Screen Addition? A Teen Therapist in Denver, Co Explores the Possible Impacts
Have you ever found yourself negotiating or even struggling with your child to hand over their iPad or phone? Wishing they would engage more with you, connect with those around them, or simply head outside to enjoy some sunshine instead of being glued to a screen on the couch? You’re definitely not alone. Parents across the United States are facing the same challenges. Technology has become such an ingrained part of daily life that having a device in hand—whether it’s yours or your child’s—feels almost like the norm. It’s everywhere, and stepping away from it isn’t easy. Some even argue it’s reaching the level of an epidemic.
Struggles with Socializing
When most interactions happen through a screen, it becomes easier to hide behind a layer of distance or anonymity. This digital buffer allows people to mask discomfort, avoid vulnerability, and navigate social situations in a way that feels more controlled. For kids especially, when they learn to socialize primarily through screens, it can create challenges when interacting in real life. They're so used to that buffer—being able to pause, edit, or retreat—that real-time, face-to-face communication can feel overwhelming or unfamiliar. In-person interactions require presence, nonverbal cues, and spontaneous responses—things that can’t be filtered or delayed. It’s important to recognize the difference between being shy and simply not having had the opportunity to build real-world social skills. One is a natural temperament; the other is something that develops through experience and practice.
Withdrawal
Children may experience withdrawal symptoms—such as irritability, sleep disturbances, and intense agitation—when they’re unable to access digital devices, similar to what’s observed in substance or gambling addictions. These reactions can be particularly alarming for parents, as the emotional intensity may seem disproportionate to the situation. However, current research has yet to determine whether these symptoms occur across all types of Internet use disorders or only in specific cases. What is becoming increasingly clear is that excessive screen use can significantly impact a child’s mood regulation, attention span, and ability to manage frustration. As their brains become accustomed to the constant stimulation and instant gratification of the digital world, unplugging—even temporarily—can feel like a loss of control or security, especially if other coping mechanisms haven’t been developed.
Screens Affect Their Mood
Screen use can significantly affect a child’s mood by overstimulating the brain’s natural reward system. At the center of this is dopamine—a neurotransmitter often referred to as the “feel-good” chemical—released when we experience pleasure or satisfaction. What’s especially important to understand is that dopamine isn’t just triggered by what we get, but by how quickly we get it. Digital devices offer instant gratification through rapid-fire content, immediate responses, and constant novelty, which leads to frequent bursts of dopamine. For children, whose brains are still developing, this can create a strong association between screen time and feeling good.
Over time, this overstimulation can begin to interfere with their ability to regulate mood in daily life. Activities that are slower-paced or require more effort—like reading a book, playing outside, or even having a conversation—may start to feel dull or frustrating by comparison. This shift can result in mood swings, irritability, low frustration tolerance, and difficulty coping without access to screens. As their brains become conditioned to expect quick rewards, children may struggle with boredom, delayed gratification, or emotional regulation in screen-free environments.
For some kids, especially those who’ve spent most of their free time on screens, the idea of doing anything else can feel completely foreign. It's not uncommon to hear them say they've never had other hobbies or interests outside of video games. This lack of alternative experiences can make it especially tough to step in and reduce screen time—it’s not just about taking something away, but trying to replace it with something that’s never existed for them. That’s why it’s so important to expose children to a variety of offline activities early on. When kids have positive, engaging experiences away from screens from a young age, they’re more likely to develop other passions they can lean on as they grow.
While every family faces its own unique challenges and preferences when it comes to screen time, there’s no universal set of rules that will work for everyone. However, Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, emphasizes the importance of creating a customized family media plan. Such a plan can help families navigate key aspects of media use—like defining acceptable times for gaming and online activities, setting screen-free zones and times (such as during meals or in bedrooms), ensuring privacy and safety online, and finding a healthy balance between screen time and other activities, like physical exercise.
Teens struggling with digital addiction may become aggressive or engage in power struggles when caregivers try to limit screen time. Dr. Sussman advises that these reactions are common and recommends planning strategies in advance. “A key approach is to avoid physical interventions and step away until the aggression subsides,” he says. If these methods aren’t effective, seeking help from a therapist can be beneficial. At Joyful Horizons Counseling, we can help by providing tailored strategies, including psychotherapy or, in some cases, medication, to manage aggression and address the root causes of the addiction.
Joyful Horizons Counseling provides individual counseling, trauma therapy, teen therapy, Brain Spotting, religious trauma, and cult trauma at their offices in Aurora Colorado, Denver Colorado, and Lakewood Colorado, as well as virtually throughout Denver Colorado.
1 “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023”, Pew Research Center (https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/12/11/teens-social-media-and-technology-2023/)
2Nagata, J. M., Singh, G., Sajjad, O. M., Ganson, K. T., Testa, A., Jackson, D. B., … & Baker, F. C. (2022). Social epidemiology of early adolescent problematic screen use in the United States. Pediatric research, 92(5), 1443-1449.