Screen Time Can Be Dangerous for Adolescent Mental Health. Experts Say Parents Can Help by Setting Limits

On November 12, Vail Health and the Eagle County School District held a panel discussion titled “Teens and Screens: Understanding the Link to Depression.” Experts discussed how excessive screen time, averaging 7.5 hours daily for kids ages 8 to 18, correlates with rising anxiety and depression among children and adolescents.

“The roots of depression and anxiety in humans are very ancient. But there is a lot of evidence, and I think the evidence is increasing, that the massive uptake of cellular phone use starting around 2010 has been a significant contributor to this pattern of increasing anxiety and depression in young people,” said Dr. Charles Raison, psychiatrist and director of the Vail Health Behavioral Health Innovation Center.

Cell phone use hinders face-to-face social interaction and contributes to increased sleep deprivation and attention fragmentation. The deliberately addictive nature of many apps, including social media, has interfered with natural dopamine production. The human brain continues to develop until around age 25. Adolescents, whose frontal lobes are still developing, often lack the impulse control of adults, making it more challenging for them to put down their devices.

Experts suggested practical strategies such as charging phones outside bedrooms, using parental controls, and modeling healthy screen habits. If a family limits phone time, they can see improvement in feelings of depression and anxiety. Eagle County schools have adopted “away for the day” phone rules for middle school and partial restrictions for high school.

“The goal is not to eliminate phones, it’s to reclaim time,” said Dr. Elaine Sandler, a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist at Vail Health. “The goal is a better connection with ourselves, with our families, and with the world around us.”

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