Retrain Brain = Less Pain

From eNewsletter 1/16/2023

DID YOU KNOW that if you are seeking ways to improve your child or teen's lifestyle habits, think about modifying their screen time? Several new studies may give you pause the next time you want to use a screen to placate their behavior.

For preteens, the odds of developing obsessive compulsive disorder over a two-year period increased by 13% for every hour they played video games and by 11% for every hour they watched videos on their mobile devices or computers, according to a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Gaming, entertainment, and social media companies have algorithms and advertisements that exacerbate behavior by continuing to foment content preteens are playing or watching.

A study in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that the frequent use of mobile devices for calming young children (ages 3 to 5) may displace their opportunities for learning emotion-regulation strategies over time. Therefore, the authors encourage parents to use alternate calming approaches.

Another study from JAMA Pediatrics found that in a cohort of children at age 12 years, those with habitual social media checking behaviors showed lower neural sensitivity to social anticipation at age 12 years compared with those with nonhabitual checking behaviors. These were negative changes to the brain’s sensitivity to social rewards and punishments.

Let them play? A third study from JAMA Pediatrics purports that physical activity interventions may be used to reduce depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. It also gives their minds a rest and keeps them from consistently being guided by algorithms and advertisements.

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