CCHR Urges U.S. Reform as Global Court Momentum Builds Against Forced Psychiatry
LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 16, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — In what is being widely reported as a landmark human rights decision, Italy's Constitutional Court in May 2025 struck down part of the country's decades-old psychiatric law—Article 35 of Law 833/1978—declaring some of its provisions for involuntary detainment unconstitutional. The ruling affirms that individuals subjected to compulsory psychiatric hospitalization must have the right to challenge such detention in court with legal representation.[1] The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR), based in Los Angeles, hailed the decision as an essential step towards achieving human rights in the mental health field. CCHR said its chapters worldwide are intensifying efforts to urge courts and lawmakers to follow suit and ultimately abolish forced psychiatric hospitalization and treatment. The group called on the United States to replicate—and expand—such protections.
In the U.S., the practice of forced psychiatric detainment has sharply escalated. According to David Cohen, professor of social welfare at UCLA's Luskin School, involuntary psychiatric detentions have increased at a rate three times higher than population growth in recent years.[2]
A 2023 report, Involuntary Civil Commitment: Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Protections, posted on Congress.gov, underscores that such commitments 'implicate constitutional concerns and constraints under the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution,' particularly regarding the liberty interests of confined individuals. Yet, it notes the U.S. Supreme Court has never conclusively ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees all such protections.[3]
While the Italian court ruling is significant, CCHR notes that it stops short of banning Trattamento Sanitario Obbligatorio (TSO), the Italian legal framework for compulsory psychiatric hospitalization.[4] The U.S. similarly authorizes involuntary psychiatric treatment through legislative orders. In both countries, forced interventions remain legal despite mounting ethical criticism.
Coercion in mental health settings has increasingly drawn global condemnation. Critics argue that forced psychiatric treatment fundamentally violates human dignity and autonomy. A 2023 study in BMC Psychiatry concluded that coercion is incompatible with human rights and 'should be avoided as far as possible.'[5] That same year, The Lancet warned that coercive psychiatric practices override patients' fundamental rights, and that approaches to reduce coercion are possible, and the cost of implementing them is minimal compared to the damage caused by forced interventions.[6]
Italy's decision follows another recent victory involving CCHR efforts in Europe. In Hungary, CCHR collaborated with legal experts to secure a Constitutional Court ruling that found Parliament had failed to provide legal avenues for individuals unlawfully detained in psychiatric facilities to seek compensation. Following sustained advocacy by CCHR Hungary, others, the Court and the President of the Republic, a new regulation was enacted on December 20, 2024, guaranteeing—for the first time—the legal right to compensation for victims of unlawful psychiatric detention.[7]
CCHR's international work continues to gain recognition. On June 2, 2025, New Zealand CCHR volunteer Victor Boyd was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit by King Charles III. The honor recognized his 50-year campaign with CCHR to expose coercive psychiatric practices, particularly those used against children at the now-closed Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital's Child and Adolescent Unit. Boyd's relentless advocacy through CCHR helped prompt a formal government acknowledgement of the abuse and torture carried out by a psychiatrist heading the unit. The award is endorsed by the New Zealand Prime Minister and the Parliamentary Cabinet.[8]
Momentum is also growing at the global policy level. The World Health Organization (WHO) released its Guidance on Mental Health Policy and Strategic Action Plan in April 2025, recommending the prohibition of involuntary psychiatric practices—including forced hospitalization and treatment—and affirming individuals' right to refuse such treatment. The WHO and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have repeatedly called for mental health systems to move away from coercion and adopt rights-respecting, support-based alternative approaches.
These international reforms are grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which Italy ratified in 2009. The CRPD explicitly rejects coercive interventions in mental health care. Its General Comment No. 1 affirms that all individuals—regardless of disability status—retain full legal capacity and must be supported, not substituted, in making decisions about their lives and health.[9]
About CCHR: Since its founding in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and professor of psychiatry, Dr. Thomas Szasz, CCHR has worked alongside survivors, whistleblowers, and international legal experts to expose systemic psychiatric abuse and advocate for transparent, non-coercive mental health care. The growing international rulings, government acknowledgements, and awards highlight a turning tide—and CCHR says now is the time for the United States to implement legal reforms that respect the rights, liberty, and dignity of all individuals in mental health settings.
