Turn-About Ranch has had many parents inquire about what to do for teens struggling with technology addictions. This is an especially important issue in 2020 and going into 2021, as students are spending less time in a physical school environment due to COVID-19 — giving them more time to play video games and be on social media. Many students are even finding themselves doing online school which inherently increases the number of hours they spend in front of a screen.

To help parents test whether or not their teens are addicted to electronics, Turn-About Ranch published a quiz blog in November. The quiz is only 12 questions long, but it’s designed to help assess the level of addiction. Parents are also taken through why teens get addicted to electronics. The blog talks about potential reasons being overexposure, depression, and anxiety. It also says, “There is almost always a root cause to digital addiction, and that is what needs to be addressed more than anything.”

Furthermore, the blog gives four key suggestions for ways parents can help their teens:

•  Have a charging station where electronics can be placed when not in use.
• Set a rule for when electronics have to be turned in.
• Block usage on your router for certain times.
• Restrict data usage.

While electronics addictions aren’t always diagnosed, they can be treated. It is important to set boundaries and to learn better habits when it comes to technology usage, but it’s also important to dive into the issues that may have caused the addiction. Turn-About Ranch specializes in treating youth struggling with various types of addictions, anger management, and a variety of issues that impact family life. If you have a client or a teen who needs help, please call Turn-About Ranch at (800) 842-1165.

About Turn-About Ranch

Turn-About Ranch is a wilderness therapy and residential treatment program located in the heart of Southern Utah’s canyon country. Students experience life on a real working ranch while undergoing treatment to improve their life back home. Surrounded by multiple national parks and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Turn-About Ranch is the ideal location for youth of today to have the space they need to find healing and purpose.  If you have any questions about Turn-About Ranch, please call their admissions office at (800) 842-1165 between the hours of 8am and 6pm Mountain Standard Time.