teenagers, computers and violence

Do you have solid evidential scientific sources to back any of that up, TheGuardian?

Because, quite honestly, it reads like the biggest load of knee-jerk reactionary tosh I've seen in a long time (like most of the rubbish that's printed in the so called 'newspaper' you seem to have adopted the name of).

The everyday use of computers is an inevitable aspect of modern
life, but there are negative consequences as well.
As you may have noticed, children with a disorder that falls on the autism
spectrum seem to have an intense love of computers. I say this
somewhat cynically because in this case, computers can bring a lot more
than progress. Unfortunately, the frequent use of and time spent on
computers can spell big trouble for children with ADHD and autism.
It actually pains me to see the extent to which computers are taking over
our lives. I often hear myself saying, “If they only knew what effect this is
having!”
This does not mean I am against the use of computers! I have to confess
that even though I didn’t start to really appreciate the computer until a
rather mature age (I was in my thirties), I cannot imagine what life would
be like without them.
The other side of the coin, of course, is that computers rule the lives of
far too many adults and children. If we’re really honest with ourselves,
who can deny that many of us are as infatuated with computers as our
children?
The point of this article is that when it comes to children with ADHD and
autism, computers can actually make their condition worse.
I have been passionate about this subject for many years. Ten years ago
I was asked to write a chapter in a book on children and media. The
contents of the book showed what television does to the growing child.
My contribution dealt with the importance of movement and the role it
plays in learning.
In all my presentations since then, I explain to audiences what happens
to the developing brain when a child spends too much time in front of
computers, playing video games or watching television.
This time I am going to be even more direct. I realize that we take the
benefits of modern day comforts such as computers for granted and start
to become blind to their darker side. This is something I am guilty of as
much as anyone else. However, the following really ticked me off and is
the reason why I share these thoughts with you…
Over the last few weeks, a trend has been brought to my attention:
Schools have started to use tablet computers. This is happening not just
in high schools and middle schools, but in primary schools as well. Some
of the teachers that I see in my clinic have told me that in spite of
inadequate budgets, schools are prioritizing the use of iPads and other
tablet devices.
This was in regards to children aged 12-18 years. Yesterday, while
watching the news, there was a story about progress in schools through
the use of computers for teaching and assessment. The teachers were
very proud. This was for children in the age group of 6-12 years. And
they explained how this was clearly the way forward. They even
predicted that in a couple of years children would not have to write
anything anymore but would instead use the computer for everything in
school. This seemed logical to them since of the rest of society seems to
be moving in that direction.
Sounds like a good idea right?
Wrong!
They really weren’t asking the right questions. Yes, this is the way
society seems to be evolving. But this is also the worst idea anyone has
come up with since the days when smoking was considered to be
healthy for you!
Let me explain…
Computer usage engages your brain in a very particular kind of thinking.
Using a data machine makes your brain work in a linear way. You are
forced to think in a step-by-step fashion. Under normal circumstances,
this only happens for very short periods of time.
When you interact with your surroundings, for example when exercising
your social and emotional skills through conversation or dealing with
another person, you are making use of the parallel thinking parts of the
more emotional right side of the brain. Normally, this is also the part of
the brain that is used when learning a new concept or when you have to
attach meaning to or interpret something you have read or heard.
Sitting in class at school has a purpose. It helps you collect a lot of useful
information in a relatively short period of time. We are not, however,
made to just sit. We actually learn fastest when we are walking or are in
an upright position. This is part of why humans have the most evolved
brains. The capacity to walk upright is directly linked to the ability to think
at higher levels of cognition. Sitting at a desk, hunched over a tablet
device instead of at least having to adjust your posture to pay attention to
what is written on the board or what the teacher is saying, does not
improve normal physical activity. It actually makes it worse. This is why
physical education in schools needs more attention than anything else.
We take it for granted that everyone can deal and flourish with what we
humans have invented. This, in my opinion, is flawed thinking.
There is strong evidence that a significant number of children with a
condition on the autism spectrum display an over-reliance on the left side
of their brains. Their right-side, parallel-thinking brain is not used to its
full capacity and lags behind in development. The use of computers at
home or in the school will actually exacerbate this condition.
Just think about the situation in which you have to take your child with
ADHD or autism away from his or her computer, game or television. This
is usually a more dramatic event than with other children. Am I right?
You are taking them out of their comfort zone and into the real world
where their right brains have to interact with their surroundings,
something at which they are typically not as good as other children.
By now you can probably see why this article applies to everyone,
although in particular to our children with ADHD and autism.
Now comes the hard part. The only way to prevent the negative
consequences of the overuse of computers, television, gaming and
smartphones (which are also very linear and don’t involve real face-toface
interaction) is to put even stricter rules in place that limit the
intensity and amount of time children spend in front of screens.
In other words, computer rules! I can only begin to imagine what impact
that strictly abiding by such rules would have, both in negative and
positive ways.
Just in case the concept of using computers and the likely negative
effects it can have on ADHD and autism children needs reinforcement,
consider the following: Many experts have indicated that the rise of allday
television, gaming and computer use are somehow linked to the
epidemic increase we have seen in conditions such as ADHD and
autism.
I personally have seen too many negative effects from the use of
computers, televisions, gaming and smartphones in both my patient
population as well as in the own home with my own children. We tend to
ignore the possible negative consequences.
I have also observed the opposite as well. Changing these habits can
have a hugely positive effect on both the behavior and development of
children. Do what you have to do and start making stricter screen-time
rules.
I know this will not be easy, especially when schools often require work
to be completed on the computer. A common and probably workable rule
is to limit the total amount of computer, television, gaming and
smartphone time to a total of one-and-a-half or two hours per day, give
or take. It is also an excellent idea to make sure that actual screen time
is balanced out by an equal amount of time spent on physical activities in
the outdoors.
From personal experience I can tell you that following these rules will not
be easy! But I can also guarantee that it is in the best interest of your
child with ADHD and or autism, and isn’t that what you really want

