6 Ways Smartphone Negatively Impacts Children's Mental Health

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Smartphones cannot be separated from our daily lives, with no exception for children. Even with its abundance of benefits, using a smartphone unsupervised could take a sour turn on children's mental health. Therefore, it is important to ensure children's experiences with smartphones are safe and healthy with proper adult supervision. 

According to the Times of India, there are six ways smartphones could negatively impact children's mental health:

1. Lack of time limit

Spending hours facing a phone screen could cause mental strain due to lack of sleep and stress. Hence, it is necessary to establish a specific time limit for children to be on their smartphones.

2. The social media effect

Social media is one of the main culprits in children's mental health problems. Negative social comparison, low self-esteem and shame, never-ending hunt for new information, and long screen time could contribute to children's stress and mental strain.

3. Negative content on the internet

Easy access to negative content through smartphones could significantly affect children's mental health. These contents could cause abnormal emotional development affecting the level of stress and vulnerability in children.

4. Cyberbullying

Smartphone increases the risk of cyberbullying. The pressure children experience online could cost them severe psychological consequences, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

5. Disturbed sleep pattern

The bright light reflected by the smartphone screen could disturb children's sleep patterns, especially those who use smartphones before bed. An irregular sleep cycle will cause mood swings, high temper, and difficulty concentrating which will eventually affect mental health.

6. Decline in physical activities and social interactions

Excessive use of smartphones will limit children's physical activities and face-to-face social interactions. Lack of exercise and a decline in social involvement will cause children to feel isolated and lonely.

MOHAMMAD HATTA MUARABAGJA

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