Excessive Screen Time Can Lead to Suicidal Outcomes Among Children and Teens

Teen Suicide Prevention Series

July 20, 2026

Nicole Runyon, Author and Psychotherapist, Book Author, Keynote Speaker

Tom O'Connor, Publisher

When devices are present, we lose human connection. Social media, the internet, and apps help keep us connected when we cannot be together due to distance or location. These cannot replace a real human connection. Misuse leads to unintended consequences that are detrimental to child and adolescent mental health.

As a whole, mental health has been deteriorating over the last decade. We are seeing more anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal outcomes among children and adolescents than ever before. We have reached epidemic levels of suicide. We must gain a firm understanding of children's developmental needs if we hope to reverse these trends.

Today, one of the greatest risk factors for suicidal outcomes is social isolation. When a child feels disconnected from the people in their life, this can lead to loneliness, low self-esteem, apathy, and a lack of motivation. Often, children will say, "What's the point?" or ask themselves questions like, "Why am I here?"

What is this phenomenon, and why is it happening?

Developmentally, children around age nine begin to individuate and see themselves as people outside of their families. Friends become increasingly important. During adolescence, peer relationships are central to healthy development. Young people need opportunities to interact, belong, solve conflicts, read social cues, and develop meaningful relationships.

With today's technology, it may seem that children and adolescents are more connected to their peers than ever before. While there are benefits to connecting online, there is a growing imbalance between virtual interaction and real-world relationships. Many young people spend hours engaging with screens while becoming increasingly disconnected from the people physically present in their lives.

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Emerging research suggests that the issue is not simply the amount of screen time, but the nature of the relationship a child develops with technology. Researchers have found that children who demonstrate compulsive or addictive patterns of screen use—such as being unable to stop, becoming distressed when disconnected, or using devices to escape difficult emotions—are significantly more likely to experience depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal behaviors.

The concern becomes even greater when we consider the cumulative effects. Longitudinal studies have found that sustained heavy media use throughout adolescence is associated with increased rates of suicidal behavior later in life. Research involving children as young as 9 to 11 years old found that each additional hour of daily screen time increased the likelihood of future suicidal behaviors.

Why does this happen?

Excessive screen use displaces many of the experiences children need most. Time spent online often replaces physical activity, family interaction, face-to-face friendships, independent play, and restorative sleep—all of which are protective factors against depression and suicide.

In addition, children are exposed to cyberbullying, toxic social comparison, unrealistic standards, harmful content, and constant social evaluation. Their developing brains are often unequipped to process this volume of information and emotional stimulation. Over time, these experiences can erode self-esteem, increase anxiety, and contribute to feelings of hopelessness.

In my practice, I often saw children who had formed unhealthy attachments to people they knew only through a screen while simultaneously withdrawing from their families, friends, and communities. Their virtual world becomes more meaningful than their real one.

Parents should be aware of the warning signs that technology use may be moving from a habit to a dependency. These include a child constantly thinking about their device, becoming irritable or anxious when unable to access it, continuing to use it despite negative consequences such as declining grades or poor sleep, or using technology primarily to escape difficult emotions.

When children are struggling emotionally, parents often believe removing devices will solve the problem. While limiting or eliminating access may be necessary, it is only part of the solution. The deeper issue is often the child's relationship with technology and the needs that technology has come to fulfill.

Children need help reconnecting to the real world. They need meaningful relationships, family engagement, opportunities for mastery, physical activity, responsibilities, and a sense of purpose. Most importantly, they need adults willing to step in and lead.

Parents and families must take responsibility for their own relationship with technology and the culture they create inside their homes. Have conversations—especially the difficult ones. Create opportunities for connection. Establish boundaries. Model healthy behavior. Build relationships strong enough that your child turns to you before turning to a screen.

A virtual connection cannot replace a human connection. No app, platform, or device can meet a child's developmental need for belonging, attachment, and authentic relationships.

The Teen Suicide and Excessive Screen Time Connection

If we want to reduce anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide among children and teens, we must stop treating excessive screen time as harmless entertainment and start recognizing it as a significant threat to healthy development.

When devices are present, we lose human connection. Social media, the internet, and apps help keep us connected when we cannot be together due to distance or location. These cannot replace a real human connection. Misuse leads to unintended consequences that are detrimental to child and adolescent mental health.

As a whole, mental health has been deteriorating over the last decade. We are seeing more anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal outcomes among children and adolescents than ever before. We have reached epidemic levels of suicide. We must gain a firm understanding of their developmental needs to prevent losing more children to suicide.

Today, one of the greatest risk factors for suicidal outcomes is social isolation. When a child feels disconnected from the people in their life, this can lead to loneliness, low self-esteem, apathy, and a lack of motivation. Often, children will say, "What's the point?" or ask themselves questions like "Why am I here?"

What is this phenomenon, and why is it happening? Developmentally, children aged nine and older begin to individuate and see themselves as people outside of their families. This is when friends become important to them. Adolescence is the peak of this development, when they need social interaction most.

With today's technology, it may seem that children and adolescents are more connected to their peers than ever. There are many positive experiences of meeting peers online from other geographic areas. In a vacuum, this is positive. However, today's youth spend an increasing amount of time isolated from their peers. Oftentimes, devices and technology disrupt true connections with loved ones. There is an imbalance between virtual socializing and real-time human interaction. In my practice, I see many children forming unhealthy attachments to strangers online and becoming increasingly withdrawn from their real lives.

When children are having a difficult time or acting out, parents often think eliminating their devices and screen time will help. This often backfires, and their child's temperament can worsen if they withhold devices or technology. Parents are often at a loss about how to move forward.

When a child is struggling emotionally, removing the device is necessary but only part of the solution. The child needs help distinguishing between the virtual and real worlds. Parents need to foster experiences for their children that build connections with family and friends.

Parents and families need to reduce their screen time and take responsibility for their relationship with technology. Have conversations – difficult ones – that build upon the existing relationship. These create an atmosphere of trust and safety, allowing children and adolescents to approach their parents with tough issues. A virtual connection cannot replace a human connection.

If Pandora's Box has been opened and a child has been given a smart device before they are developmentally ready. Here are some ways to navigate stepping into your authority as the adult who is in a position to protect your childhood.

1. Apologize for allowing something into your family that you didn't fully understand. Explain that you understand now because you have learned all the ways technology can be damaging to a developing brain, and when we know better, we do better. We all make mistakes, and we must learn from them. It's good modeling.

2. Talk about your family's value system. Some families are vegetarian, some follow a certain religion, and others celebrate specific holidays. The use of technology falls in that category. Parents are in charge of the way a family operates.

3. Help them fill in the real world. It's not just taking the devices away or setting limits on kids who have previously had unfettered access. It's finding out what is missing in the real world that is making them prefer an online one. You can require that they do something; they can choose, but they have to do something. They can find a sport, an activity, or exercise, learn to cook or garden, and, if they are old enough, find a job or volunteer somewhere.

4. Spend more time with them. They might make you think they are rejection-agers, but they still need you and want you to connect with them. I recently heard a teenager describe how her dad asked her to go for a walk without her phone. She said she didn't want to, but she did because he asked. She was glad she had done so and enjoyed connecting with him.

5. Have "no phone" zones, like no phones at the dinner table.

6. Do not allow phones in the bedroom at night; set a boundary that sleep is important. 

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Read Nicole's bio by clicking her icon at the start of this article.

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