Addicted To Technology: Negative Effects On Children's Development

Providence High School

Addicted to Technology
Graduation Paper

8300000
English III Credit Recovery
Washburn
22 October 2015
8300000
English III
Washburn
22 October 2015
Addicted to Technology
On average how long do kids use technology in just one day. If one were to include multi-tasking hours, teens spend 10 hours and 45 minutes a day on average consuming content and interacting with digital devices. There are many negative effects on children’s development when overuse of technology these could include, cyber bullying, addiction to online gaming or social media, bad etiquette, poor physical health, sexting, aggressive behavior, and attention deficit disorder. Parents can make small changes in the way their children use technology

Any harassment that is carried through technology is defined as cyberbullying. Over 80 percent of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium of cyberbullying (11 Facts). Since technology is commonly available in this generation, it is easy for anyone to become a victim of cyberbullying. This includes any combination of abusive, threatening or harassing emails, comments, texts or images, forwarding malicious content, verbally or exclusion (Ives iGeneration). Depression, anxiety, severe social alienation, and ultimately suicide can all be outcomes of cyberbullying. For teens who have been cyber bullied, studies show there are long term mental health defects for these individuals (Ives iGeneration). According to these studies, this shows that if there were ways to prevent or decrease children's access to technology they would have less chance of being a victim of

Technology has given this generation the ability to communicate, and seek information from anyone, almost instantaneously giving these users an urge to want more and more. Technology is “ always ready for you, always friendly, always happy. It’s the crack-cocaine of time-wasters”, says Sue Ferguson in a cover story (Ferguson). There is a problem in today’s society; if technology can be compared to drug addiction then it may just be time for a change. The human body has certain reactions toward technology use. While using technology, the brain will actually reward the body by overdosing the brain on Dopamine, a brain chemical which is involved in everyday functions including movement, motivation, reward, and addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “nearly all drugs of abuse directly or indirectly increase dopamine in the pleasure and motivation pathways and in so doing, alter the normal communication between neurons” (National Institute on Drug Abuse) when a person comes in access with technology.
“Every time your phone vibrates to alert you of the possibility of something interesting, exciting, or even mundane (but new) – your brain is getting what psychologists call a “Dopamine squirt”. Over time, your brain links the phone vibration, ring, or the ‘new SMS’ tone to a brief release of dopamine. You feel this tiny little rush of excitement that feels like adrenaline every time