Many studies have already documented “phenomena” like Facebook Depression and the health issues associated with screen addiction. This study on the “Digital Addiction”, conducted at San Francisco State University and published in the journal NeuroRegulation, again reveals its harmful effects, loneliness, anxiety and depression. But through student testimonies, the study also suggests ways of overcoming dependence and reveals a real new trend emerging among these young people: to preserve the experience of real life.

The study conducted with 135 students confirms that the users most dependent on the smartphone, are also the most socially isolated, the most anxious and the most depressed. Thus, while smartphones are an integral part of daily life and bring a host of benefits, the authors warn again about their overuse, a situation where the device finally takes control of its user, similar to any other type of addiction: “Addiction to the use of smartphones leads to the formation of specific neurological connections in the brain in the same way as opioids used initially to relieve pain.”

• From communication to loneliness, there is only one step: if the primary goal of the smartphone is to facilitate the connection with others and its environment, the dependence on its technology and social media actually causes an effect negative on the social connection. This poll finds that this is the case for students who use their smartphone the most and who also happen to be the ones who are most often alone. Loneliness is partly a consequence of the replacement of the face-to-face interaction by a form of communication where body language and other signals can not and can no longer be interpreted.

• From multitasking to the loss of concentration: another conclusion of the study, these users “mad” never stop and “stay on” their smartphone while studying or attending a class, looking at other screens, eating or talking with other people. This constant activity leaves the brain little time to relax and regenerate and finally it becomes difficult to concentrate.

• From stimuli to addiction: we find with this “digital dependence” a process identical to that found in other types of dependencies. We talk about food stimuli and remove them to avoid bulimia or overeating. Here, it’s the push notifications, the vibrations and other alerts on our phones which come to divert nervous ways of our brains formerly dedicated to the alert of an imminent danger or a threat for our survival! “We are being held hostage by the same mechanisms that once protected us,” write the authors. The authors suggest to disable useless notifications and focus on a few moments of the day our responses to various requests.

• Proactive measures that break with this digital dependence also emanate from this study. Some students say they have closed all their social media accounts to encourage the development of “personal connections with people”. Others have abandoned headphones “on the way” to better enjoy nature, others and the environment. Groups of friends have taken the plunge to put their smartphone in the center of the table when they share a moment together, and the first to touch it offers drinks.

This survey highlights the importance of being disconnected to devices and suggest parents to take a toll on their kids’ digital consumption. But how is that possible? Well, there is a smart way of doing that. i.e. using the parental control app for Android such as FamilyTime. With the use of FamilyTime app, parents can:

1. Track their kids’ web-history with the date and time stamps
2. Check the list of sites saved in the favourites and bookmarks of their browser.
3. Access the list of installed apps with their related details.
4. Monitor their contacts, call logs and SMS history.
5. Provide their kids with an environment safe for searches by blocking unwanted sites.
6. Applying internet filters to avoid their exposure to inappropriate content.
7. Check their app usage frequency to observe how much time they spend on an app.
8. Blacklist any app they find unfitting.
9. Schedule auto screen lock on their devices.
10. Instantly put a remote lock on their devices from the app’s Dashboard to control their device usage.

And much more. There are many other perks of using the FamilyTime app. So, don’t just read about them rather, step up and experience them all for free. Yeah! That’s right. For free! As the FamilyTime app is available for a free trail. So, get hold of the app now and save your kids from the digital dependence. You can get the FamilyTime app from the app store on your phone.

Take control with FamilyTime App!

It is now time to take control over your kids’ use of technology. Monitor their cyber life and take appropriate steps to prevent your kids from the developing digital dependence with the FamilyTime parental control app for Android. Today, digital parenting is called the smart parenting!