Tagged With "problem technology use]"
Discussion Topic
Mindfulness for gambling, gaming and technology use
I would have never known that I would be teaching clients how to meditate when I started in the addiction counselling field back in the early nineties. I was not even meditating back then, although I had started training in the martial arts, which I consider to be a form of moving meditation. I would not even have anticipated the types of benefits that I now see not only for the clients but also for myself and there is even scientific evidence behind them. Over the past several years,...
Discussion Topic
The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains
The National Institutes of Health are currently conducting a study on over 11,000 children to look at the long-term effects of screen time. Preliminary findings show that children who use screens for more than 2 hours a day score lower on language and thinking skills. It will be interesting to see what else is uncovered as this study continues, including whether changes are dependent on what the screen is being used for and/or on the child's developmental stage. Read the full article here .
Discussion Topic
CAMH Monitor e-Report 2017 - Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Rates in Ontario Adults
The CAMH Monitor e-Report 2017 was just released, providing new gambling, gaming and technology use prevalence rates for Ontario adults. Below are some highlights. Gambling: The most common gambling activity was buying lottery tickets. 23.4% of adults reported betting on slots or table games at a casino in the past year, while 3.7% bet money online. 1.2% of Ontario adults had a moderate to high risk of gambling problems in the past year. Gaming & Technology Use: 5.6% of Ontario adults...
Discussion Topic
Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time
Longitudinal data from adolescents and young adults show no evidence that social media use predicts later depressive symptoms. However, the findings do show that relatively higher depressive symptoms predicted later social media use among adolescent girls. This research stands in contrast with recent claims that adolescents' use of social media may lead to depression, claims based primarily on studies that examined associations between average social media use and average well-being measured...
Discussion Topic
Gambling and Gaming Harms: Ontario Professional Development Forum
May 9 th and 10 th , 2019 ⃒ Downtown Toronto, Marriott Eaton Centre Hotel This year’s Forum focus is “bringing together clinicians and community partners to reduce harms from gambling and gaming”. Whether you have been supporting people with gambling problems for years or you are new to the field, changes in the gambling landscape, emerging technologies, the blurring of gaming and gambling, and new insights into concurrent disorders all indicate a need for updated approaches to treatment and...
Discussion Topic
INQBOARD: Older Adults & Problem Gambling
EENet presents Inqboard... a collection of infographic posters. This Inqboard is based on the article, " The prevalence of problem gambling and gambling-related behaviours among older adults in Ontario " in the Journal of Gambling Issues by Mark Van Der Maas. Click on the image to download PDF version of the poster. To download the original study The prevalence of problem gambling and gambling-related behaviours among older adults in Ontario, click here .
Discussion Topic
Register Today: Mindfulness for Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use
Are you a mental health & addiction service provider supporting clients with gambling, gaming or technology use concerns? If so, you may be interested in our one-day interactive and experiential mindfulness workshop taking place on March 8, 2019 in Toronto. This workshop, hosted by @Registered Member, will provide you with an introductory overview of mindfulness meditation, the practices, attitudes and concepts, along with how to incorporate them into your clinical practice.
Discussion Topic
New Problem Gambling Grant Opportunity
Does your work involve advancing problem gambling awareness and/or counseling programs for immigrants, refugees and ethnocultural communities in Ontario? If so, we are pleased to invite you to apply for a new grant opportunity for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Four grants will be awarded for a total of $15k each. Click here for more information about this exciting grant and how to apply. Deadline to apply is March 29, 2019 .
Discussion Topic
Can technology use help with anxiety and depression?
In a TED Ideas piece that came out late last year, author Chris Dancy discusses how technology has helped him deal with his depression and anxiety. He uses technology to: log his physical symptoms, mental health symptoms, feelings, thoughts, and behaviours during a panic attack or depressive episode and then reflects on these digital logs as a way to know what to expect and that he can make it through watch videos of others with similar struggles so he doesn't feel alone track his app usage...
