is The Worst Social Media Outlet For Children’s Mental Health
How To Break Your Digital Addiction
When Using Digital Devices Becomes an Addiction
Happiness Tips
Stop Checking Your Freaking Phone
Gaming
Unplugged
Ryan G. Van Cleave & Mark Griffiths
Cyber Junkie
Kevin Roberts
Hooked on Games
Andrew P. Doan & Brooke Strickland & Douglas Gentile
Video Game Addiction Handbook for Parents
Cameron Adair & Karim Saleh & Chris Dowsett
http://www.video-game-addiction.org
http://www.psychguides.com/guides/video-game-addiction-symptoms-causes-and-effects/
https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/video-game-addiction-is-it-real
Resources from Screenagers Website
PARENTING APPS
OurPact – Mobile guidance for your family, available for iOS and Android
Screen Time – Parental controls for iOS, Android and Kindle devices
Circle with Disney – Parents can filter content, limit screen time and set a bedtime for every device in the home.
Curbi – Parental controls for Android and Apple mobile devices
ParentKit – Control and schedule what is on your child’s iPod, iPad or iPhone
NetSanity – Parental controls for iOS
FamilyTime – Parental controls for iOS and Android
Net Nanny – Parental controls for Android and iOS
Mobile Fence – Parental controls and GPS tracking for Android devices
Verizon Family Base – Monitor wireless activity and set usage limits
AT&T Parental Controls – Manage internet and email activity on computers
T-Mobile Family Allowances – Manage minutes, messages and downloads on phones
Sprint Mobile Controls – Monitor phone usage
DRIVING
Cell Control – For Android and iPhone
Drive Safe Mode – For Android and iPhone
DriveMode – Available on Android
All the big carriers have apps to help you on this too. Ask your carrier for the latest
MINDFUL APPS
Moment – An iOS app that automatically tracks how much you use your iPhone and iPad each day. If you’re using your phone too much, you can set daily limits.
Checky – For both iOS and Android, Checky lets you track and geographically map your phone use.
ARTICLES
Think your kid (or you) could be a screen zombie? Take the ‘Screenagers’ test – Los Angeles Times
Learning How to Exert Self-Control – New York Times
Compulsive Texting Associated with Poorer School Performance Among Girls – American Psychological Association
Compulsive Texting Takes Toll on Teenagers – New York Times
Teaching Self-Control Tips – Provides evidence-based information about parenting and child development.
ORGANIZATIONS
Family Online Safety Institute – International, non-profit organization that works to make the online world safer for kids and their families.
Psychology Today‘s Parenting in a Digital Age – This blog explores how parents and children might live together meaningfully in a digital age.
Common Sense Media – Empowers parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives.
Empowering Parents – Committed to providing parents with sound advice through podcasts, an active blogging community and parenting programs.
Above The Fray – Program to educate parents and teachers about what life is really like online for young people and to give adults the tools they need to begin meaningful dialogues at home and at school.
Richard Freed, Ph.D. – Child and adolescent psychologist, speaker and author of “Wired Child: Reclaiming Childhood in a Digital Age”.