Internet Addiction in Teenagers

Since 2007, L. Jay Mitchell has overseen operations for the Greenbrier School for Girls, which maintains membership in the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. Under L. Jay Mitchell’s leadership, Greenbrier Academy provides therapeutic programming for teenage girls dealing with issues such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.

In a 2016 survey by Common Sense Media, more than 50 percent of teenagers said they feel addicted to their mobile devices and 75 percent said they feel pressure to respond immediately to social media posts and texts. When Internet and social media usage begins to crowd out other activities such as sports, socializing, and eating, the habit may require intervention.

To recognize the signs of Internet addiction, parents should note whether their teen is spending two-thirds or more of their free time online and if they are withdrawing from friends and family and normal hobbies. They should also evaluate if the teen talks about the Internet when they are not using it, or if they lie about their time online. Finally, is the habit interfering with sleep or causing physical symptoms such as eye strain or headaches? If so, parents may wish to seek more information or consult a therapist trained in Internet addiction among teenagers.

Purposeful Aspirations Build Self-Worth

 

L. Jay Mitchell is the founder of Greenbrier Academy for Girls, a boarding school in rural West Virginia that provides tools for recovery and personal growth. A foundation of L. Jay Mitchell’s methodology and philosophy at Greenbrier Academy centers on purposeful aspirations to reach emotional well-being.

The Aspirations is a series of five virtue combinations that define healthy ways of giving and receiving love. A unified system, the Aspirations seek to persuade the students that they are lovable. Its components are courtesy/compassion, respect/gratitude, empathy/forgiveness, honor/humility, and trust/trustworthiness.

These combinations cut through the unhealthy core identity belief that a person is unlovable and help them overcome negative concepts such as “deficient,” “unworthy,” and “not enough.” Unfortunately, these concepts often are buttressed by a barrier of denial, with students desperate, for seemingly irrational reasons, to protect their negative core beliefs.

Forging a commitment to the Aspirations starts with the “Village” experience: a connective campus environment that encourages students to expand their concept of a loving self and release shame and harmful self-judgments. Through connections with other students and staff, students find pathways toward “the light within” and gain the impetus to share this positivity with others.

Reinforced by students and mentors who have gone through the process, young women at Greenbrier Academy learn to embrace the Aspirations and integrate them into everyday life. This investment in a positive self-image can last a lifetime and carry through to family long after graduation from Greenbrier Academy.