In today’s world of digitization, even the young are not spared from the risks of overexposure to various types of media. It has lately been found how teens' use of media can average up to nine hours in a whole day. This means aside from sleep and spending time at school, a huge chunk of their day is spent playing video games and using every possible online platform, which interests them.

Sense of Connection: A Reason behind Teens' Use of Media

Teenagers certainly cannot be entirely blamed when they get drawn to flashy and fun interfaces. While playing online games or using social media, the teens' use of media can relate to how they feel a sense of connection with their peers all around the world. Adults will definitely understand how teenage years can be quite an awkward phase for any person, and it helps if a vast network shares the experience they are going through.

Relating and Sharing Passions

“Fan girling” is a newly coined term, which further reflects the teens' use of media. With Social Media platforms such as Twitter, teenagers can send shout outs or greetings straight to their favorite bands or public figures. Media use is often tied in with emotional fulfillment as teenagers can easily click through every vlog of a YouTuber and be equally entertained while watching various videos or vines.

While these mentioned reasons can never fully justify why teens' use of media is quite excessive, they also need to get pulled out of their comfort zones. They need to experience the real deal when it comes to connecting and sharing interests in person.

Lack of Focus as a Result of Multitasking

It is quite easy to get entertained by a five-minute YouTube video or to chat with friends while browsing through a couple of Instagram photos. However, what real value and discipline can teens get out of this usual media routine? With teens' use of media, it is quite easy to multitask and fill their appetite with fun information. However, the practice of multitasking can be limiting.

Without fully learning the discipline of concentration and focus, teens will most likely find it difficult to get constantly motivated despite what seems to be a monotonous set of tasks.

Inability to Express Real Emotions

Emojis constantly get improved, and teens can now quickly express their thoughts with GIFs or moving images. While these can instantly express how they feel within split seconds, teens' use of media deprives the young ones of voicing out and experiencing the process of real sadness, joy, frustration and every other complex color of emotion. Feelings will then get locked up, which can be dangerous for their health due to its physiological manifestations.

If you are a parent or a guardian, consider putting house rules for the good of your teenager. Let him or her experience real feelings and real interactions. These realities on teens' use of media need to get addressed, and it can start with you today.