Is my child addicted to new technologies?

Addiction to new technologies is a very common problem in adolescents, and, if not properly addressed, it can cause many problems for young people.

New technologies are a way of providing and storing information that is available to everyone, including our adolescent children. The Internet, smartphones or video game consoles are clear examples of devices that can cause this behavioral addiction.

• Related article: "FOMO syndrome: feeling that the lives of others are more interesting"

What makes new technologies so attractive to young people?

On the one hand, these new technologies allow us to access a large amount of information whenever we want it. We can be connected and know what happens anywhere in the world with just one click. They allow us to be up to date with a single click of the mouse.

But they also allow us to work better, in a simpler way, since they save us a lot of time and effort.

Another advantage of these tools is that make communication much easier. To talk to anyone, we just have to dial a number on our mobile phone, or send a tweet on social networks or a message through Facebook. The possibilities that new technologies offer us to communicate with other people are endless.

And of course, they are also a form of entertainment. You just have to look at the newest video game consoles, like the Playstation 5 or any other. Not only do they have a huge catalog of games available on the market for them, but they also offer endless options online.

So what is the problem with all this?

The advantages that new technologies provide are precisely those that can lead to the development of behavior that is problematic with respect to them.

When we talk about an addiction to new technologies we apply the same conditions that apply to chemical substances, redirecting them to these behaviors. In such a way, We will be facing an addiction if three of these elements that we point out below are shown for a prolonged period.

1. Tolerance

This implies that the person needs to use them more and more To feel good. Basically, it will not detach from the phone or the computer.

2. Abstinence

Withdrawal causes discomfort when this behavior stops being habitual for a certain time. The person will not feel well and will experience different symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, and may even become obsessed with it.

3. It will be repeated behavior

This is the case of those people who enter the Internet with the excuse of checking their e-mail and get lost in the network.

4. Attempts and frustrated wishes to stop doing this

There are times when people addicted to new technologies find that they spend a lot of time on these devices. Despite this, it is an impossible task to decrease the time in front of them.

5. Its related use makes you waste a lot of time

It usually occurs when the person, for example, continuously and excessively searches for information to be fully informed of which device is better to buy and why.

6. They put their life totally aside

It occurs when devices and new technologies rule the life of the person. You may stop doing anything else, like hanging out with friends or even being with family. Your world is the computer or the mobile phone.

7. The behavior persists over time

The negative consequences that this behavior generates do not matter. In spite of everything, you will not be able to stop doing it, even if you want to and try.

• You may be interested in: "The 3 stages of adolescence"

Is it something to worry about?

Addictions are always something to worry about the consequences that they can have on the person who suffers them. In principle, the use of new technologies should not be problematic, but in certain cases it should.

If your child loses control using them for longer than expected and they tell us that they cannot leave it, it is time to go to a professional to help you. Do not forget that freedom is something that your child should never lose, and that happens with an addiction.

If you detect the slightest indication that this may be happening, seek professional help as soon as possible to avoid major problems.