Find a Balance

with Digital Technology

Benefits of Digital Technology

Screens Meet 6 Basic Needs

Screens Are Soothing

Alternate Soothing Ideas

Strategies To Reduce Screen Time

High & Low Dopamine Approach

Components of Health

Benefits of Digital Technology

  • Positive impact on emotional health when balanced

  • Stress reduction and relaxation when balanced

  • Promote family closeness when gaming or watching videos together

  • Create social networks and friends 

  • Creativity – YouTube learning, Stopmotion

  • Communication devices 

  • Online support/Inclusion

  • Globally connected

  • Digital Literacy

  • Less need for masking

Diana Graber, Founder of Cyberwise

Screens Meet
6 Basic Needs

  • Certainty

  • Variety

  • Significance/
    Belonging

  • Connection/Love

  • Growth 

  • Contribution

Resource: Video Game Addiction Handbook for Parents by Cam Adair and Karim Saleh

How is digital tech meeting these needs?

How do we meet these needs without screens?

Be wary of people attaching to devices instead of parent/caregiver/partner(s).

Soothing Ideas

  • Movement

  • Art/Hobbies

  • Journal/Writing/Voice memo

  • Hanging out with people in person (social development)

  • Music

  • Anchoring/5 Senses/Mindfulness

  • Boundary Setting 

  • Ventral Vagal techniques
    Tips for calming

  • Window of Tolerance

  • Havening (havening.org)/Butterfly Hug

  • Cold water/Shower/Warm Bath

  • Playfulness and Play

Parents / Partners Can Role Model this and encourage this

Strategies to
Reduce Screen Use

  • Have something else for the person to look forward to when getting off tech 

  • Grey scale

  • High dopamine/low dopamine

  • Teach planning/organization

  • Turn off notifications

  • Explain you will be away from your phone (teach communications about these things)

  • Monotasking(Paolo Cardini)

High and Low Dopamine Approach

Dr. Clifford Sussman

  • HDA (instant gratification): gaming, social media, online shopping, etc.

  • LDA (takes time): working out, chores, sports, art projects, shower, conversation, cooking, etc.

  • Bingeing leads to a lack of dopamine receptors, numbed out, constantly seeking.

  • One hour of gaming (HDA) then one hour of LDA activity then one hour of gaming. Teaches self-regulation with limits. Less focus on how much time on screen and more on teaching delayed gratification. 

D O P A M I N E

A chemical released
in your brain that
provides an
instant pay off. 

D ata

O bjectives

P roblems

A bstinence

M indfulness

I nsight

N ext Steps

E xperiment

Resource: Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke

Components of Health
Our Lives Become What We Pay Attention to:

Mental

Talk/ask about what thoughts one is having
(Bounce Back program - CBT) Mindfulness, Meditation

Spiritual

Religion, nature, art, writing,
music, purpose, values and hobbies.

Physical

Sleep, nutrition (meals together), hydration, movement, vitamins, touch, breathwork, sometimes medications, substances

“78% of children sleep deprived and chronically dehydrated” Dr. Shimi Kang

Social

Friends, family, connections, pets

In person connections are needed 

Sexual

We need to talk about sex; for younger people we need to talk about what they may see online and how to cope. For youth and adults we need to talk about porn and other sexual health strengths/challenges.

Digital

Limits, filters, ongoing check ins and conversations, schedule in tech with limits. 

Emotional

Feelings, validation, co-regulation (Connect before Redirect Dr. Dan Siegel)
Cannot control emotions, only respond to them.  Fun is a feeling not an activity. 

Environmental

Home (contributions/chores), financial), school and work environments
Creating strength based environments, healthy risk taking and boundaries/limits

Financial

We need to teach our kids how to manage money and/or get support ourselves if we need it. Shopping addiction, gambling and other financial challenges can arise.