Dr Richard Graham, our Clinical Lead for Technology Addiction gives advice on how to spot a Screenager.
10 questions to help identify technology addiction:
1. Do you frequently find you are spending more time online than you expected?
2. Do you ignore and avoid other work or activities to spend more time on-screen?
3. Do you often check messages or emails before doing something else you need to do, even delaying meals?
4. Do you frequently get annoyed or irritable if someone bothers you when you are trying to do something online or on your phone?
5. Do you prefer to spend time with people online or through messaging to socialising with them without using technology?
6. Do you think a lot about when you can get back to being online when you are off-line?
7. Do you argue with, or feel criticised by friends, partners or family about the amount of time you spend online?
8. Do you get excited by anticipating when you can next get online and thinking about what you will do?
9. Do you now prefer on-screen activities to going out and doing other things?
10. Do you hide or become defensive about what you do online?
Please do call our specialists if you would like to discuss someone you are worried about.