To learn more, visit: https://www.cchrint.org/2025/06/13/italys-court-ruling-builds-against-forced-psychiatry/
Sources:
[1] 'CCHR Encourages Italy to Complete Full Mental Health Reform After Court Ruling on Forced Treatment,' European Times, 5 June 2025, https://europeantimes.news/2025/06/cchr-italy-full-mental-health-reform-court-ruling-forced-treatment/
[2] https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/656273520/new-who-mental-health-guideline-condemns-coercive-psychiatric-practices; 'Study finds involuntary psychiatric detentions on the rise,' UCLA Newsroom, 3 Nov. 2020, https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/involuntary-psychiatric-detentions-on-the-rise
[3] Hannah-Alise Rogers, 'Involuntary Civil Commitment: Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Protections,' Health Care; Law, Constitution & Civil Liberties, 24 May 2023, https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47571
[4] 'CCHR Encourages Italy to Complete Full Mental Health Reform After Court Ruling on Forced Treatment,' European Times, 5 June 2025, https://europeantimes.news/2025/06/cchr-italy-full-mental-health-reform-court-ruling-forced-treatment/
[5] Eva Brekke, et al., 'Patients' experiences with coercive mental health treatment in Flexible Assertive Community Treatment: a qualitative study,' BMC Psychiatry, 18 Oct. 2023, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37853402/
[6] Beate Wild, et al., 'Reduction of coercion in psychiatric hospitals: how can this be achieved?' The Lancet, Dec. 2023, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(23)00214-4/fulltext
[7] https://www.cchrint.org/2025/05/17/apa-faces-outrage-child-deaths-mental-health-failure/
[8] 'King's Birthday Honours: Advocate dedicates award to survivors of abuse in care,' RNZ, 2 June 2025, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/562817/king-s-birthday-honours-advocate-dedicates-award-to-survivors-of-abuse-in-care; 'Abuses in psychiatric care: The shameful story of the Lake Alice Child and Adolescent unit in Aotearoa New Zealand,' Aust N Z J Psychiatry, 2023 Sep;57(9):1193-1197, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10466991/; https://www.cchrint.org/2021/07/01/cchrs-work-acknowledged-nz-inquiry-lake-alice-psychiatric-child-torture/
[9] 'CCHR Encourages Italy to Complete Full Mental Health Reform After Court Ruling on Forced Treatment,' European Times, 5 June 2025, https://europeantimes.news/2025/06/cchr-italy-full-mental-health-reform-court-ruling-forced-treatment/
MULTIMEDIA
Image link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/25-0617-s2p-cchrrulings-300dpi.jpg
Image caption: The growing international rulings, government acknowledgements, and awards highlight a turning tide—and now is the time for the United States to implement legal reforms that respect the rights, liberty, and dignity of all individuals in mental health settings. – CCHR International
NEWS SOURCE: Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Keywords: General Editorial, Citizens Commission on Human Rights International, CCHR Italy, human rights decision, Italy Constitutional Court, Forced Psychiatry, LOS ANGELES, Calif.
This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P126957 APNF0325A
To view the original version, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/cchr-urges-u-s-reform-as-global-court-momentum-builds-against-forced-psychiatry/
© 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA.
RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT.
Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News24
an hour ago
- News24
Is your child's screen time creating a mental health problem? Experts weigh in
In a country where adults spend nearly a third of their waking hours scrolling through smartphones, South African children are silently suffering the consequences of our collective screen addiction. The South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) is sounding the alarm on what has become a genuine mental health crisis among the nation's youth. The concern has grown so widespread that 'brain-rot'—the term describing the impact of consuming excessive low-quality online content—was recently crowned Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year. For South African families, this isn't just a clever phrase but a daily reality with serious implications. The numbers tell a troubling story Research reveals a direct connection between screen time and mental well-being. Adolescents spending more than five hours daily on digital devices are 70% more likely to experience suicidal thoughts or actions compared to those with less than an hour of daily screen time. Even moderate usage (4-6 hours daily) significantly increases symptoms of anxiety and depression. South African adults are setting a problematic example, averaging 9 hours and 37 minutes daily on smartphones. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok consume more than 22% of this time. 'If we as adults are addicted, how can they not be?' questions Prof. Renata Schoeman, psychiatrist and SASOP member. 'We cannot expect children to moderate their screen time when they see adults constantly glued to their phones. Children learn by observing. If we don't model healthy digital behaviour, we are silently endorsing screen addiction.' Read more | 3 reasons why you should trade screen-time for cuddles with your little one Beyond mental health: The full impact The consequences extend beyond mental health concerns. Studies across 14 countries found that mobile phones consistently distract students from learning. Even having a phone nearby with notifications interrupts concentration, and once distracted, children may need up to 20 minutes to refocus. Professor Schoeman outlines several specific mental health impacts linked to excessive screen use: Increased risk of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem Disrupted sleep, especially when screens are used before bedtime Declining academic performance due to concentration issues and reduced motivation Social withdrawal as digital interactions replace face-to-face connections Exposure to harmful content including cyber-bullying and messages promoting disordered eating Physical health also suffers, with screen-addicted children experiencing higher rates of obesity, headaches, eye strain, and poor posture. Finding balance in a digital world Despite these concerns, SASOP isn't advocating for complete digital abstinence. 