spend a lot of time on cell phone watching videos or playing games in front of the TV can increase the risks of young people develop OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) after a few years. Read on to understand this relationship.
Why is it a risk?
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Excessive time using screens, especially during the pandemic, can be associated with psychological health problems. Studies show that this overuse can cause obsessive-compulsive disorder in preadolescents.
Screen usage time actually doubled during the pandemic period, after all, because of the lack of outside activities, people started to use technology more to pass the time. However, this hobby has been associated with mental health problems and increased stress, as well as eating disorders such as binge eating and disruptive behavior disorders.
In a study done by the Journal of Adolescent Health, nearly 9,200 9- and 10-year-olds reported how much time they spend each day on screen-related activities. This includes watching videos, playing games, watching movies or television shows, sending text messages and using social media. Each child who participated in the research used the screens for an average of 3.9 hours a day.
A few years later, the preteens' parents were asked by researchers about symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD consists of having uncontrollable and irrational thoughts that cause compulsive behaviors.
Jason Nagata, assistant pediatrician at the University of California San Francisco, explains: “Children who spend playing video games for a long time report feeling the need to play more and more and cannot stop, despite to try".
But watching television shows or movies was not associated with an increased risk of OCD. However, the disorder is also associated with screen time, such as texting and social media.
“Although screen time can have important benefits, such as education and greater socialization, parents should be aware of the potential risks, especially for mental health,” Nagata points out. To combat the problem, he suggests, "Families can develop a media usage plan that can include screen-free times, including before bedtime."