Hi my 21 year old daughter spent too much time on her laptop.  This caused lots of problems including her been storked by someone she met at college - long story!

She has repeatedly needed her laptop repaired and when recently it required another £80 for a replacement motherboard her dad said that was the last time it would be repair (meaning that we would have to replace it as we had spent so much on it).  A week or so later the connection to the plug was broken and would cost £50 to repair!!

We suggested she wait til xmas for a new laptop.  We have a family computer in the lounge.  She agreed.  To start with it was a stressful time with her crunching away on the keys, talking to herself, singing to the music just when we thought we would sit down for a peaceful moment!  But in the last few weeks she has been on the computer less and less. She now says she does not want one for christmas as she is "happier not obsessed with the computer!"

It worries me that sometimes this kind of obsessive behavior causes more stress that it relieves and it is important to find things to do that encourage social interaction of some kind. 

Your posting made me wonder if there  is anything useful I could tell you that I've learned from my son. He is 21 years old now and has Aspergers. We have been through some horrendous years with him, I am a social worker and am great with everybody elses children but tried everything with my son and failed to have an impact on his behaviour. There were times when I didn't know where to turn and thought I would have a breakdown.

I guess the light at the end of the tunnel is that my son is gradually maturing, and he is much calmer now that he is older. Sadly he had a serious mental health problem in his later teenage years linked to anxiety but he is much happier now.

My husband and I were concerned at the amount of time he spent on the computer when he was younger. We worried that it made him socially isolated and that he was obsessional about his games. He couldn't get to sleep until late at night and had no interest in his school work. However, now that school is behind him and he is not engaged in any work or education, I look upon the computer as a lifeline for him -so it is all relative. He keeps in touch with so many people and is educating himself by following his interests on the internet.

After my son had his mental breakdown, we stopped having expectations for him and trying to influence his choices. I reasoned that we had tried everything we know and it hadn't improved the situation, so we let him do everything his way now. This works much better. Our relationship has improved dramatically. We no longer have the "meltdowns" we used to have. Obviously he gets angry sometimes, that is to be expected, but not in the destructive way it used to happen.

Perhaps taking a massive step back and letting him try regulating himself for a while might shift the stalemate you seem to be in at the moment.

Your post could have been written by my own mother some 12 years ago (when I was 14). I was completely addicted to the computer, too, and would subject her to the most horrendous and violent 'meltdowns' if she tried to take it away. The power and lure of being on the computer, particularly online, is really hard to break. It's a 'safe place' and returning to the 'real world' is never enjoyable after escaping there for a while.

Part of my own problem was my sensory issues. I have sensory integration dysfunction and Irlen syndrome (Scotopic Light Sensitivity). At the time, I didn't know that was behind much of my anxiety and refusal to integrate beyond the machine, but once I learned better to cope with the bombardments and distractions of 'reality' outside of the computer, I was less in need of that safe place.

I'm still a computer head, but I can bear to part from it now. The allure of something that existed away from the computer was what finally broke the bond. For me, it was a trip abroad to meet my 'best friend' who I'd met online and chatted with daily for 2 years. Our parents finally arranged for me to go to America to spend Christmas with her. It was an amazing gift, and it did two wonderful things - forced me to face the outside world, and forced me to step away from my computer for two weeks.

I'd be interested to know what your son does on the computer, because that might help explain exactly what needs are being fulfilled (e.g. escapism via games, sensory calming via music/video, social contact via forums/messengers etc). That way, you might be able to introduce other ways of meeting those needs. Every person is different after all. What worked for me might help you or it might not, but I do wish you the best of luck!