Our children and smartphone addiction: how it arises and a decalogue to reduce the damage
It is the daily experience of families or teachers at school, to talk about the two main scenarios in which the life of children and teenagers takes place. An experience that tells, for these people in developmental age and therefore to be "handled with care", of insomnia, sudden mood swings, sudden crying, isolation and difficulty in relating to others. And withdrawal crises. From devices that increasingly exert a fatal attraction.
A multiplicity of symptoms for a population that is growing. As Giuseppe Ducci, Director of the Mental Health Department Rome 1, explains: "In our operational unit dedicated to the 14-25 age group, the only one in Italy, the patients in charge have gone from 800 to 1,800 in the last four years. We cannot say that this increase is only due to smartphones, but it is clear that these devices have played a central role. The disorders we observe are almost all linked to emotional-affective dysregulation - comments the expert -. Some national data show us that, in the adolescent age group, cases of eating disorders have tripled and self-harming behaviors or suicide attempts have doubled in the post-Covid period, without however an increase in the suicide rate. It is a clear sign of profound distress. The fundamental point is that the smartphone is not only a cause, but also a symptom: it is part of a vicious circle in which technology enters the folds of an already fragile affective and social system. We are talking about a “symptom wandering”: in the same boy, self-harm, eating disorders, aggression or substance abuse can appear at alternating stages. It is a dynamic and complex picture, difficult to trace back to a single diagnosis».
The Interparliamentary Group on Prevention and Risk Reduction, chaired by the Honorable Gian Antonio Girelli, has decided to deal with possible preventive and cultural actions to help with the intelligent use of technology. The declared objective is to create a "pact between institutions, experts, schools and families, starting with the presentation of a handbook useful to parents to preserve the digital health of their children". "We must take note - explained Girelli - that it is necessary to regulate and educate in the use of the tools that science gives us. Not doing so means becoming more or less consciously "dependent" on them. Only by anticipating the scenarios, without fear but also without superficial optimism, can we win the bet, we avoid technology becoming an improper weapon and being, instead, a great resource".
For Alessio Butti, Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council with responsibility for Innovation, "Smartphone addiction is an urgent challenge that directly affects the new generations and all of society. The smartphone, despite being technologically neutral, incorporates often risky usage patterns, generating physical problems such as postural disorders and insomnia, but also behavioral problems such as social anxiety, loss of concentration and nomophobia. It is essential to intervene immediately, not with bans or punitive restrictions, but through a serious educational path of digital awareness, constant dialogue with manufacturing companies for the design of more ethical and safe devices, and clear rules to protect young people in particular. Only by joining forces with family, school, institutions and businesses will we be able to truly reverse this worrying trend".
For Maria Rosaria Campitiello, Head of the Department of Prevention, Research and Health Emergencies of the Ministry of Health, "these addictions must be adequately addressed. The two fundamental assets that absorb the relationships of the very young and adolescents are the family and the school. This is where we need to intervene. Addictions - she added - are the fundamental problem in the context of prevention policies. 1.5 percent of the national health fund is tied to this purpose and a percentage also goes to cell phone addictions. It is certainly not enough but we are aware of the centrality of this issue in public health policies. The importance of awareness of the use of devices must pass through simple communication to young people, children and families so that they themselves are interested in addressing the problem".
For Professor Ducci, one of the guests at the event organized in Rome by the Parliamentary Intergroup, "what we call "smartphone addiction" is just the tip of the iceberg of a much deeper problem, which concerns the quality of human relationships, especially emotional and educational ones, and manifests itself already in the early stages of life. The use of the cell phone now begins very early, even during breastfeeding: more and more often we see mothers who breastfeed while looking at the screen of the cell phone instead of the face of their child. This undermines the foundations of affective attunement, which is built precisely through the gaze and the sharing of emotions".
In adolescence the phenomenon worsens. "Emotional attunement - which is the basis of emotional regulation - has been progressively replaced by connection. But attunement and connection are two profoundly different, almost opposite, concepts. Social media, and TikTok in particular, have generated a boom in connection, but at the expense of authentic emotional relationships." There is a key fact, underlined by the professor: "In 2013, with the collapse of the price of smartphones and their massive entry as first communion gifts, everything changed. The age of first use has dropped dramatically and we have witnessed an explosion in the use of social media by the youngest, in a crucial phase for the development of the areas responsible for emotional regulation. This has contributed to the increase in externalizing disorders - such as cutting, self-harm, substance use, eating disorders and violent behaviors, especially digital ones, such as cyberbullying - and internalizing disorders, such as anxiety, depression and social withdrawal."
Between 2020 and 2021, with the lockdown and distance learning, "the situation worsened further. Adolescents lost fundamental normative and relational contexts: school, socializing with peers, the possibility of being regulated by frustrations and noes. Parents lost educational authority, with a serious inability to say no and a terrible fear of their children's unhappiness, frustration and anger. And school began to lose its momentum."
For Antonio D'Avino, President of the Italian Federation of Pediatricians, "The excessive and early use of digital devices by children and adolescents is generating an increasingly evident impact on physical, mental and relational health. For this reason, as Fimp, we have activated projects in several Italian regions aimed at informing and raising awareness among families and young people on the conscious use of technology and on the risks associated with uncontrolled exposure".
