If you are the parent of a teen or tween between the ages of 11-18 years of age, you have probably heard about teen cell phone addiction talked about at every PTA meeting, every Facebook post and all of the parenting forums. Teens and tweens are addicted to their screens. If you have a teen or tween with a smartphone, you know what a constant struggle it is to manage their cell phone usage. Here are 6 ways to manage your teen cell phone addiction.
The Science Behind Teen Phone Addiction
To be honest, TV is not my biggest concern for our teens because it is not the device that teens are spending all of their time on. As a psychotherapist, I am more concerned with teenager’s constant use of phones and all that comes with it.
Just try to take your 15-year-old daughter’s phone away from her. You will be convinced that there must be a rehab out there for this level of cell phone addiction. This type of reaction from your teen makes sense though because the same pathways and neurotransmitters activated in our brains by drug addiction are the same ones that are activated with phone addictions.
Mr. iPhone even attends therapy sessions now because he’s that difficult to separate from. He has a nice place on the couch next to my clients until I kick him out for being too much of a distraction.
If you have an adolescent living in your house, you are probably well aware of how much they enjoy the endless opportunities to connect socially through their phones such as group texts, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok and FaceTime. It is in our nature to want to connect with other people and I cannot blame our teens for using their phones to communicate and be a part of their peer group.
I use most of these apps as well and I really enjoy them. However, I also have the executive functioning skills needed to be able to put my phone away when I need to focus my attention, get sleep, or socialize with people face to face in my surroundings. Unfortunately, our teens do not have the skills to resist the temptation to use their phones.
This area of our brain is not fully formed until we are about 25-years-old. You can’t even rent a car if you are under 25 years old because our frontal lobes where this area exists are not fully developed before then. So why do we allow our 14-year-olds to take their phones into their bedrooms at night? Well everyone comes up with a good reason. You know, it’s an “alarm clock.”
We are all suffering from the lack of solitude with our own thoughts, not just our teens. We no longer have the time and space to think and reflect, which is negatively impacting our creativity, our mood, ability to daydream and the ability to change. We now occupy the free time that would have allowed this to happen by checking on our phones.
The free time like standing in the elevator, being in long car rides and sitting in waiting rooms, we no longer use that free time to think, instead, we are on our phones posting on social media, checking on emails and replying to text messages. This limitless connection and entertainment at our fingertips are not making people any happier, it is making all of us a lot sadder.
I wanted to share a few ways you can manage your teen’s phone use. Teens today are addicted to their phones, as a result, they are suffering from increasing levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. All this is linked to the excessive amounts of time spent on screens. Keep in mind, in order for you to see any progress in controlling phone usage, you will need to model these self-regulation skills yourselves as well.
How to Manage Teen Phone Addiction
Below you will find 6 ways to manage your teen’s phone addiction. Remember, in order for you to effectively manage your teen’s phone addiction, you also need to set a good example and limit your phone usage.
1. No Phones in Your Teen’s Room at Bedtime
Have your teen hand-in their phone before bedtime. I am not as concerned about the light emitted from the screen as I am about what teenagers are looking at on the phone that is triggering them at night.
If your teen is feeling excluded looking at Instagram or TikTok posts of friends hanging out. Or your teen is being made fun of in a group chat, then your teen is going to feel anxious and sad and will not be able to sleep well at night. It will also be very hard for your teen put the phone down at night, wind down and to get some sleep.
The time in which your teen should hand in their phone will vary in every household and every family member should participate and also hand in their phones at night. Yes, you too mom and dad. Make a charging station in the kitchen where all of the phone’s “sleep” overnight. You will be surprised by how much earlier you all go to bed, the better quality of sleep you have and how quickly your teens get out of bed in the morning to earn their phone back after breakfast.
2. No Phones at the Dinner Table
Do not allow phones during any family meal. With everyone’s busy schedules, family meals are essential for family members to connect with each other. Conversations during family meals also support development of social skills and conversation skills. You want your teen to develop the etiquette of not having a device at the table.
Studies have shown that families who eat meals and talk with each other are more likely to have teens that score higher SAT and are less likely to have teens that engage in substance abuse. Once again, mom and dad should put their phones away too.
3. No Phones When Friends Are Over
Have your teen put their phones away when they have friends over. So many teens use their phones as a social crutch. Feeling awkward? Phone to the rescue!
A lot of teens tell me how they hate hanging out with certain friends because all they do is check their phones or post on Snapchat during the hangout. No one is really talking or interacting with each other when their phones are being used. Have you ever tried talking to someone that is actively texting someone else? It’s. The. Worst.
Encourage your teen and their friends to drop their phones in a basket by the door when they are hanging out, so they are not distracted by it. This fosters social skill development that will pay off long after they leave your nest.
4. No Phones During Family Activities
Put all phones away during family activities. No one needs the phone when you are all going out for a hike, catching a movie or engaging in any other kind of family activity. Be brave and leave all of the phones in the car. This is a way of teaching your teen to set boundaries around their own phone use and to fully engage with activities.
5. Detox From Phone Usage
Have phone detoxes every few months. This is when you pick a weekend or vacation in which everyone puts their phones away. You will, of course, have resistance from your teen and probably even your spouse, but you will be surprised by how creative everyone will get with how they spend their time. You may actually see siblings bond with each other and make memories that were fully lived in the moment and not seen through the lens of a phone.
6. Turn Off Notifications on Phone
Teach your kids how to put their phones on “do not disturb” and change their app notification settings. I felt like a new person when I realized I could take off notifications on my phone such as text messages, email, Facebook and Instagram.
We need to teach our teens how to set boundaries even with the apps we use on our phones. Many teens have difficulty studying or getting homework done because of the distracting beeps, sounds, and lights that pop up on their screen.
Teach your teen how to eliminate the distracting triggers so they have the ability to be more focused. You showing them how to do this will put them in control of setting these limits themselves as they get older.
Final Thought on Managing Your Teen’s Phone Addiction
Managing your teen’s phone usage is a constant battle, however, if you work with your teen to set rules and boundaries on phone usage, you should be able to manage your teen’s phone addiction.
About Justine Carino: Justine Carino, LMHC is a therapist with a private practice in White Plains, NY. She specializes in working with teens, young adults and families struggling with anxiety, depression, family conflicts, and relationship issues.
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