Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, made striking evaluations regarding “Screen Addiction” on the Mavi Kadın YouTube channel. Tarhan, who offered golden advice to parents, said, “Instead of banning screens, it is necessary to teach how to use them correctly.” Tarhan emphasized that there is a direct relationship between screen addiction and delayed speech and added that screen addiction is one of the most important reasons for the increase in neurodevelopmental disorders.
“Screen exposure lies behind screen addiction”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that the symptoms of screen addiction resemble those of substance addiction, drew attention to the disruption of the brain's reward system with exposure. Tarhan said: “Screen addiction is attracting attention as a global problem. Since we are generally a society prone to technology and mobile activities, we have been exposed more. Screen exposure lies behind screen addiction. With significant exposure, the brain's reward system becomes disrupted. A reward deficiency syndrome develops. The reward pathways in the brain become like a highway instead of a path. As a result, the brain is not satisfied with the reward. It always wants more. Just like the reward deficiency in substance use, it wants more. This time, it starts to be unable to do without it. That is, symptoms typically found in substance addiction are observed: developing tolerance, using increasingly larger amounts, disrupting daily life activities, using longer than planned, experiencing a crisis when there are no withdrawal symptoms, becoming irritable. We also encounter the symptoms of substance addiction here.”
Children aged 0-3 should be completely protected from screens
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that exposure to smartphones should not exceed 20 hours a week; “Child mental health research worldwide states, 'Do not give phones to children in the 0-3 age range.' After that, they recommend supervised use by parents until adolescence. Children should not be given smartphones, televisions, or tablets for more than 20 hours a week, excluding homework. When we allow this, children show serious addictive behavior before adolescence.” he said.
“One of the most important reasons for the increase in neurodevelopmental disorders…”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, speaking about the clip syndrome observed in children, stated that autism is the first thing considered in delayed speech. Tarhan said: “In clip syndrome, children come with delayed speech. They reach 3-4 years old and still aren't speaking. We observe delayed speech. The first thing we consider in delayed speech is autism. We suspect autism, investigate, and the result is screen exposure. They are given a tablet all day. The child watches clips, plays, and opens apps very well. Since there is no obligation to produce words, the brain does not develop words; it atrophies. If a child cannot learn to speak by age 4, it becomes very difficult afterwards. When we immediately cut off screen exposure, the child starts to recover easily. So, if detected by age 3, the solution is very easy, but if delayed, it is very difficult. By then, many pathways in the brain are closed. For this reason, it affects children's development and nervous system. This is also one of the most important reasons for the increase in neurodevelopmental disorders.”
“The vast majority of those exposed to peer bullying are children with communication disorders”
Tarhan, stating that previously, when autism was mentioned, only those with severe autism were called autistic, drew attention to the fact that autism has expanded significantly under the name of atypical autism. Tarhan said: “Research conducted in the 2000s showed that diagnosed autism spectrum disorder had tripled compared to the previous 10 years. According to research conducted in 2023, one in 36 people is autistic. One in 36 means a rate of approximately 5-10 percent. Since there is a broad autism spectrum disorder, this rate goes up to 10-15 percent. Normally, the person is very intelligent, but despite being intelligent, their social aspect is very weak. These individuals have high mathematical skills. They even have an island of genius in their brain. The most advanced form of this is called Asperger Syndrome. Nonverbal communication disorder. That is, non-verbal social communication disorder. Social and emotional communication disorder occurs. This time, they are excluded by their friends and peers. The vast majority of those exposed to peer bullying are children with communication disorders. They cannot learn social skills, they remain alone, become restless, and anxious. One of the reasons for the increase is the clearer information regarding the diagnosis of autism. Previously, when autism was mentioned, only advanced autism cases were called autism, but autism has expanded greatly under the name of atypical autism.”
“Let's teach them to be subjects, not objects, of the digital world”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that the digital world can turn into an advantage, stating that instead of banning the digital world for children, they should be taught how to use it correctly. Tarhan said: “If parents are digitally literate, they use screens appropriately and on time, but if there is no conversation at home, if everyone has a mobile phone in their hand, those children easily become screen addicts without hesitation. For this reason, we value sitting at home, conversing, sharing, and spending time together. Children raised in married life are healthy in this regard. Even when a child plays dangerous games, gun games, war games, parents get worried. If there is a warm and safe environment at home, if there is time spent together, you show the child right from wrong. The child learns life; it enables learning life digitally. It turns into an advantage. Instead of banning it for children, let's teach them to be actors in the digital world, to be subjects, not objects, of the digital world. When you are an object, the digital world, digital rules manage you. However, if you create your own rules, you become the subject of your life. You enter when you want, you don't enter when you don't want. Let them finish their lessons, homework, you allow free time, then they enter. In other words, those who manage their time successfully manage to use their high digital skills for positive purposes, not negative ones.”
Children are exposed to screens as a stress reduction technique
Tarhan, speaking about the reasons for screen exposure, said: “Children are exposed to screens as a stress reduction technique. There are generally three reasons for screen exposure. The first is a stress reduction technique; it is unhappiness, there is no peace at home, so they take refuge there. The other is the search for excitement, especially children enter a search for excitement. They do the most insecure things in the safe environment of the home. They change their name, change their identity, can freely tell all kinds of lies. That is, they create a fake world. They create a false satisfaction there. The other is related to curiosity. The feeling of curiosity is the most important emotion, especially in young people and children. It is the emotion that advances and develops people. That is, they are emotions that give rise to innovative ideas and support entrepreneurship. Feelings of curiosity and wonder are emotions that develop people. If these feelings are absent, a person is like grass. Therefore, curiosity and wonder are good, but it is necessary to teach how to use them in a good way.”
The ‘Love, Value, Share’ rule can be applied
Tarhan, offering important advice in the fight against screen addiction, drew attention to the need for a warm home environment. Tarhan said: “The most important thing in fighting screen addiction is for the home to have a warm atmosphere. That is, a warm environment with physical conversation, quality togetherness, and time spent together at home, which will minimize screen exposure. Secondly, the frequent use of words of appreciation, praise, and approval at home. In other words, for the home to be a peaceful, warm environment, it should be a home with positive communication instead of one where people constantly needle, peck, and have negative communication. If there is no rule-based environment at home, if the mother says one thing and the father another, if it's different today and different tomorrow, there will be no peace or justice. Where there is no justice, there is no peace. They should make the house a rule-based environment. They should establish warm, healthy communication and apply the 'Love, Value, Share' rule to each other. If they apply this, the negative aspects of screens will cause no harm.”