Take Back Control of Screen Time—Without the Daily Battles

Beyond Screen Time—Addictive Screen Use Patterns and Adolescent Mental Health

A recent study in JAMA followed over 4,000 adolescents and found that it’s not just the amount of time spent on screens that matters for mental health, but how those screens are used.

Teens who showed addictive patterns—like losing control over screen use, trying but failing to cut back, or continuing to use devices even when it caused problems—had about double the risk of anxiety, depression, and suicidal behaviors compared to those without these patterns.

Simply tracking total screen time misses the real issue: compulsive, hard-to-control use is what’s most strongly linked to mental health risks in youth