Though smartphones are very useful in the modern world, they can also be potentially dangerous, especially for children and young adults. Excessive smartphone use is still not completely understood, but addiction treatment programs exist. As scientific observations and studies continue to link health problems to smartphone use, parents and guardians need to be proactive. They need to assess whether or not their teens need professional help to get over excessive smartphone use.
If you are worried about your teen, you can take steps before actually getting them admitted into formal treatment. You don’t have to let your teen’s smartphone consume their life. You should also consider how the rest of your household uses their smartphones. Encourage being conscious about smartphone use and suggest tracking smartphone-related behaviors. If you’re looking for a smartphone addiction treatment program in North Carolina, contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery. Call 866.300.5275 or reach out to our team online.
Teens and Smartphone Addiction
Teens and smartphone addiction seem to go together today. However, if your teen uses their smartphone constantly, it may not be an addiction but simply a constant need to use it for appropriate purposes.
Science and surveys back the fact that teens use their smartphones for various reasons. They often use smartphones for personal reasons, like messaging their friends or playing a game, or for more practical purposes, such as academic support. It can be hard to limit how they use smartphones because of this. Parents and guardians may hear a lot about the importance of teaching balance. However, part of teaching this, when it comes to smartphones, includes understanding how teens actually use their mobile devices.
Boundaries with Smartphone Use
Setting boundaries with smartphone use is challenging in a world where the internet is more streamlined, easier to access, and is omnipresent. Your teen has access to the internet through their smartphone, and they can do pretty much everything with that access. They can message people, play games, learn new concepts, and more. However, the same is true for you and other members of your household.
You can teach your teen to value actual interactions in the real world over virtual ones by upholding smartphone use boundaries that the whole household has to follow, such as:
- Bring a book with you for reading while you’re bored outside: You’ll be surprised at how much quality reading you can do when your attention isn’t captured by the internet. Doing this can also be a great way to show your teens the importance of reading.
- Put your smartphone on silent when you’re not expecting important messages: Prioritize what’s right in front of you, especially if you’re spending time with your teen. Let them experience what it’s like to interact without smartphones going off and interrupting conversations.
- Turn your smartphone off: You can try doing this one day a week. If that’s too much, or not feasible due to your job, maybe try a morning or an afternoon during the weekend. Think of hobbies or home projects that could be done without interruption and plan to spend time with your entire household while on smartphone detox.
- When you come home every day, set your smartphone in the same place: Don’t carry it around from room to room. Try to keep it in your bedroom or near the front door. If you need to message someone or look something up, you can use another device like a laptop. This teaches everyone that a smartphone shouldn’t be a distraction from working on being part of relationships that deserve uninterrupted time and attention.
Learn More About Foothills at Red Oak Recovery
There is a fine line between healthy smartphone use and smartphone addiction, but parents and guardians must try their hardest to find that line. More than 5% of the overall population is addicted to their smartphone. If your teen is part of that 5%, you need to get them professional help right away.
Below are a few approaches used by smartphone addiction treatment programs:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Group therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Support group meetings
Are you searching for a smartphone addiction treatment program in North Carolina? Contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery by calling 866.300.5275 or reaching out to our team online.
