New research suggests that smartphones are contributing to a rise in aggression, detachment from reality, and even hallucinations among teenagers. The study, conducted by Sapien Labs, surveyed 10,500 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 from both the US and India, revealing that earlier exposure to smartphones correlates with a range of psychological issues. The findings indicate that the younger a person begins using a phone, the more susceptible they are to these mental health challenges.
“People don’t fully appreciate that hyper-real and hyper-immersive screen experiences can blur reality at key stages of development,” said Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, an addiction psychologist not involved in the study. He told The NY Post, “Their digital world can compromise their ability to distinguish between what’s real and what’s not. A hallucination by any other name.”
Dr. Kardaras further explained, “Screen time essentially acts as a toxin that stunts both brain development and social development. The younger a kid is when given a device, the higher the likelihood of mental health issues later on.”
The teenagers surveyed for the study titled “The Youth Mind: Rising Aggression and Anger” were found to be in significantly worse psychological states than older members of Generation Z. In particular, younger teens were more prone to aggression, anger, and hallucinations. For instance, 37% of 13-year-olds reported experiencing aggression, compared to 27% of 17-year-olds. Even more concerning, 20% of 13-year-olds said they suffered from hallucinations, while only 12% of 17-year-olds reported similar experiences.
“Whereas today’s 17-year-olds typically got a phone at age 11 or 12, today’s 13-year-olds got their phones at age 10,” the report stated. These younger teens were also more likely to report struggling with mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts. In fact, 42% of American girls and 27% of boys aged 13 to 17 admitted to having issues with suicidal ideation.
The survey revealed that many teens also grapple with feelings of hopelessness, guilt, anxiety, and intrusive, unsettling thoughts. More than 40% said they felt detached from reality, experienced mood swings, withdrew socially, or suffered from traumatic flashbacks.
Sapien Labs’ chief scientist, Tara Thiagarajan, highlighted that smartphones are driving kids to become more socially isolated. “Once you have a phone, you spend a lot less time with in-person interaction, and the less you have in-person interaction, the less integrated you are into the real social fabric,” she explained to The Post. “You’re no longer connected in the way humans have been wired for hundreds of thousands of years.”
Dr. Kardaras, who authored “Glow Kids,” wasn’t surprised to see that phone use was linked to heightened aggression. He runs Omega Recovery, a tech addiction treatment center in Austin, where teens are often admitted after violent outbursts, such as attacking their parents when their phones are taken away. Reports from across the country show similar incidents, with students even assaulting teachers after their devices are confiscated. One Tennessee teacher was pepper-sprayed by a female student after seizing her phone.
The CDC also raised alarms in 2023 about the increasing violence among teen girls, much of which is directed toward one another. Sapien Labs’ research also noted that this uptick in aggression is particularly pronounced among females. “There’s a fairly rapid rise now in kids experiencing actual violence in school, and kids are fearing for their safety,” Thiagarajan remarked. “That is something that everyone should sit up and take note of.”
Thiagarajan pointed to a school shooting in Wisconsin in December, which was notably carried out by a teenage girl. It marked the first time in 45 years that a juvenile female was involved in a school shooting. The shooter, Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, had been heavily active online and had expressed extremist views, though authorities have yet to uncover a motive. After the shooting, she turned the weapon on herself.
The study found that 65% of female respondents were classified as “distressed or struggling in a manner that substantially impairs their ability to function effectively in the world and would be of clinical concern,” according to the report. Researchers expressed concern that this worsening mental health trend is unlikely to slow down, as children continue to receive devices at younger and younger ages. It is now common for toddlers to have access to iPads or their parents’ smartphones.
{Matzav.com}