Discussion Topic
Gambling and Gaming Harms: Ontario Professional Development Forum
May 9 th and 10 th , 2019 ⃒ Downtown Toronto, Marriott Eaton Centre Hotel Early bird rate closes Friday March 15th. This year’s Forum focus is “bringing together clinicians and community partners to reduce harms from gambling and gaming”. Whether you have been supporting people with gambling problems for years or you are new to the field, changes in the gambling landscape, emerging technologies, the blurring of gaming and gambling, and new insights into concurrent disorders all indicate a...
Discussion Topic
Gambling, Gaming and Technology Use Community of Interest Survey
We invite you to complete a short survey about our Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest, which you can access here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GGTU-CoI . The purpose of this survey is to understand the extent to which our community of interest has increased your knowledge about gambling, gaming and technology use as well as your connections with other stakeholders. It will also help to inform the development of future online communities through EENet Connect. This...
Discussion Topic
Deadline for Problem Gambling Grant Opportunity is Tomorrow
Tomorrow, March 29 is the last day to apply for our $15K grant to provide culturally & linguistically appropriate problem gambling awareness and/or counseling services for immigrants, refugees and ethnocultural populations in Ontario. Learn more at https://learn.problemgambling.ca/ethno-grant .
Discussion Topic
Have you seen our evidence-informed practice content on Learn.ProblemGambling.ca?
Have you been to Learn.ProblemGambling.ca/eip lately? We have updated and added new evidence-informed practice content for mental health & addiction service providers on a variety of problem gambling topics, including: Screening & Assessment Mental Status Examination Stages of Change Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy Relapse Prevention Inventory of Gambling Situations Concurrent Disorders Trauma-Informed Care We have also updated and added evidence-informed content on other behavioural...
Discussion Topic
Gambling for Shoes?
A very interesting BlogTO article came out yesterday about an arcade-like game called Key Master that has been popping up in designer shoe consignment shops in Toronto. Players use a joystick to fit a key into a hole that unlocks the prize, which can include expensive designer sneakers such as Yeezys or Air Jordans. The game costs $5 to play. I would like to hear your thoughts - is this considered a form of gambling? If so, what are the implications of having these pop up in consignment...
Discussion Topic
Sit less, play more: WHO wades in on screen time use for children
The debate over just how much screen time is OK for young children rages on. Now the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its latest guidelines : no screen time for babies under 1 and no more than 1 hour a day for kids 1-4 years old. Kids should be more active and sleep more, rather than engage in passive screen time, which can lead to health problems later on in life. The main concern is the impact of physical inactivity - of which sedentary screen time is a part - on the risk of...
Discussion Topic
Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit
Researchers at the University of Washington conducted in-depth interviews to learn why we compulsively check our phones. They found a series of triggers, common across age groups, that start and end habitual smartphone use. In general, interviewees (n=39) had four common triggers for starting to compulsively use their phones: During unoccupied moments, like waiting for a friend to show up, Before or during tedious and repetitive tasks When in socially awkward situations When they anticipated...
Discussion Topic
Webinar: Gambling Expansion & Public Policy
Interested in learning about gambling expansion and public policy in Ontario ? Join our upcoming webinar with CAMH Senior Policy Analyst JF Crépault on June 18 from 12-1 pm Eastern Time: https://www.eenetconnect.ca/g/gambling-gaming-technology-use/event/webinar-gambling-expansion-and-public-policy
Discussion Topic
Sleep problems in teenagers reversed in just one week by limiting screen use
Sleep in teenagers can be improved by just one week of limiting their evening exposure to light-emitting screens on phones, tablets and computers. The study indicates that by simply limiting their exposure to blue-light emitting devices in the evening, adolescents can improve their sleep quality and reduce symptoms of fatigue, lack of concentration and bad mood, after just one week. Those who had more than 4 hours per day of screen time had on average 30 minutes later sleep onset and wake up...
