TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION

"Coaching with you has widened my horizons of what I thought was possible and I now have a clearer view of my options and possibilities." MJ - Massachusetts

The modern teenager finds him or herself in a strange new world that no one could have predicted even a decade ago. The millennial teen is growing up in a world where the parent and role model has been largely replaced by the new phenomena of technology pre-occupation.  Between cell phones, i-Pads, i-Pods, games and unlimited internet access, the average modern teen spends around 8 hours per day (according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation Study)  being bombarded by music, information, images, texts and entertainment. Often this is compounded because of a teen's facility to multi-task, so they are actually absorbing up to 11 or 12 hours worth of electronic stimulus daily!

Studies are beginning to emerge that link online exposure time to alarming rises in chronic teenage disorders. These include:
·         Hearing damage
·         Obesity
·         A.D.D. & A.D.H.D.
·         Chronic fatigue
·          Insomnia

Other disturbing correlations include the following: students who spend more time on their electronic equipment score lower grades, tend to be more irritable, struggle to access higher order thinking skills and have limited social skills. My own observations in the high school classroom add to this: teens today tend to have a reduced tolerance to stress and struggle to focus for extended periods of time.

Unfortunately many teens live lifestyles which are so busy that they undervalue rest, introspection and recovery, three essential components for a healthy and successful lifestyle. Teenagers often under value the wisdom and hierarchy of adults and instead surround themselves with entertainment and endless stimulus from their electronic devices.

Parents, teachers and other professionals are struggling to manage this exponential change. The popular convention is to treat the symptoms of these teenage “diseases” by using  medication and therapy, rather than going to the source. It is rare to find people or groups who can guide teens to foster self reliant and real solutions. These solutions mean lifestyle changes which take time and discipline in a caring transaction between the teen and the role model adult.

Through my work in the classroom and in my teen life coaching I have introduced teenagers to meditation, integrated brain techniques and moral contemplations which have helped them manage stress, improve grades and in some cases transform their worldviews. Working at this level opens up possibilities for teens to manage complex and overwhelming situations they currently face. Find out more.