E84. Beyond the Screen: How Digital Dependency Reshapes Developing Brains

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The digital revolution promised connection but delivered something more complicated. Social media now intertwines with our daily existence, and emerging research reveals disturbing patterns about its impact on developing minds.

During our conversation with Kerri Carswell, content creator for the Carolina Journal, we explore the neurological reality behind social media addiction. Those seemingly innocuous features—infinite scrolling, like buttons, notifications—trigger powerful neurochemical responses, releasing dopamine and oxytocin in ways that mirror substance dependencies. 

For adults, this creates problematic usage patterns, but for children with developing brains, the consequences can be devastating. The documented harms—disrupted sleep cycles, shortened attention spans, increased anxiety and depression—demand action.

"It's actually the second leading cause of death in North Carolina between the ages of 10 to 18," Carswell reveals when discussing youth suicide rates. 

North Carolina legislators are responding with groundbreaking proposals. 

Parents face unprecedented challenges navigating this landscape. When should children receive smartphones? How can we monitor usage without overreaching? What conversations should families have about digital wellness? Carswell shares both personal experience and professional insights to help listeners find balance in an increasingly unbalanced digital world.

Listen to understand what's happening behind the screen and how we can protect the next generation from digital harms while preserving technology's benefits.

Check out more on this and other topics from Kerri @ https://www.carolinajournal.com/people/kerri-carswell/

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