Electronic Screen Syndrome

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