Silent Crisis

The screen is a medium that opens the world to young children and teenagers via online games, social media, entertainment, and so on. A teenager goes through a lot of internal conflict as he leaves childhood and slowly transitions into adulthood. It’s a period of heightened low self-esteem, and many teenagers find digital life an easy escape from interacting with others and seeking comfort in social isolation. It is also true that many will prefer a more social existence and finding comfort in friends, but in today’s age and time, digital addiction is the new norm, and most teenagers prefer socializing or investing their energy into the digital world.

The digital lives of teens are often described as a “silent crisis” because it is an isolating experience and an interaction between the individual and the screen. So why is it a silent crisis?

Firstly, we all know that digital existence has many negative consequences that affect mental health, relationships, and the psychological development of a person. This impact is harder to detect as the teenager is apparently safe in the comfort of his home, and parents find that to be reassuring. There is also a belief that the digital world can cause no harm and provides a false sense of safety. The adverse effects of excessive screen time are imagined to be physical only and difficult to notice or address, and the symptoms of isolation, anxiety, and depression are understood as ‘typical moody teenager’ and not given much attention. As gadgets are in teenagers’ control, parents in their practical, busy lives can’t control their usage beyond a certain point.

This crisis is considered silent because there are no overt symptoms, and what the teenager is going through is very subtle. He is already locked in his room in isolation, so it’s hard to identify a significant difference in his behaviour. Also, parents don’t know enough about the digital world and are ignorant of what the child is going through.

It is important to understand that while some teens may experience overt symptoms like anxiety or depression, many others may be experiencing low self-esteem, body image issues, and difficulty in regulating emotions without outwardly displaying these challenges, and the lack of connection with family prevents them from seeking help.

Late-night social media use and phone addiction also disrupt sleep patterns, cause fatigue, irritability, concentration issues, and an overstimulated nervous system, all of which can be subtle yet harmful. Parents need to look out for mood and behavioural changes in children and teens, such as more than normal irritability, angry outbursts, or seeming “on edge” when away from devices. Some kids may seem lazy, sleeping more than normal. Young person depression is very common, and parents need to educate themselves about the markers.