Deliver Mental Health Services To Children And Youth: Article Analysis

Technology has revolutionized rapidly in the past years. The medical industry has benefited from this change, as well as making things easier to do. People are focused on the next new item, on the next invention, and future creator. Consequently, no one focuses on the effect technology has on children. Parents let their children use technology to help them learn faster and become creators. What they do not see is the negative consequences technology brings on a child. Along with the use of technology brings an increase in mental diseases, social isolation, and education. Technology has made everyone’s life easy. Everything is accessible at a touch of a finger. It is no doubt that technology has allowed for inventions no one thought possible,

They argue that in rural and urban areas there is a shortage of mental health professionals. Therefore, the internet and video conferencing are used to deliver mental health services to children in need (Boydell et al., 2014). Using these methods reduces costs and are a preference for youth (Boydell et al., 2014). It is incredible that more children and youth can receive mental health services through the use of the internet. When one thinks about it, nowadays most children need these services because of what happens on the internet. As Erin Stone states in her article about technology affecting children, “Mental health professionals are noticing that more children are enduring some kind of abuse at an earlier age because of their access to social media and the expansiveness of the web” (Stone, 2016). Parents need to be cautious about how their children use the internet. Using the internet for mental health services is a correct way of using the internet. Although, more children need these services because of the improper use of the internet. As Stone describes it, “Even our second-graders, they are more into social media, and they’re dealing with a lot more exposure to the real world -- the bullying and the sexual predators -- than our high schoolers were at that age. We are sending a lot more (younger kids) to the hospital

Children get on social media and create a fake world for themselves. They post pictures representing happiness, glamour, and money. When in reality at times none of this is true. Children post happiness to let others envy how they are doing when they are unhappy. They post money to show off when in reality they do not have any. It is easier to connect with someone online, but harder to talk in person. Technology is preventing children from socializing face to face. Children who are face to face text each other instead of talking to each other. Children do not learn how to properly interact with others and this creates loneliness. They dedicate more time to these websites as if they had a relationship and they don’t which creates emptiness. A journal written by Sarah Wilson explains how technology improves relationships and communication. She explained how technology allows for different types of communication. One is able to connect with any family member from anywhere at any time and this improves their relationships (Wilson, 2016). Also the use of computer games allowed for a closer bond between friends. She explained how social networking increases one’s circle of friends. Gaming breaches isolation and allows people to socialize safely and inexpensively (Wilson, 2016). Technology also serves as a de-stressor when listening to music or playing games that allows one to exercise (Wilson, 2016). In the journal