'It's not about banning screens, it's about balance,' explains Prof. Schoeman. 'There's a big difference between a family movie night and hours of unmonitored scrolling or gaming. The key is to be mindful, involved and consistent.' Read more | Boys in Crisis | A look behind why boy children are 'left' behind in society For parents seeking guidance, Prof. Schoeman offers practical recommendations: Age-appropriate limits: no screens for children under 2 years; maximum 1 hour for ages 2-5; ideally no more than 2 hours daily for older children Prioritise offline activities, particularly outdoors, to support overall wellbeing Model responsible habits by taking breaks and switching off devices during meals and before bedtime Establish device-free zones and times, especially during family meals Take overnight custody of children's devices to ensure proper sleep 'Children don't need perfection from their parents, they need consistency,' Prof. Schoeman emphasises. 'Small, daily changes like putting your phone away at dinner sends a powerful message. And right now, our children need that message more than ever.' In a nation where digital devices have become extensions of ourselves, the most valuable gift we can offer the next generation might be teaching them when—and how—to disconnect.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Zealand Pharma announces positive topline results from 28-week Phase 1b trial with GLP-1/GLP-2 receptor dual agonist dapiglutide
Company announcement – No. 15 / 2025 Zealand Pharma announces positive topline results from 28-week Phase 1b trial with GLP-1/GLP-2 receptor dual agonist dapiglutide Body weight reductions of a mean of 11.6% after 28 weeks with dapiglutide escalated up to 26 mg, with 95% of trial participants being male, a median baseline BMI of 28.5 kg/m2, and no lifestyle modifications Treatment with dapiglutide was assessed to be safe and well-tolerated with gastrointestinal adverse events consistent with the profile reported with other incretin-based therapies Unique, dual mechanism, including GLP-2 activity, designed to target obesity-related comorbid conditions driven by low-grade inflammation Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18, 2025 – Zealand Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ZEAL) (CVR-no. 20045078), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative peptide-based medicines, today announces positive topline clinical results from Part 2 of a Phase 1b multiple ascending dose (MAD) trial, investigating safety, tolerability, and clinical effects of 28 weeks of treatment with dapiglutide, a long-acting GLP-1/GLP-2 receptor dual agonist1. 'We are very encouraged by the impressive weight loss with dapiglutide after 28 weeks that appears on par with the most efficacious once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist-based therapy on the market today, despite the almost entirely male and relatively lean trial population,' said David Kendall, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Zealand Pharma. 'Dapiglutide is a unique GLP-1 receptor agonist-based therapy, aiming to leverage a dual mechanism that includes GLP-2. Our mid- to late-stage obesity pipeline includes differentiated GLP-1 receptor agonist-based therapies that target people with obesity-related comorbid conditions, and our amylin analog, petrelintide, with potential as a foundational therapy for weight management, addressing unmet needs among the majority of people with overweight and obesity.' In this Part 2 of the Phase 1b MAD trial, a total of 30 participants (~93% male) with a median age of 44.5 years, a median baseline body weight of 91.9 kg, and a median baseline BMI of 28.8 kg/m2 were randomized to receive 28 weekly doses of either dapiglutide or placebo (2:1) within one dose cohort. At week 28, the estimated mean body weight decreased by 11.6% from baseline among participants on dapiglutide treatment. Placebo treatment resulted in a mean body weight decrease of 0.2% from baseline2. No lifestyle modifications, such as diet or exercise, were included in the trial. Higher doses of dapiglutide compared to the prior 13-week Part 1 of the trial were assessed to be safe and well-tolerated in the trial, with no severe or serious treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) reported. The vast majority of TEAEs were mild and the most common were gastrointestinal (GI), including nausea and vomiting. Two participants withdrew due to TEAEs, one of which was related to GI events. Overall, the number of GI events observed was consistent with clinical trials of other incretin-based therapies. A low number of participants reported injection site reactions, all of which were mild. About the Phase 1b trialThe Phase 1b trial is a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in participants with overweight or obesity (eligible BMI 27.0 to 39.9 kg/m2), investigating safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of multiple doses of dapiglutide as subcutaneous injections using a dose escalation scheme (NCT06000891). No lifestyle modifications, such as diet or exercise, are included in the trial. The trial consists of Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 included 54 participants in three cohorts receiving 13 once-weekly doses of dapiglutide or placebo, with rapid dose escalation every second week. Participants randomized to the highest dose cohort (13 mg) received the target dose for a period of 5 weeks. Topline results from Part 1 showed placebo-adjusted reductions in body weight of up to a mean of 8.3% with dapiglutide after 13 weeks (up to 6.2% mean weight loss on dapiglutide; 2.1% mean weight gain on