The age of technology has revolutionised the world as it has brought about many benefits such as convenience and entertainment but at the same time, causing over-reliance and teenage addiction to digital media. Many teenagers are too engrossed in the digital world, constantly engaging with others using their online persona. Eventually, their overstretched usage of digital media has brought about many devastating consequences to their health and personal relationships.
Indeed, many teenagers have fallen deep into the realm of digital media to the extent that their health is severely threatened. It has been estimated that nine out of ten fifteen-year olds in OECD countries spend a weekly average of 18.5 hours on their smartphones, even before taking into account other types of digital devices. In Singapore, the statistics fare far worse than that of the OECD countries. According to a Straits Times report, it has found that the adolescents surveyed surf the internet for about 12 hours and 42minutes a day for work and entertainment. 30% of these teenagers admitted that their sleep had been largely compromised, resulting in lower concentration levels during classes. This proves that a significant number of teenagers are so obsessed with digital media that they willingly sacrifice their much-needed sleep. According to scientists and doctors, teens need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep a day for their bodies to function well. Without sufficient sleep, teenagers can develop sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea. Hence, teenagers who are overdosing on digital media should start exercising self-control to prevent their overall health from further deterioration.
Moreover, digital media has been overused by teenagers to the point that it has affected their relationships. One of the respondents from the Straits Times survey, Nathaniel Wong, 22, has stated that he uses his laptop to access the internet up to 12 hours a day, where 5 hours of his total surf time is usually used for schoolwork. He spends half a day online, leaving only a few hours left for social activities with family and friends, possibly leading to a strain on his relationship with others. Another extreme case of addiction from the Straits Times Survey is Grace Ow, 20, who spends on average, 16 hours a day on devices. Her relationships will probably also be neglected as she spends about 75% of her day on the internet. Gail Gross, has reported on Huffington Post that our youth, while growing, need to form a network of connections with others that will influence their abilities to sense, act and communicate, thereby honing their social-emotional skills. However, when they focus too much on one thing, such as the internet, and do little of everything else, these connections might not be made, resulting in social isolation at school and weakened family bonds at home This is the reality of our teenagers now.
On the other hand, critics argue that teenagers are not overdosing on digital media. They often cite research studies that show moderate use of digital media is beneficial while no or extreme use is harmful to the user. On top of that, children and teenagers prove to be surprisingly resilient to moderate or high levels of screen time. Therefore, teenagers are not in actuality being controlled by digital media which manifests in health and social issues. However, this is not true in many countries, especially in South Korea where teenagers consume digital media for up to 8 hours a day. Their government has also acknowledged the severity of their addiction and has put in place boot camps that are similar to drug rehabilitation centres to help their youth recover from digital media addiction. This is further supported by the fact that 16% of teenagers in OECD countries are classified as extreme users of digital media who exceed 6 hours of digital media usage. Singapore is not spared from this global phenomenon either. Dr Evelyn Law, a researcher from National University’s Hospital (NUH), has found that due to excessive screen time among teenagers in Singapore, they become unable to sit still, constantly fidgeting in class, disturbing their classmates and ongoing lessons, thereby affecting their relationships with their classmates adversely. Dr Law also explained that an exorbitant amount of screen time could translate into worse outcomes for both the teenager and the society in the future, such as poorer jobs, poorer health as well as increased crime rates. Indeed, youth addiction has proven to be an escalating global issue and countries all over the world have started campaigns to limit its pernicious effects on their youth. With all the action being taken on a global scale, is it still realistic to believe that teenagers are not addicted to digital media?
Teenage addiction to digital media is definitely one of the major crises in our era, affecting the health and social well-being of our youth. If it were to continue, it would likely result in more drastic consequences beyond our imagination. Therefore, it is an assuring sight that countries are planning and executing mitigation measures to alleviate the ill effects of teenage addiction to digital media. Hopefully, teenagers themselves can exercise more digital discipline to help themselves before it is too late.
For enquiries about our quality English lessons or writing services, please contact The Useful English Tutor at 9747-0937.
The Useful English Tutor 