By the time children turn 10, they may already be on a path that doubles—or even triples—their risk of suicide.
A new longitudinal study published in JAMA Network Open found that young people who compulsively use phones, video games, or social media face significantly higher risks of suicidal ideation and emotional distress by early adolescence.
“The most important takeaway is that it’s not the amount of screen time that puts youth at risk—it’s how they use screens that matters most,” Yunyu Xiao, lead author and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, told The Epoch Times in an email.
Children who felt upset when separated from their phones, struggled to stop using apps, or turned to screens as a coping mechanism were most likely to use screens compulsively, which predicted later mental health challenges.
“This shifts the conversation away from concerns about screen exposure and toward a more precise focus on addictive use,” Xiao said.
Risks and Early Warning Signs
The study, which followed more than 4,200 children for four years as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, is believed to be the largest long-term brain development research in U.S. history.
Unlike earlier studies that emphasized total screen time, researchers analyzed “addictive use trajectories”—patterns defined by increased compulsion, emotional dependence, and difficulty disengaging from screens over time. These patterns proved to be more predictive of suicide risk than screen time alone.
Children in the study were asked to respond to statements such as “I feel upset when I can’t use my phone” and “I use social media to feel better when I’m down.”
Based on their responses, researchers grouped children into low, increasing, or high-risk patterns by tracking how their screen habits and emotional attachment to devices changed over time.
Nearly half showed signs of high or escalating screen dependency–often beginning at about age 10.
By age 14, nearly one in three had developed a pattern of increasingly compulsive social media use, and about one in four showed similar behavior with cellphones. These kids were up to 2.4 times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviors than those with low-addictive use.
More than 30 percent of children transitioned from lower- to higher-risk patterns during early adolescence—often with serious consequences.
“What surprised us was the lack of association between total screen time and suicide-related or mental health outcomes,” Xiao said. “In contrast, the trajectory of addictive use—marked by high and increasing compulsion, distress, and difficulty disengaging—was associated with a two- to threefold increase in suicidal behaviors and ideation.”
Girls were more likely than boys to develop problematic social media habits. Boys, by contrast, were more likely to show addictive use of video games.
Beyond suicide risk, addictive use was tied to emotional and behavioral symptoms. Social media use was linked with anxiety and depression as well as aggression and irritability. Video game addiction was more closely tied to sadness, withdrawal, and persistent low mood.
While the study didn’t examine the mechanisms behind these associations, research suggests that emotionally struggling children may turn to screens as a way to cope—yet compulsive use can worsen struggles by preventing children from processing difficult emotions in healthier ways.
Licensed psychotherapist Thomas Kersting, who was not involved in the study, told The Epoch Times that those symptoms often show up at home as more than just typical mood swings. Kersting works with teens with digital dependency and is the author of “Disconnected: How to Protect Your Kids From the Harmful Effects of Device Dependency.”
“If your child becomes aggressive or even explosive when you take the device away—that’s not just attitude, that’s withdrawal,” he said. “It’s one of the earliest warning signs that their relationship with screens is becoming emotionally unhealthy.”
Not All Screen Time Is Equal
The study shows that how kids engage with screens matters more than merely the amount of screen time.
That doesn’t mean screen time is benign. Overuse can still displace vital activities such as sleep, physical activity, and in-person connection. Many platforms are designed to maximize engagement and make stopping difficult.
Child psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Dunckley told The Epoch Times in an email that high screen time and compulsive use often go hand in hand—and both can heighten emotional vulnerability.
“Kids who are drawn to screens like a moth to a flame and have a hard time stopping are at higher risk,” Dunckley said. “Even with … ‘normal’ use, screen-related mood and behavior issues are increasingly common. And across the board, we see improvement when screen use is reduced.”
Dunckley also said that interactive screen time—especially social media and video games—can overstimulate and dysregulate the nervous system by desensitizing reward pathways, disrupting the body’s internal clock, and triggering chronic fight-or-flight activation.
Many of these platforms prey on developmental vulnerabilities and evolutionary instincts, she said.
“So it doesn’t make sense to expect tweens and teens to ‘regulate their use’ in the face of apps that are designed to hijack their brains,” Dunckley said.
What Parents Can Watch For
Xiao encourages caregivers to ask:
- Is my child withdrawing from real-life activities and relationships?
- Does my child become distressed when disconnected from devices?
- Does my child struggle to stop, even when the desire to stop is there?
Kersting also said that sudden irritability or emotional volatility involving device use should raise an alarm.
“If your usually calm child suddenly turns into the Hulk when you take the phone or game away, that’s a red flag,” he said. “I’ve seen kids scream, curse, even get physical.”
It may also look like pulling away from family and showing signs of sadness or isolation. When those patterns emerge, Kersting said, it’s time to act.
“Start parenting up—set rules, no devices in the bedroom at night, bring the kids back into shared spaces,” he said.
Resetting the System
Dunckley said screen overuse often compounds emotional struggles and that it can’t be treated as a separate issue.
“In my experience, it’s an uphill battle to effectively address mental health issues without addressing screen habits first,” she said.
Dunckley recommends that parents educate themselves on how screens affect the nervous system—especially mood, sleep, and attention. In more serious cases, she advises a “screen fast” of three to four weeks to reset emotional regulation and behavior.
“Simply cutting down often doesn’t work with an addicted child,” Dunckley said.
A full break gives the nervous system time to recalibrate, which often opens the door to more creative, social, and active play.
The goal, the experts agree, isn’t to ultimately eliminate screens but to build healthier habits.
Tips for Families
- Keep mealtimes and bedtime screen-free.
- Encourage daily offline activities.
- Talk regularly about online experiences.
- Model balance and boundaries as adults.
“Don’t focus just on how long kids are on their phones,” Xiao said. “Pay attention to how their use is affecting their well-being, relationships, and daily functioning.”