placebo)3. Detailed results from Part 1 of the Phase 1b MAD trial with dapiglutide will be presented at the American Diabetes Association's 85th Scientific Sessions in Chicago, Illinois on June 20, 2025. Part 2 of the trial includes 30 participants receiving 28 once-weekly doses of dapiglutide up to 26 mg or placebo within one dose cohort, with dose escalation every fourth week. About dapiglutideDapiglutide is a long-acting, dual GLP-1/GLP-2 receptor agonist for the potential treatment of obesity-related comorbidities driven by low-grade inflammation. This is a potentially first-in-class peptide designed to leverage the weight loss effects of a potent GLP-1 receptor agonist and address comorbidities associated with low-grade inflammation through improved intestinal barrier function by GLP-2 receptor activation. About low-grade inflammation and obesityExcess fat storage associated with obesity can trigger low-grade systemic inflammation through reduced intestinal barrier integrity, or 'leaky gut'. Obesity-related low-grade inflammation may result in several comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and neuroinflammation. About Zealand Pharma A/SZealand Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ZEAL) ("Zealand") is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of peptide-based medicines. More than 10 drug candidates invented by Zealand have advanced into clinical development, of which two have reached the market and three candidates are in late-stage development. The company has development partnerships with a number of pharmaceutical companies as well as commercial partnerships for its marketed was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a presence in the United States. For more information about Zealand's business and activities, please visit Forward looking statementsThis company announcement contains 'forward-looking statements', as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 in the United States, as amended, even though no longer listed in the United States this is used as a definition to provide Zealand Pharma's expectations or forecasts of future events regarding the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products, the timing of the company's pre-clinical and clinical trials and the reporting of data therefrom. These forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as 'aim,' 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'forecast,' 'goal,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'plan,' 'possible,' 'potential,' 'will,' 'would' and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, or the scientific data presented. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and inaccurate assumptions, which may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations set forth herein and may cause any or all of such forward-looking statements to be incorrect, and which include, but are not limited to, unexpected costs or delays in clinical trials and other development activities due to adverse safety events, patient recruitment or otherwise; unexpected concerns that may arise from additional data, analysis or results obtained during clinical trials; our ability to successfully market both new and existing products; changes in reimbursement rules and governmental laws and related interpretation thereof; government-mandated or market-driven price decreases for our products; introduction of competing products; production problems at third party manufacturers; dependency on third parties, for instance contract research or development organizations; unexpected growth in costs and expenses; our ability to affect the strategic reorganization of our businesses in the manner planned; failure to protect and enforce our data, intellectual property and other proprietary rights and uncertainties relating to intellectual property claims and challenges; regulatory authorities may require additional information or further studies, or may reject, fail to approve or may delay approval of our drug candidates or expansion of product labeling; failure to obtain regulatory approvals in other jurisdictions; exposure to product liability and other claims; interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; unexpected contract breaches or terminations; inflationary pressures on the global economy; and political and geopolitical uncertainty. If any or all of such forward-looking statements prove to be incorrect, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied by such statements. The foregoing sets forth many, but not all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations in any forward-looking statement. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this company announcement and are based on information available to Zealand Pharma as of the date of this announcement. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. Information concerning pharmaceuticals (including compounds under development) contained within this material is not intended as advertising or medical advice. ContactsAdam Lange (Investors)Vice President, Investor Relationsalange@ Neshat Ahmadi (Investors)Investor Relations Managerneahmadi@ Anna Krassowska (Investors and Media)Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communicationsakrassowska@ Amber Fennell, Jessica Hodgson, Sean Leous (Media)ICR HealthcareZealandPharma@ (0) 7739 658 783 References1. A Trial Assessing Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of ZP7570. Available at Last accessed June 2025.2. Hypothetical estimand = treatment effect if all participants adhered to treatment (also known as the efficacy estimand). 3. Zealand Pharma company announcement No. 44/2024, September 9, 2024. Available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Some kids are in danger of getting addicted to their screens, new study suggests
