ABOUT THE FILM
The film “Dopamina” by the Foundation We Give Children Strength is addressed to young people, but it is also a valuable source of knowledge and inspiration for parents, caregivers and teachers.
The 15-minute film touches on important topics such as the dopamine loop mechanism, profiling and toxic online relationships, while avoiding a one-sided narrative about the harmfulness of new technologies. In the film, we hear young people talk about idealizing life on social media, comparing themselves with others, phone addiction or toxic online relationships, but also about the important function the Internet plays in their lives and how they try to use it consciously, positively and in moderation.
POSITIVELY TO BEGIN WITH
Social media is an important environment for young people to function socially – providing access to information, entertainment, communication.
They help young people regulate emotions, provide room for expression, discussion, displaying their passions, social activism, entrepreneurship. All this can be a positive experience, provided the ability to use the network in a conscious and balanced way, with the interest and supportive participation of adults important to the child.
HOW DOES DOPAMINE WORK?
CONCENTRATION AND LEARNING
Excessive use of games, social networks and other online content can reduce the ability to focus attention. Switching attention between different activities interferes with remembering information, and thus prevents people from consolidating knowledge and learning new things.According to researchers, distraction by social media and notifications means that it can take up to twenty-five minutes to return to focusing attention on the original activity.
1 Talk to your child about how constant notifications and jumping between different activities can make it difficult to focus attention and remember information.
2 Encourage your child to turn off notifications on the phone while studying or to turn off electronic devices nearby.
3 Help your child develop a daily schedule that includes time for studying, time spent online and other activities.
4. Together, set time limits for using the screens.
5 Encourage your child to engage in offline activities that develop attention skills, such as reading books, playing sports or playing a musical instrument.
DOES THE CHILD HAVE A PROBLEM?
Pay attention to how your child uses the Internet. Here are some questions that can help identify problematic Internet use:
1. Is the child constantly thinking about past online activities or looking forward to future ones? 2. Is the child spending more and more time online and enjoying it more and more?
2. has your child made unsuccessful attempts to control, limit or stop using the Internet?
3 Does your child feel anxious, tense, depressed or irritable when trying to limit internet use?
4. Does the time spent online often exceed the planned time?
5. Has your Internet use affected your relationships with loved ones, school performance or learning problems?
6. does the child try to hide his excessive online activity?
7. Does your child use the Internet as a way to escape from problems or unpleasant emotions?
According to the author of the above test – Kimberly Young – a child’s fulfillment of at least five of the listed symptoms may indicate problematic network use.
HOW TO REGAIN CONTROL?
Among the rules might be limiting the time spent in front of screens, setting rules about not using the phone before going to sleep and not keeping it in the bedroom at night, not using screens while eating. Also encourage your child to turn off notifications on the phone, run time control apps, night mode, the “gray screen” function or uninstall the most time-consuming apps.
Sometimes, however, simple solutions are not enough. It happens that serious and complex problems of the child, such as low self-esteem, relational problems or stress, lie at the root of intensive use of the network. Only by noticing and addressing them will screen abuse be resolved. This can be a long process requiring specialized help.
WHEN ACTIONS DON’T WORK
If you need specialized help, it’s a good idea to ask a school psychologist, a local addiction counseling center or another facility that offers support for children and adolescents. In Warsaw, one such facility is the Child in Network Clinic of the Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę Foundation
In addition, both parents and professionals can use the FDDS toll-free line at 800,100,100. Children and teenagers also have access to the toll-free helpline 116 111.
THE PROBLEM OF SOCIAL COMPARISONS
Young people’s intense access to social media content can lead to a distorted view of the world around them. By observing unrealistic-looking people, distorted images of influencers’ lives or even the studied posts of peers, young people can develop a sense that they are a pittance compared to others. This is fostered by algorithms that suggest homogeneous content and evaluation mechanisms such as reactions or comments.
1. talk to your child about values – explain to him that popularity measured in page views or number of watchers or whether money earned from online activities is not an important, and often distorted, benchmark.
2 Tell the child that “the body does not define”, that everyone looks different and everyone is beautiful, and that appearance is not an important point of evaluation.
3 Tell your child about algorithms that sustain his attention by suggesting similar content. Ensure together that the content viewed by the child on social networks is diverse.
4. suggest positive content to your child and support them in positive online activities.
DEBATA
On June 15 at 12:00 the Debate ‘Attention: DOPAMINA! How to support young people in the use of social media?’!
We invite you to watch recordings of the debate.
From the debate you will learn, among other things:
❓ What is the function of social media in the lives of young people and how can we support them in finding alternatives?
❓ How do social app developers use the automatic mechanisms of our brain to attract and maintain our attention, and how can we protect young people from this?
Materials
Scenarios for conducting lessons based on the film and a poster are available at FDDS educational platform
GOOD AND BAD RELATIONS
