Originally Posted by
funkymonkey1111
i don't have kids so my info is entirely anecdotal:
1. one friend of mine has two kids, 15 and 16--always on the phone--one is on psychotropic meds for anxiety, PTSD, and major depressive disorder. Both on phones all the time. friend advises "at least 30%" of kids her friends are with have gender identity, alternative lifestyle (homosexual) or mental illness;
2. my sister is a professor at the university of Maine, and also works as a freshman advisor. said between 30-40% incoming freshmen are coming with psychiatric notes, conditions, needs for accommodation, etc. for depression, anxiety, etc.
3. another friend (and seemingly rightfully so) ascribes his kids' constant stress being related to phones/screen time. constant updates, stress for instant need for validation, feedback, etc. Essentially, there's no downtime. studies have shown low battery on a phone without a charging source is a huge stressor to people
It seems, to me, that kids today (and adults) can't unplug. can't get any mental downtime. like clodhopper said, used to be kids would be outside playing. i'm 45--not trying to sound like a codger saying "in my day...."---but in my teen summer years you got on a bike, skateboard, whatever. when you were younger you were outside until the street lights came on.
the phones seem to have cranked the gossip level up to 11--and everyone is commenting, or worrying about the commenting, wherever it is.
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