In recent years, the means and platforms of social communication have changed the ways of communication between people in the most imaginable way, and despite the change of sites and means of communication processes to a faster, more accurate and more flexible form for all segments of society, they have become a real danger and bogeyman for children, young people and adolescents; According to what specialists in psychology confirmed to Okaz, especially in the event that these means are used excessively, closer to addiction, and the specialists reiterated that social media has become a double-edged sword, even if there is fun and entertainment for the child for some time. More time on communication platforms and smart tablets feel isolated and this feeling may encourage them to what is called excessive use of social media.
Are they happy?
Does our children's use of social networking sites make them unhappy? This is answered by Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Dr. Ahmed Amr Abdallah, and believes that this issue deserves a serious, in-depth look at how communication platforms negatively affect children and adolescents. Technological advances in the past decade have changed the ways we socialize faster than we can imagine. Despite the advantages of the platforms that made the communication process faster and more flexible, but if excessive use, despite its fun, has its dark sides, it is a double-edged sword, as depression has become more common among children and adolescents at a time when their use of communication sites in particular and the Internet increases. In general, it is difficult to say for sure that these sites directly cause depression, but at least they may be one of the factors that help in developing it. According to Dr. Ahmed Amr, there are two types of social motives behind children’s use of social networking sites, either for social reinforcement or social compensation. Social compensation The use here enhances social anxiety and some manifestations of depression, because the child then uses communication sites to compensate for the lack of social skills or discomfort in situations of realistic interaction or face-to-face confrontation. Since communicating with peers virtually is less emotionally satisfying than communicating in real life, we are not surprised when we find that children who spend more time on social media feel isolated, or that their sense of isolation may encourage them to overuse social media.
Why do they run away from reality?
Psychologist Saleh bin Fares, for his part, explained that social networking sites are a double-edged sword. Either it will provide you with happiness and money, or it will leave you in a spiral of psychological disorders such as depression and the increase in negative energies from reactions or marginalization and unwillingness to interact with what the child publishes through his account. He added that when a child tries to escape from his limited social relationships, dreaming of forming more credible and generous relationships with him, and collides with a different reality that may make him enter into depression, leaving him despairing of a dream he saw as saving his not-so-good reality. Saleh points out that staying on social networking sites too much may make a child bored, isolated, and unwilling to go out and participate with parents, relatives, or school friends and neighbors, as these sites control him and control his mood, and parents must legalize the process of staying on electronic communication sites and being close to children in order to prevent this. Any negative impact may occur through these sites, as well as the understanding of the child to follow up on what is commensurate with his age, abilities, hobbies and aspirations.
Isolation from reality.. What is the solution?
Psychologist Abdul Karim Falah confirmed that children spending more time on social media may be a direct cause of depression. Because the child becomes isolated from his social reality into a virtual reality in which he lives in a kind of temporary happiness, which is often reflected negatively on him. They are left alone for longer hours, especially since some social media do not have control over some not-so-good ads, and Abdul Karim indicated that children's depression existed before social media, but there is a noticeable increase, but not in a way that we can call it a phenomenon.
You are a role model.. Leave the phone for a while
Dr. Amr advises parents to listen to the child and listen to him, rather than just directing him on what to do and what not to do. You can start by asking your child about his opinions and feelings. Take the time to make sure you are fully engaged and listening to your child, put away your cell phone and social media, and be an active participant in your child's upbringing. Because you are his role model and the most models that your child tries to imitate, you may be the first reason for his excessive use of social networking sites without realizing it, especially when he sees the contradiction between what you do and what you ask him to do. It will be difficult to convince him at that time to rationalize or prevent his use. It is important that you treat your phone the way you would like your child to treat his phone.
An alternative to playing and confrontation
Dr. Ahmed Amr explains that social networking sites may play an alternative role to play, entertainment, and activities that the sites can hinder or reduce without parental awareness. They can cut the time children spend on activities that make them feel good, such as exercises, hobbies, and even studying lessons. Instead of the child doing his daily activities with his family and friends, he does them alone on the websites and we do not blame the child at the time when we find him locked in his room, and this is one of the biggest differences in the lives of the children of the current generation compared to previous generations, as they spend much less time communicating with their peers in reality and time Longer in communicating electronically. The increase in the hours of using social networking sites and the attachment and attachment to electronic games in a remarkable way is one of the risk factors for childhood depression. Excessive use of websites is one of the most important predictors of depression, psychological loneliness, and low social interaction among children.
Facebook depression!
Dr. Ahmed Amr indicates that most studies have shown that many children and adolescents who use electronic communication sites are the most vulnerable to cyberbullying, negative self-esteem, and dissatisfaction with their weight and appearance, in addition to sleep problems, especially insomnia and intermittent sleep. The results of the studies indicated, in general, that excessive use of communication sites is one of the most important predictors of depression, psychological loneliness, and low social interaction. social media like Facebook and Twitter, and then they start showing classic symptoms of depression. Children with Facebook depression are at risk of social isolation and sometimes turn to dangerous websites and blogs to seek help that may promote substance abuse, unsafe sexual practices, aggressive or self-destructive behaviors.
Selfie addiction!
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, Dr. Ahmed Amr Abdallah, believes that peer pressure and its impact on children and adolescents makes it difficult for them to stay away from electronic communication sites, even if the sites affect them negatively. Rather, children and adolescents enter into a state of competition in the most liked posts and publications. The matter goes beyond all this to the addiction of self-portraits (selfies). Of course, this abnormal preoccupation affects the mood and makes it more volatile, so the child becomes happier and more grateful than a post or message through websites. Communication, and not much time passes without his mood changing for the worse with another post and message. The state of social comparison in these sites does not differentiate between a child or an adult, by comparing oneself with others that the child may consider to be better or more successful than him. Social networking sites have succeeded in promoting images of success, wealth, and entertainment to others, which makes the child vulnerable to viewing situations of entertainment, reinforcement, play, and fun that he misses.
Mohammed Al-Shahrani (Dammam) @mffaa1