Discussion Topic
Gambling and Gaming Harms: Ontario Professional Development Forum
On May 9 th and 10 th , the Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use team under the Provincial System Support Program at CAMH and Gambling Research Exchange Ontario co-hosted the Gambling and Gaming Harms: Ontario Professional Development Forum. The forum brought together over 100 clinicians and community partners, providing an opportunity to interact and learn from each other’s experiences, broadening their outlook beyond their own practice. Dr. Carlo C. DiClemente, one of the founders of the...
Discussion Topic
Too much screen time for the kids? Grandparents may also be complicit
Grandparents have long been associated with letting their grandchildren do things their parents would never permit. Candy. Extended bedtime. Too much television. Carefree fun. They like to spoil their grandchildren. A new study by Rutgers and other researchers finds that today's grandparents are still true to their traditional fun-loving image -- allowing their grandchildren, while under their supervision, to spend about half of their time on a mobile phone, tablet, computer or TV. The study...
Discussion Topic
The increasingly blurred lines between gambling and gaming
Last week, we published an article on camh.ca highlighting how the lines between gambling and gaming are blurring. The article features quotes from @Registered Member speaking about her family's experience with video gambling problems and @Registered Member speaking about how gambling elements are increasingly found within video games. Read the full article here: https://www.camh.ca/en/camh-news-and-stories/the-increasingly-blurred-lines-between-gambling-and-gaming I...
Discussion Topic
Social media, but not video games, linked to depression in teens, according to Montreal study
Screen time — and social media in particular — is linked to an increase in depressive symptoms in teenagers, according to a new study by researchers at Montreal's Sainte-Justine Hospital. Conrod and her colleague, Elroy Boers, found that the increased symptoms of depression are linked to being active on platforms such as Instagram, where teens are more likely to compare their lives to glitzy images in their feeds. The most surprising finding for Boers was that time spent playing video games...
Discussion Topic
Adult Problem Gambling Evidence-informed Web Content
Just in case you haven't heard, we recently posted a new evidence-informed web section on adult problem gambling . Learn about problem gambling in adults aged 18 years of age and older, the latest research evidence and tips for applying the evidence in your clinical practice. This is part of our evidence-informed practice web content on a variety of topics related to problem gambling and technology use. To read more, visit: https://learn.problemgambling.ca/eip
Discussion Topic
Fall 2019 Newsletter
Just in case you missed it, our Fall 2019 newsletter was released today. Our newsletter recently merged with the EENet newsletter to streamline how you stay informed about trainings, webinars, research, and other news related to mental health and addictions in Ontario. You can find the full Fall 2019 newsletter here . If you haven't done so already, please sign up here to keep up-to-date with the latest gambling, gaming and technology use news.
Discussion Topic
Panicking About Your Kids Phones? New Research Says Don’t
A growing number of academics are challenging assumptions about the negative effects of social media and smartphones on children. SAN FRANCISCO — It has become common wisdom that too much time spent on smartphones and social media is responsible for a recent spike in anxiety, depression and other mental health problems, especially among teenagers. But a growing number of academic researchers have produced studies that suggest the common wisdom is wrong. The latest research, published on...
Reply
Re: Teens in Urban Regions Are More Likely To Experience Problem Video Gaming
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @Registered Member. This is based on the results of one article, so it may be possible that other studies looking at the differences in problem video gaming between teens in urban and rurals regions could yield different results depending on the region, access to technology and offline activities available, among many factors. And thanks @Registered Member, I agree that it would be vital to educate students (and parents/guardians) about gambling, video...
Reply
Re: Teens in Urban Regions Are More Likely To Experience Problem Video Gaming
Great question @Registered Member. I wonder as gaming and smart phone use get more recognition, there will be more references in pop culture, which will in turn bring more awareness to the issues. Just this month in GQ magazine, there was an article on cutting back on smart phone use that included several practical strategies including turning your phone to grey scale. Apparently seeing apps/pictures/games etc in grey scale is less appealing and people were found to reduce their phone screen...
Reply
Re: Lots of video gaming online: problem ?
Hi Suzie, Thanks for joining our community and posting your question. ConnexOntario is a great resource for information about referrals for mental health and addiction services that you and/or your son can access. You can reach them through online chat or email at https://www.connexontario.ca/ or by phone at 1-866-531-2600. If you reside outside of Ontario, they also provide a list of services in Canada and internationally: http://www.connexontario.ca/Home/Links . Since you mentioned that...
