Description: This article emphasises the importance of being aware if your child is addicted to the screen. Here are some useful tips to look out for and how to avoid this from affecting your child academic performance.
Many of us spend hours in front of the screen. We are being over-stimulated by notifications on social media. Gaming has been a huge problem for young boys especially. TikTok, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram were created with addiction in mind. Each interaction we engage in creates a dopamine spike. We achieve a short-term ‘high’ and our brain records this pleasurable activity and desires to be fed ‘more’.
How This Can Affect Your Child’s Academic Performance
This is a huge problem for many students who struggle to feel motivated and focused. Schoolwork appears to be boring. We have limited endurance. Parents who come to us regarding tuition often need to address this common challenge first. Particularly during the pandemic, young people have been negatively affected as they turn to the screen in the pursuit of social connection.
In the book Dopamine Nation, Dr Anna Lembke addresses the age of over-indulgence. Studies of neuroscience have demonstrated our desensitisation to pleasure. Spikes of dopamine have varying levels – the higher we reach, the more pain we experience in withdrawal.
Parents tell us all the time their children are suffering from anxiety, depression, panic attacks and social withdrawal.
Addiction causes us to experience great pain when after the removal of stimuli.
Our neurotransmitter pathways have been able to reinforce over time and intensifyy, the more pain we experience as our bodies try to achieve homeostasis – neutrality, again.
How To Give Up Addiction
This is a deep question that can not have one answer. In brief, here are some tips and advice based on scientific research
1, Remove Triggers
Our environment is often greater than our willpower. Accepting responsibility, taking ownership and massive action to remove all possible triggers is the first step.
2. Give Yourself 30 days to Retrain Your Brain.
Our brains are adaptable and created in keep us in survival. It’s amazing what you can achieve if we consciously make an effort to re-programme it to create empowering habits.
The time this takes varies from individual to individual, but keep persevering and trust the process. If you relapse, or self-sabotage, don’t worry, keep going.
3. Coping Skills & Accountability
It can be discouraging and lonely when we decide to resist temptation and tap into our higher selves when our desires surface. In such instances, leaning on someone can be all you need to get back on track and believe in yourself again. Set yourself up for success by having practical coping skills and an accountability partner to help you.
The central message is not necessarily to completely surrender ourselves and deviate from our natural desires, as they are not intrinsically bad.
It is important to be mindful of our actions and create empowering habits without being out of control by them is key. We need to be conscious about setting boundaries in order to cultivate a positive mindset that can greatly advance our academic performance.
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