If Too Much Texting Endangers Teens' Health, Aren't We All In Trouble?
Posted by meredith on 05-27-2009
Yesterday, The New York Times ran a piece on texting in its Health section with physicians and psychologists expressing their concerns that excessive text messaging may lead to "anxiety, distraction in school, falling grades, repetitive stress injury and sleep deprivation" among teens.
Just among teens? A tech-driven need for constant availability and information updates has spread throughout our culture. In fact, as we get older and are expected to self-regulate (vs. accepting our parents' restrictions), these symptoms not only persist , but grow even more intense. Especially when the environment switches from the classroom to the office where we not only are attached to our phones, but our computers, perpetually on call for both social and professional purposes (and all of the blurry reasons that fall somewhere in between). Of course, upon reaching the latter phase, the expectation from those around you is that you will always make time to respond (regardless of sleep). Talk about anxiety-provoking.
So, yes, teens may be embracing these tools for the adolescent reasons of "knowing what’s going on in the lives of their peers…coupled by, a terrific anxiety about being out of the loop,” as pointed out by psychotherapist Michael Hausauer in the article, but aren't they also just mimicking and preparing themselves for the behavior they'll be expected to exhibit as a college student and later on as a professional? In any case, I believe the "cure" doesn't lie so much in hand-wringing or policing usage, as much as it does in having honest dialogues about the scientific and emotional side effects of tech dependence as experienced by both generations. After all, teens aren't blind to their parents' unhealthy practices (a 13-year old quoted in the article proves as much), and are probably pretty in touch with the physical and emotional stresses they're experiencing as a result of their own tech habits. Who knows? These talks may even inspire a lasting change in both generational camp's technology use.
Sorta Related
Gen Y Learns There's No Clocking Out When You're Always Plugged In
Social Media Ties, Technology Addiction Can Strain Interpersonal Relationships [Chicago Tribune]
May 27th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I'll agree "always on, always connected" is a problem in modern life, but from what I read on Ypulse and elsewhere, many parents need to get more involved with their kids, not less. (Yeah, there are the helicopter parents. They are the exception.)
From our experience with parents with WuduPlz.com, we find it is not so much how much texting is done, but what is being texted.
It was from our research and reading that we came up with WouldYouPlease.com, which we shortened to WuduPlz.com, for fun. Besides making life a bit easier, we're showing parents how to be the adults. (It's not easy, you know!)
Although, let it be said, the vast majority of parents of teenagers and preteens do a good job parenting. YPulse tells me that, despite the issues, our kids are doing OK.
WuduPlz tries to help the good parents be better (and make it easier) and the give the not-so-great parents a clue.
July 27th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I think texting is fine and is actually a very useful and practical tool…in moderation. Texting can have an adverse affect..say..for teens that stay up all night chatting away. That's why parents need to set control. Forget unlimited texting/minutes options. Go with prepaid where there's finite number of min. alloted. We went with Net10 – it's hassle free, no contract – 10cents/min for talking and 5c for texting. It's perfect for my 13 yr. old. I would buy additional minutes for her for good grades, etc.. This works for us. We never have to deal with the all nighter or crazy cell phone bill issue!While we're on the subject of cell phones..came across this..pretty funny stuff…check it out.. http://www.celldefense.com
January 26th, 2010 at 1:05 am
I love all these people who have all the answers and there lovely little kids are still in the pen. Well done for good parenting.
Even better that they are educated, fairly independant from shopping trips and even know the transport system to grannies.
Unfortuneately, many girls yearn to be liked and have a boyfriend, so its only a matter of time when some scrubbed up unworthy appears from out-of-town, lavishes a few hundred (probably way more) texts and well the wheels fall off the bus.
Full focus and attention given to all the tempations of adulthood, rebellion moves into overdrive on all fronts.
As for moderating the cell-phone, forget-it we have children with initiative, withdraw phone ! easy one everyone has old phones to lend out, plus £10 for a sim card with unlimited texts, hey its the backup all night phone……
Turns out bf never goes to school etc etc and once the facts spill out our daughter is the last hope to bring im' back on track.
If only they put this amount off effort towards there schoolwork !