Reply
Re: Cashing in on Mental Health?
This is a good article! Thanks Howie. CAMH has also advocated for closing hours and to not allow casinos to stay open for 24 hours. We have some other policy statements available here: https://learn.problemgambling.ca/policy
Reply
Re: Inventory of Gambling Situations mobile app now available
That's good to hear! This is a great tool for identifying situations that can lead to gambling. If you work with people with gambling problems, you should check out the webinar mentioned above.
Reply
Re: 60 minutes interview
I've always loved this debate! I've always been pro-screen time but as Twenge states in the article, "it should be a tool you use. Not a tool that uses you." There are a few arguments I want to make here - having worked with children with developmental disabilities, I've seen first hand the benefits of using iPADs. Whether it be for learning receptive-identifying skills, developing fine/gross-motor skills, using video modeling to teach tasks, or tacting responses, digital applications make...
Reply
Re: The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains
It will be interesting to see if they control for things like income and other social determinants of health. I have a sense that it might be more likely for parents with fewer resources to use the phone/TV as a coping strategy, especially if they don't have as much support as other more affluent parents.
Reply
Re: The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains
Hi Nimira, You make an excellent point. Another thing to consider, on the opposite spectrum, is that many middle class to upper class schools now utilize tablets and laptops as part of the school curriculum. Does the content matter? Or is it just screen time. I wonder if the added family resources outside of school, that may support vacations, hobbies and sports (events away from screen time) and resources that support enhanced learning, is large enough to combat the effects of increased...
Reply
Re: The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains
I was just about to say that Aaron! Content matters! This has been an ongoing debate and I'm afraid I'm on the pro-screen time. I find these studies skewed... "If you give a child an app where they play with virtual Legos, virtual blocks, and stack them, and then put real blocks in front of them, they start all over," Why would you test block-building capacity and say this skill isn't transferable when using real blocks? Seems pretty obvious. I'm sure if you tested for non gross motor skills...
Reply
Re: Bell Let's Talk - part of the problem?
I really don't think there is much substance to this article. Screen time, social media and all-the-time internet access is the reality of today. Not everyone abuses or is negatively affected by these mediums just as not every person who drinks is addicted to alcohol. I agree that there does seem to be some sort of shallowness to the campaign but it does get people talking. Moreover, I agree with the possible negative effects of these new communication mediums. However, it is not as if this...
Reply
Re: Bell Let's Talk - part of the problem?
I completely agree Aaron! Bell is not to blame for mental health prevalence, stigma, and or self-esteem issues. It is merely a medium, as you put, a vessel by which content is delivered. People like to make the argument that perhaps Bell is enabling mental health issues but perhaps it is also enabling change - which is exactly the purpose of the BellLetsTalk campaign. For a campaign that brought in $7.2M in grants (800k being put towards Indigenous communities), not to mention the level of...
Reply
Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time
Aaron, I think you're right in that nothing is ever purely positive or negative. Interestingly, a lot of the discussion around social media use come from a place of privilege. I often think about this tweet (and link) from the Pew Research Center: "80% of blacks say social media highlight important issues that might not get a lot of attention otherwise; the same share of whites say these sites distract from more important issues https:// pewrsr.ch/2zw872s "
Reply
Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time
Hi Simon, That is a very interesting point, one of which I had not thought of before. Thank you for bringing that to my attention
Reply
Re: Can technology use help with anxiety and depression?
Whether it is to temporarily distract from the overwhelming feelings or to learn more about strategies that work, it seems the best use of technology when one tries to find help from available resources in absence of another instantly available professional help. In practice, I often suggest the clients take the help of YouTube videos for guided meditation, positive affirmations, etc.
Reply
Re: Gambling for Shoes?
