At this point, discussing the relationship kids and teens have with screens feels passé. You may have mentally muted those notifications—and experts get it. But they say it’s important for parents to continue to tune into the crisis and their kids’ behavior around screens.
“While we’ve yet to fully realize the downstream effects of this new digitized dynamic, the available data overwhelmingly points to a corrosive effect on our children’s mental health and well-being,” says Kellyn Smythe, MS, an admissions director for Pacific Quest, a residential treatment facility helping adolescents recover from social media and screen addiction.
The average teen spends nearly five hours per day on social media, according to a 2023 Gallup Poll. And a study from the same year suggests that habitually checking social media in early adolescence years could change the brain’s sensitivity to rewards and punishments. Of course, younger kids are also using screens. A 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center found the majority of parents say their kids ages 5 to 7 and ages 2 to 4 use smartphones.
But recent research shows that screen addiction may be more important to pay attention to than screen time itself. A big reason is those who feel addicted to their devices are more at risk for mental health issues.
Smythe has been at the forefront of this crisis. He and mental health providers discuss the signs of screen addiction and withdrawal, plus how to help your kid or teen foster a healthier relationship with their devices.
What Is Screen Addiction?
“Simply put, if your child, with any regularity, chooses screen time over in-person experiences—and seemingly can’t prevent themselves from doing so—it’s fair to deem them ‘screen-addicted,” Smythe says.
Screens include smartphones, tablets, computers, and TVs. Addiction can happen because of the stimulation people get from using tech. Data shows social media, for example, triggers surges in dopamine, a neurotransmitter known as the “feel good” chemical connected to our reward-seeking behaviors.
“Individuals afflicted with screen addiction continue to gradually immerse themselves in screen time to a point where it exceeds their ability to control it,” explains Matt Glowiak, PhD, LCPC, CAADC, chief addiction specialist with Recovered.org, an organization that provides resources for mental health and addiction treatment. “They spend more time on the screen than intended or desired, even to the detriment of everything else in their lives. When not on the screen, their thoughts and emotions are nearly absent in the real-life setting while obsessing about their next use.”
It can be harder for kids and teens to pump the brakes than adults.
“While many adults might eventually recognize problematic use but struggle to stop, with children and adolescents, considering their developmental level, problematic use is oftentimes out of their awareness,” explains Dr. Glowiak. “It becomes the ‘new norm.'”
“Simply put, if your child, with any regularity, chooses screen time over in-person experiences—and seemingly can’t prevent themselves from doing so—it’s fair to deem them ‘screen-addicted.’
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Kellyn Smythe, MS
Signs Your Kid May Have Screen Addiction
When parents understand the signs of screen addiction, they can intervene. When it comes to teens, Smythe encourages parents to look out for ones who:
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Habitually avoid in-person experiences, like hangouts with friends, sports, and family events, in favor of screen time
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Show irritability or have outbursts around screen time boundaries
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Attempt to or use screens as an emotional regulation tool (“For example, a teen might feel the need to engage with a digital device when attending a common social experience, such as going out to dinner with the family,” he says.)
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Exhibit signs of anxiety or depression
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Experience changes weight, well-being, or activity
For younger kids, parents may also notice an intense preoccupation with screens, a loss of interest in other activities, frustration when they can’t use screens, and difficulty in stopping them from using them. Plus, the amount of screen time a kid wants may keep increasing.
Screen Withdrawal Can Come After Addiction
If you notice your kid struggling and then try to limit the amount of screen time, you may encounter another issue. Since screen and social media addictions follow similar patterns to substance use, experts share that kids and teens might experience a withdrawal period.
Stefanie Mazer, PsyD, a psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida, says that those with screen withdrawal may experience:
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Constant thoughts of checking accounts or screens
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Physical symptoms, like trouble sleeping or headaches
Smythe also notices teens experience a phenomenon called “phantom phone syndrome,” in which they repeatedly check their pockets for smartphones that they know are not there.
But Smythe has noticed something else: Hope and healing after this withdrawal phase, which he says is typically short-lived and lasts a few days to a week at most.
“Remarkably quickly, we see the positive outcomes of a break from social media and screens,” Smythe says. “These improvements include improved sleep and energy levels, reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms, an increase in creativity, and—perhaps most importantly on the journey away from screen addiction—a healthier social appetite and engagement in pro-social activities,”
How To Help Your Kid Prevent or Navigate Screen Addiction
When it comes to screens, it can feel like the train has left the station, and we’ll never catch up.
“My most urgent piece of advice for parents is to take the power back,” Smythe says. “It may sometimes seem like you don’t have a choice in the matter, but you do.”
Experts share empowering tips on how to do that.
Collaborate on screen rules
Dr. Mazer suggests parents work with kids and teens to create straightforward rules that make sense for their them.
“Decide together when your child can be on their phone or tablet,” Dr. Mazer says. “Keep it realistic, meaning don’t try to cut it down too much at once or limit it all altogether. You can put timers on devices if that helps.”
When crafting these rules, it can be helpful to be intentional as a family about the rules you’ll all follow, such as device-free dinners.
Show kids that there’s a life beyond screens
This one even includes TV.
“While the hustle and bustle of life leaves many people exhausted and reaching for the remote, this is where one may consider alternative activities,” Dr. Glowiak says. “Going to the park, taking a walk, being part of a sports team, visiting the library, hiking in the woods, and so many other activities can engage our children on many levels that not only distance them from the screen but also enhance their abilities and interests elsewhere.”
Bonus: Dr. Glowiak shares that trips to the park are positive, not punitive, showing kids and teens that life without screens is actually fun and not a temporary form of misery.
Embrace boredom
Or? Your kid may find a trip to the park (or non-structured, screen-free time, more generally) “so boring.” Smythe says boredom isn’t a bad thing, though.
“Boredom is an essential part of childhood development, and it is in your child’s interest to experience boredom on a regular basis,” he says. “Unstructured time is the foundation for creativity, problem-solving, emotional resilience, and the development of executive function. Make a point to have more unstructured time every day than screen time.”
Set an example
Dr. Glowiak concedes that this one can be challenging. Kids and teens aren’t the only ones who default to screen time. But he encourages parents to role-model healthy screen habits.
“It is important for parents to avoid their own urges with screen time, such as continually checking their phones in the presence of their children,” Dr. Glowiak says. “This also includes being intentional with time at work, thereby setting boundaries around when parents will check their work computers, especially after hours. Remember, not everything is an emergency, though it might feel like one.”
Seek support when needed
Dr. Mazer advises parents to look out for symptoms of screen addiction and withdrawal, such as mood changes or fatigue, when away from screens. If your kid is struggling, there’s no shame in getting extra support.
“Take to a pediatrician, counselor, or therapist,” Dr. Mazer suggests.
Read the original article on Parents
