Nintendo Switch,
PlayStation, Xbox, Fortnight, Super Smash Brothers, Minecraft......what's the
harm? It keeps them occupied and out of making messes right? And, in the
meantime, what's going on inside the child's brain?
During
interactive screen time the child's brain become overstimulated and
excited---on fire! The nervous system shifts into high gear and settles
there while the child attempts to master different situations, strategizing,
surviving, accumulating weapons, and defending their turf. The heart rate
increases from 80 to nearly 100 beats per minute, and the blood pressure rises
from a normal 90/60 to 140/90. They're ready to do battle, except they're just
sitting on the couch not moving much more than the eyes or thumbs. The
bright screen sends signals to the brain like "It's bright daylight, out,
nowhere near time for bed!" Levels of the feel-good chemical
dopamine rise in the brain, sustaining interest, and keeping them focused on
the task at hand and elevating the mood. The intense visual stimulation
and activity flood the brain, which adapts to the heightened level of
stimulation of shutting off other parts it considers nonessential. The
visual motor areas of the brain light up. Blood flows away from the gut,
kidneys, liver, and bladder and towards the limbs and heart--signaling they’re
ready to fight or escape! The reward pathways in the brain also light up
and are reinforced by the flood of dopamine. But what happens when the
child's game gets interrupted for some reason, or mom or dad say "It's
time to start getting ready for bed?”
Often we
hear "Get out of my way!" or "I have to get to the next
level..." We might see rage, and with the primitive brain fully
engaged, our relatively calm child now turns into an enraged animal ready to
fight off all challengers. Why would a seemingly normal, loving child
become so enraged and difficult after playing video games?
Playing
video games mimics the kinds of sensory assaults humans are programmed to
associate with danger. When the brain senses danger, primitive survival
mechanisms swiftly kick in to provide protection from harm. This response
is instantaneous; it is hardwired in our genes and necessary for
survival. The heart rate increases, the stomach twists into knots, and
the limbs tense; all poised to react. When this instinct gets triggered,
our nervous system and hormones influence our state of arousal, jumping
instantly to a state of hyperarousal---the fight or flight
response. If and when the flight or fight response occurs too often,
or too intensely, the brain and body have trouble regulating themselves back to
a calm state, leading to an experience of chronic stress. Once chronic stress
sets in, brain function suffers. With children, whose nervous systems are
still developing, this sequence of events occurs much faster than it does for
adults, and the chronically stressed child soon starts to struggle. If
your child is experiencing behavior issues, falling grades, mood swings,
problems socializing, or other chronic difficulties, it is fairly safe to
assume that his or her nervous system is being subjected to stress on a
repeated basis. In today’s environment, our children are under nearly
constant assault from electronic screen devices, and they react in the same way
as they might to any other danger, resulting eventually in distressing symptoms
and dysfunction. This has now been labeled as Electronic Screen
Syndrome. Whether or not your child has other stressors present,
electronic screen media heightens stress states, and therefore all mental,
neurological, and physical symptoms worsen as well. Our child can end up
in a vicious cycle of electronic screen stress and stress reactions influencing
each other over and over again. Mood dysregulation is one of the end
products of a child who is chronically hyperaroused. Mood dysregulation
is characterized by poor frustration tolerance, tearfulness, irritability, mood
swings, and meltdowns or aggression. Anxiety symptoms are also a common
manifestation of ESS, including obsessive-compulsive behavior, nightmares,
panic attacks, and excessive worrying.
Emotion
dysregulation and negative behaviors both socially and at home are common
reasons that children engage in therapy services. Parents can work with the
therapist to better understand the effects that screen time may be having on
their child. Eliminating interactive screen time for at least 3 weeks, and then
having screen limits solidly in place thereafter, has been proven to help
the child’s brain to rest, rejuvenate, and reset back to a more integrated,
organized, and whole state. Going screen-free can produce benefits almost
immediately, and long term changes can be profound in terms of social,
emotional, and cognitive development. To get more information on
Reversing the effects of electronic screen-time, refer to the book “Reset your
child’s brain” by Victoria L. Dunckley, MD
Blog written by Cindy
Quinn, LCSW