I am shaking my head over this one. As gambling is defined as “risking money or something of value on the outcome of an event involving chance when the probability of winning or losing is less than certain”. I would consider this ‘gambling’. Would this fall under the pervue of OLG or AGCO for follow-up? Interesting this article (referenced in the first article) speaks to the game being rigged. If it is proven to be rigged, I wonder about the fall-out, if any, for the gaming industry?
Reply
Re: Gambling for Shoes?
Interesting for sure. I would call it a form of "recreational gambling" although $5 a pop seems very high. I agree it could become a potentially risky activity for people who are more vulnerable - quite a few in Queen West!
Reply
Re: Gambling for Shoes?
Thanks for sharing the article about the lawsuit @Registered Member. It will be interesting to see whether the game has some element of skill, and whether the advertisements about it were truthful. I agree with both @Registered Member and @Registered Member that this is a form of unregulated gambling. I find it interesting how forms of gambling evolve over time and how they are now popping up outside of casinos.
Reply
Re: Sleep problems in teenagers reversed in just one week by limiting screen use
Might be worth investigating what else the teens are doing in their newly found 4 hours of time not sitting in front of a screen. If they are exercising, that might be the reason they are sleeping better, rather than blue light avoidance.
Reply
Re: Gambling and Gaming Harms: Ontario Professional Development Forum
@Alison Benedict and @Elaine Uskoski - I enjoyed both the Current Trends in Youth Gambling, Gaming, Technology Use and Cannabis panel as well as the Working Across Sectors to Improve Access to Gambling Treatment for Diverse Populations breakout session. I honestly learned so much from both of your talks and want to thank you for sharing your personal experience with us. Another part of the forum that I enjoyed was meeting everyone at our booth during the first day. It is always nice to hear...
Reply
Re: Blog: A Health Communication Campaign to Address Gambling Among College Students
Thanks Tiffany! Interesting blog. Really hits home the need to: 1. Develop different communications for different needs/audiences (i.e. some featuring slot machines and others sports betting); and 2. The importance of involving the target audience in the design, testing and evaluation of the communication strategy in order to minimize potential unintended negative consequences.
Reply
Re: "An age-by-age guide to kids and smartphones"
Thanks for sharing, Matt! I think this article provides a lot of great discussion points and things to consider. As mentioned in the article, guidelines from the Canadian Paediatric Society and American Academy of Pediatrics suggest limiting recreational screen time for youth to minimize the risk of future problem technology use but I think this is just a starting point. Risk factors such as a child's developmental stage, any existing mental health problems and even what the child is doing...
Reply
Re: "An age-by-age guide to kids and smartphones"
Thanks for your responses, Tiffany and Rebecca! I totally agree that it is important to also consider what the screens are being used for and for parents to set an example. I don't have experience working with children with problem technology use (PTU), but I do have some experience working with youth and emerging adults with PTU. Some additional strategies that I have seen to be effective in clinical practice with this population include: -using apps that block access to certain sites (such...
Reply
Re: "An age-by-age guide to kids and smartphones"
I agree Elaine that it is so important to share our stories, so we can learn from each other. When you read a guideline or suggestion around screen time, sometimes it doesn't sink in, especially when you are dealing with toddler tantrums or pre-teen drama. But when you hear someone's story, of how dangerous and life-changing technology use and screen time can be, it really hits home.
Reply
Re: Blog: Vocational Goals & Recovery
Thanks Sylvia! Yes, I look forward to speaking on the topic of meaningful activities during the webinar that I will be facilitating in March! I should also mention that the vocational supports discussed in the blog I wrote focus on treatment for clients with problem gambling, but many of these strategies can also be applied to clients with other types of problematic behaviours, such as problem technology use.
Reply
Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use
Great article, Howie. And thanks for shedding light on your personal experiences, Elaine. It's interesting because most of the theories I've heard concerning the link between ADHD and digital media use focus on how the symptoms of ADHD (e.g., inattentiveness, impulsivity, etc.) put a person at risk for developing problematic technology use as an unhealthy way of coping with/expressing these symptoms. However, in your son's case, it appears that his video gaming preceded his ADHD symptoms.