Life! It happens. I'm sure people got carried with fire too after its discovery. Now we even keep fire as pets (candles). Technology is something we continue to get carried away with and keep closer and closer to us.

From a more body-brain perspective, it's Freud's pleasure principle. We are constantly seeking ways to feel good and avoid pain. Makes existing easier. This can impact us at any age, but the kiddos have these undeveloped brains that are developing from and around whatever is introduced.

So if we introduce something that makes a happy, we get that little dopamine/pleasure surge. Yay! We now recognize that thing as a happy maker. Being the efficiency seekers that humans also tend to be (sorry Rube Goldberg), we seek readily available happy makers that work quickly.

[Swiping has entered the chat]

Swipe technology is swift movement bringing us from one happy video, post, song, etc. to the next. Leaving virtually no time between dopamine fixes. Ever hear of uncomfortable silences? The byproduct of this is that any time we spend without a small dopamine fix is uncomfortable and we don't know what to do with it, we can't just be in a moment without a high or low. It's like an internal uncomfortable silence of chemicals.

[Algorithms has entered the chat]

The apps now have algorithms that making searching for these little happy makers unnecessary. Algorithms will learn your likes and scour the internet to weed through and find what you like and deliver it with each swipe. Again, eliminating time delays between dopamine fixes. Good things are meant to take time.

Lows feel a lot lower when you haven't had to sit with them. But lows aren't bad in moderation. We don't develop coping skills unless we have opportunities to use them. You might hear people refer to today's kids as "soft" because they don't deal as easily with issues that back in our/your day rolled off the back. What you're actually seeing is a generation that has not been afforded the independence to trouble shoot and problem solve their feelings and develop the self-efficacy and resilience that builds the foundation of healthy coping skills. These kids have not yet learned "this too shall pass".

• Low self-efficacy
• Low resilience
• High discomfort with negative stimuli
• Increasing self-diagnosis
• Increasing self-medicating
• Increase in avoidant (flight) responses
  
  

We are also seeing that students are resistant to anything that isn't a quick fix. For example, students often want an extension or accommodation because its a quick fix for the short term problem. But then there is panic when they can't get that quick fix again - whereas there are actions to take to avoid this being a long term or reoccurring problem.

The time it takes to develop new habits, infuse mindfulness, scaffold improvement, etc. is unattractive. Students feel impatient and and lose faith in something that doesn't show immediate results.

Also, oftentimes in life we can have it all - but not all at the same time. This is a very hard concept and reality for many students. Knowing they may have to make a choice among 3 accelerated classes and 3 extra curriculars, and not being able to manage all 6 the same year. The pressure starts to come into play here too. It isn't always pressure from home, sometimes it is pressure to perform as well as you perceive your peers to be performing.

When we are trying to combat the tech effect, we want to focus on strengthening individuality, self-reliance, resilience, self-efficacy, and natural dopamine that has moderation components.

Our brains naturally make dopamine, and we want to self-source it as much as possible. Part of this is learning to be not just comfortable but happy alone with yourself at times. be comfortable with your thoughts. If your thoughts scare you, maybe it is telling you to reach out to someone like a counselor, therapist, or trusted adult.

• Dopamine Detox - a behavioral intervention aiming to recalibrate the brain's reward pathways by taking breaks (days to weeks) from the things you too frequently turn to to combat boredom or receive a quick mood boost (social media, gaming, music, podcasts, tv, etc.)
  
• "Dumb" Phones - as adults, we remember a world pre-smartphone, but kids are just now discovering these devices. These can be great tools as they only allow texting and calls, with limited internet access (remember those fees if you accidentally opened the internet from your pocket?), and no apps. These allow the safety and comfort of a phone, but without the phone sourced dopamine dependence
  - Pick times to have a smartphone (ex. weekends), and times to have a dumb phone (ex. weekdays, out with others)
• Do your normal tasks without music, tv, podcasts, etc. such as cooking, running, walking, showering, getting ready
  
  

You can always start small. We often have students turn their phones in during class so they are away from their phone for the class period. Are there no phone times/places at home or when out with others? Maybe don't take the phone to the table when eating, to the bathroom, etc.

Expect 2-3 weeks of changing a behavior to feel a benefit. The first 1-2 weeks may feel bad, sad, or worse. Your brain is doing some rewiring to pave new pathways, the labor is exhaustive and depleting, be patient with your brain.

School, work, friends, even Chipotle.

Once upon a time "phone skills" was a resume builder. When answering machines and cellphones began to popularize, this was no longer a special skill and considered basic competence. Now, it's starting to become a special skill again because we are slowly cutting out the every day needs for talking on the phone.

Think about it:

• We use to call a house phone (landline) and have to identify ourselves (no caller ID), ask for who we wanted to speak to, and often make polite small talk with whoever answered until who we wanted picks up
  - Now everyone has a direct personal line, no unexpected conversations or surprise answerers
• We use to have to call up a restaurant and speak to another person to place an order, or go up to a counter, answer the door for delivery
  - Now we can pre-order food on our phones, pay on our phones, and request contactless delivery or pick up - no conversation necessary
• We use to call restaurants, venues, entertainment establishments to make reservations, ask their hours, get pricing info, etc.
  - Now we just book everything online or find the information online
• Answering the door. Sure there were doorbells and peep holes, but if there was a knock/ring, you opened the door and answered. Or maybe shouted 'who is it" from behind the locked door - but you interacted with the person
  - Now most people have video camera doorbells so they can see who is there without ever moving and decide to get up or not, or even talk through the camera/doorbell device rather than face to face

It's not just our phones. It's technology. Humans have always been creatures craving convenience. Now that typing is the norm, handwriting legibility is plummeting. Spelling too. What's the most embarrassing word you Googled how to spell recently?

Not doing these once basic every day things has created discomfort and nervousness when a situation occurs and you have to do them. These situations should not be uncomfortable. These situations are part of our humanity, feeling close to others, being a part of a community/society, and help us develop confidence in ourselves when we compare ourselves to others (healthily).

Please note that none of these screeners or assessments should be used or interpreted as a diagnostic tool/diagnosis. If using these, please know they are only suggestions or indicators of potential risk of addiction or problematic behavior.

If you use a screener or assessment and are concerned by the results, it is best to contact a physician and/or licensed therapist for further evaluation and consideration.

Only a licensed professional can make a diagnosis or determination.

Email: hpenna@haddonfield.k12.nj.us
Website: https://haddonfieldschools.org/
Location: A104 HMHS
Phone: 856-429-3960 . 1155