Smartphone Use in School Is Harming How Teens Think

by Nathan Driskell, MA, LPC | Mar 17, 2026 | Internet Addiction, News

Teens check their phones on average 64 times a school day — and new research shows the cost isn’t just lost lessons, but lasting damage to attention and impulse control. A new study published in JAMA Network Open on March 9, 2026, reveals a striking and...

Indonesia Bans Social Media for Children Under 16

by Nathan Driskell, MA, LPC | Mar 16, 2026 | Internet Addiction, News

Indonesia just banned under-16s from the world’s biggest platforms, calling children’s social media use a “digital emergency” — and it’s part of a fast-spreading global wave. Indonesia has become the latest country to take a major stand...

The Impact of Digital Brainwashing on Children Today

by Nathan Driskell, MA, LPC | Mar 3, 2026 | Internet Addiction, News

A forensic psychologist argues social media runs on the same five tactics as classic brainwashing — isolation, repetition, authority, fear, and reward — with children the most vulnerable. Forensic psychologist Takanori Endo has raised concerns about the phenomenon he...

TikTok Use Linked to Social Anxiety and Memory Lapses

by Nathan Driskell, MA, LPC | Mar 2, 2026 | Internet Addiction, News

New research ties problematic TikTok use to rising social anxiety and the everyday memory slips that wreck your focus — all driven by the fear of missing out. A recent study published in Addictive Behaviors Reports reveals a concerning link between problematic TikTok...

The Mental Health Benefits Of A Smartphone Break

by Nathan Driskell, MA, LPC | Feb 25, 2026 | Internet Addiction, News

Experts say three weeks without your phone can do more for your mental health than a two-week vacation — a striking claim from a field now treating phone use as genuine addiction. Three weeks without a smartphone can have a more significant positive impact on mental...

Brain Changes Linked to Mindfulness in Gaming Disorder

by Nathan Driskell, MA, LPC | Feb 18, 2026 | Internet Addiction, News

A new clinical trial shows mindfulness meditation doesn’t just ease the symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder — it measurably rewires the brain regions that drive compulsive use. Mindfulness Meditation as a Treatment for Internet Gaming Disorder A recent study...