It's becoming more clear the effects social media, gaming and digital devices in general are having on today's youth. According to a statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 8-10 year olds spend nearly 8 hours a day in front of screens, while older children and teenagers spend more than 11 hours per day. Recent brain imaging research has shown that stimulating glowing screens are essentially as dopaminergic – dopamine-activating to the brain's pleasure centre as sex. It is also believed that the rising number of disorders like ADHD, addiction, anxiety, depression, increased aggression, and even psychosis are linked the the neurological damage the screens are causing.
In other words, "digital heroin" is a term used to acknowledge the similarities between drug addiction and digital addiction - the term is meant to shock because the problem needs to be addressed. To learn more about digital heroin and the research provided by Glow Kids Tech Addiction Research, please click here.
