ADHD and Teenagers’ Attention Span, Should We Blame Social Media?

There has been a growing narrative wherein they say that the growing number of people with ADHD can be credited to the rise of social media. According to NBC news, ADHD cases have risen considerably in the U.S. As of 2022, around 1 in 9 children had been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder at some point in their lifetimes. There may be some debates whether these are growing cases or simply undiagnosed cases wherein people may have just begun checking whether they have this condition due to the growing awareness of mental health that has been popping off as of late.

Still, this notion that social media caused the rise of ADHD has been debunked by multiple studies, although it does not fully let it off the hook. The relationship between social media and ADHD is a complex topic with a lot of nuance. While social media can certainly impact attention and behavior, there are several reasons why it might not be solely to blame for ADHD:

Pre-existing Conditions: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with strong genetic and neurological components. A lot of kids, or even adults, with ADHD have symptoms that may appear under the radar long before they start using social media, which can indicate that the condition has underlying biological and genetic roots.

Complex Etiology: ADHD primarily comes from a combination of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors. Saying that social media use “develops” into ADHD is Scientifically inaccurate because social media is simply just one of many potential environmental influences, and it is highly unlikely to be the sole cause of ADHD symptoms.

Diverse Influences: There are also different factors, not just social media, that can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD such as family, friends, environment, culture, educational experiences, and other aspects of daily life. Social media is just one small piece of the larger puzzle.

Developmental Factors: ADHD is often diagnosed in childhood, and the symptoms are typically present before the child becomes heavily engaged with social media. This indicates that social media might influence ADHD symptoms rather than cause them.

According to a study published in 2023, “Increasing recreational screen time was associated with worsening ADHD symptoms.” After adjusting with other factors, recreational screen time, both on weekdays and on weekend days, were positively correlated with ADHD scores (both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive scores). 

Screen use is not directly responsible for developing ADHD, as ADHD is primarily a neurodevelopmental disorder with genetic and neurological origins; rather, excessive screen time can exacerbate symptoms in individuals who already have ADHD by contributing to difficulties with attention and impulsivity. If that is the problem YOU are facing, then here are some suggestions that Favor Mental Health Services can recommend to you to reduce these symptoms:

1. Set Clear Limits

2. Establish and enforce specific time limits for screen use each day, and stick to these boundaries consistently. Make sure that you have the necessary protocols to prevent yourself from breaking said limits like, for example, apps that strictly do not allow you to access certain apps.

3. Schedule Regular Breaks

4. Incorporate frequent breaks from screens into your routine. For instance, use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. Another example is in studying, the Pomodoro technique is a useful technique that people use to balance their screen time and their studies, in that method you need to study for 25 minutes, then take a break for 5. Rinse and repeat.

5. Encourage Alternative Activities

6. Promote engaging activities that don’t involve screens, such as reading books, playing outdoor sports, or pursuing hobbies that stimulate creativity and focus. Social media is a good tool to learn from since not only does it provide information from reels or videos, but it also gives you awareness on the lives of different people, but those are not enough to fully help you live your life. Reading books are much better compared to scrolling through social media or watching a 10-minute video essay on a certain topic since they express the full context of a subject compared to the videos of people narrating stories or history through their own perspective.

7. Monitor Content Quality

8. Ensure that the content consumed on screens is educational or developmentally appropriate, and avoid excessive exposure to content that may be overstimulating or sensationalized. An example of this is the brain rot that kids today have been consuming, the name deriving from the content itself having no educational value, but simply a tool for excess stimulation of kids’ dopamine.

9. Seek Professional Guidance

10. Consult with healthcare professionals, which is what we here in Favor Mental Health Services provide. If you are interested in learning more about ADHD and how we can help you, do not hesitate to reach out either here on our website or via our phone number.