In Sardinia, for example, «we have developed with a team of psychologists the “digital health balance”, a software that allows us to investigate digital habits, exploring various critical issues: screen time, level of protection and exposure to inappropriate content, risk of addiction, also analyzing the time dedicated to study, physical activity and socialization. In Emilia Romagna, the project dedicated to the first 1,000 days of life was launched, with the aim of informing parents about the dangers of early exposure to screens and promoting moments of relationship and outdoor activities. We started in Rimini, but given the positive results, there is the intention to extend it to the entire Region. In Liguria, where the “digital health balance” software is used, the project is aimed at pre-adolescents and adolescents and focuses on the use of smartphones and the quality of digital content consumed».
Overall, D'Avino explained, "over 5,000 children and young people between 0 and 16 have already been involved in these regions, with data that confirms a worrying picture, often underestimated. We are distributing educational materials to guide parents and children towards a more balanced use of digital devices. Our message is clear: from connection to addiction, there is a short step, and effective prevention tools are needed. The private pediatrician, today more than ever, also has a key role in protecting digital health, helping families to recognize risk signals and proposing healthy alternatives such as physical activity, reading, respecting screen time and a safer and more protected use of online content".
Michela Gatta, Director of the UOC of Child Neuropsychiatry of Padua explained that «neuronal development is not determined exclusively by genetics, but is profoundly shaped by the experience of the developing brain, which leads to crucial adaptations for cognitive, psycho-emotional and behavioral functions». This, she continued, «occurs thanks to neuronal plasticity, that is, the brain's ability to change and adapt to environmental stimuli». In particular, «during developmental age, childhood and adolescence, neurodevelopment is marked by time windows in which neuronal plasticity is at its maximum and neuronal circuits are most sensitive in response to stimuli from the external environment, both in terms of development, damage and functional recovery. The numbers tell us about the increase in the use of smartphones in developmental age, with an increasingly significant reduction in the age of approach to technology». But how is the brain system remodeled from a structural and functional point of view in response to "the smartphone stimulus"? "One of the consequences at play - Gatta explained - concerns the activation of the brain's reward system and determines the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that signals the presence of a rewarding stimulus and the motivation to act to obtain it. It's a bit like what happens with substance and alcohol abuse. Some signs of smartphone addiction are when its use becomes the main activity of the day associated with withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, irritability/lack of control, sadness in case of being prevented from using it; loss of interest in hobbies or previous activities of different types; failure to recognize the amount of screen time, with the need to lie about it. Clinical practice unfortunately highlights how smartphone abuse can be associated with worsening mental health: sleep disorders; nomophobia (No Mobile Phobia); increased anxiety, depression, emotional-behavioral lack of control; inattention and difficulty concentrating; social isolation to name a few". Hence, Professor Gatta underlined, «the importance of defining risk reduction strategies and of committing to facilitate, from the early years of life, correct habits and lifestyles including a balanced use of the smartphone».
1. Be a positive digital role model
Children learn by observing: adults must also show moderate, conscious and relational use of devices, avoiding hyperconnection and giving value to quality moments in the family. Parents and educators must also train in their approach to digital: they are often terrible users, not very aware of the tool and unaware of its educational and relational implications.
2. Establish clear rules about the use of technology
Define with your children specific times, limits on use, and spaces in the house where technology is not allowed, involving them in creating the rules to increase their effectiveness.
3. Propose valid offline alternatives
Physical activities, creative games, shared readings, outdoor experiences and moments of productive boredom are essential for balanced development and to reduce the attraction of screens. In this context, it is also important to enhance traditional reading as a source of growth and education "different" from digital: nourishment for the mind and imagination that develops concentration, empathy and critical spirit.
4. Prohibit the use of devices as a tool for consolation or distraction
Offering a screen to calm a child prevents the development of his ability to recognize and manage emotions. Devices should not replace presence, listening or dialogue.
5. Protect relational moments
Mealtimes, bedtime, family conversations, and shared activities must remain free of digital distractions to foster emotional bonds and authentic communication.
6. Adapt the use of devices to the age
o No screen before 2 years
o Before the age of 5, never turn on screens without the active presence of an adult
o Before the age of 12, avoid independent access to social media and the Internet
7. Don't pre-empt your entry into social media
Early and unmediated use of social media exposes children to emotional, relational and cognitive risks. It is good to gradually accompany the child in the discovery of digital, with safe and protected tools.
8. Actively supervise
Sharing time online, knowing what apps your children use, and talking about what they see and experience online is an essential part of parental responsibility.
9. Recognize the warning signs
Obsessive search for the device, aggressive reactions to its absence, and increasing isolation from daily activities may indicate an ongoing addiction. If these signs are present, it is important to consult a mental health professional.
10. Acting together as an educational community
Prevention is more effective when schools, families, healthcare and institutions work together. It is time to join forces to ensure our children grow up digitally in a healthy, safe and aware way.
News and insights on political, economic and financial events.
Sign up
ilsole24ore