EDITOR'S NOTE: Kara Alaimo is an associate professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Her book 'Over the Influence: Why Social Media Is Toxic for Women and Girls — And How We Can Take It Back' was published in 2024 by Alcove Press. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters, please call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 to connect with a trained counselor, or visit the 988 Lifeline website. Many parents are worried about how much time our kids are spending on their screens. But a new study suggests that, to figure out how these platforms are affecting our kids, we need to focus on something else. The amount of time kids spent on social media, mobile phones and video games wasn't associated with more internalizing symptoms of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, according to the study published Wednesday, June 18 in JAMA, a journal of the American Medical Association. That time also wasn't associated with more externalizing symptoms of mental health problems, such as rule breaking and aggression — or with suicidal behaviors or suicidal ideation. What mattered was whether they were getting addicted. Addictive use is 'excessive use' that interferes with home responsibilities, schoolwork or other activities, said Yunyu Xiao, lead study author and an assistant professor in the department of population health sciences and department of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. 'They find a craving for it and cannot stop using it.' Almost half the young people studied were on a high trajectory of addictive use for mobile phones, and over 40% were on a high trajectory of addictive use for video games, according to the researchers. Kids with high or increasing use of social media and mobile phones were at two to three times greater risk for suicidal behavior and suicidal ideations than the kids on the lower trajectory, according to the study of over 4,000 US children over a period of four years. The participants were 9 or 10 years old at the start of the study. Other concerning results include: Young people whose social media use was high or increasing also had increased risks of symptoms of mental health problems. High use of video games was associated with greater risk of symptoms of mental health problems, suicidal behaviors and suicidal ideation. Girls were more likely than boys to have high trajectories of addictive social media use, while boys were more likely to have high trajectories of addictive video game use. Xiao acknowledged that the results were self-reported, and the study couldn't account for genetic or environmental factors that could have influenced the results. The study makes clear that parents should try to help kids avoid these kinds of addictions. 'Set boundaries early on,' said Melissa Greenberg, a clinical psychologist at Princeton Psychotherapy Center in New Jersey. She was not involved in the study. Kids should know that there are times when it's not OK to use cell phones, video games and other technology. She also suggested scheduling screen-free time during meals and at night so your family can wind down before bed. She recommended not allowing phones into teens' bedrooms after a designated time each evening. Greenberg also suggested encouraging — and, if necessary, planning — activities for teens that don't involve screens. When I talk to parents, I tell them to let their kids hang out with their friends more. A lot of parents worry about kids' safety when they get together in person, but it's often far more dangerous for them to be in their bedrooms on social media, where they could connect with predators or sextortionists or simply get addicted. Also, 'model a healthy relationship with your own devices,' Greenberg said. 'Parents should be mindful of their own use of devices around their kids and show them by example how to balance screen time and screen-free time.' The Anxious Generation, a movement sparked by Jonathan Haidt's eponymous book, ran a challenge last year, asking young people to commit to screen-free summer Fridays. Can you try doing it this summer with your kids? This week, I've been speaking at training sessions for counselors at summer camps in Wisconsin and New England to try to convince them that if they put their phones away, they can have the best summer of their lives. I point out that learning to get comfortable with ourselves and our own thoughts rather than pulling out a phone every time we have a spare moment is, unfortunately, a skill that requires practice these days. We can try it by going for walks (sans headphones), sitting and watching a sunset or lying around in a hammock. What could be more fun in the summer? It's also important to talk to kids about how screens can be addictive 'in a nonjudgmental way,' Greenberg said. 'Screens are meant to grab our attention … and social media platforms are designed to keep us going back for more. It's important for us all to be aware of this.' Finally, she said, parents should create device agreements with their kids, working together to decide things such as what kinds of use are acceptable and what the daily limits and consequences for breaking rules should be. 'Involve your teen in this process,' Greenberg recommended, so they understand the rationales. Then, watch kids carefully to see whether these strategies are working. A key takeaway of the study is that 'if we do not examine their addictive use,' Xiao said, 'we will likely miss it.' Signs that kids may be addicted include 'compulsive use or the uncontrollable urge' to use these platforms, Greenberg said. 'This may look like your teen frequently or constantly checking their phone every few minutes or turning to video games, even in situations where it's not appropriate or where they've been told not to' — such as at school, late at night or when they're doing homework. Other signs of addiction are when kids try to reduce their use but can't follow the limits or when they get into trouble at school or work — or even annoy friends — because they're on their phones too much. Kids who are addicted also may try to hide or lie about their use, then get defensive if parents ask about it, Greenberg said. Also, 'symptoms of withdrawal are a classic sign of addiction,' Greenberg warned. Kids may end up anxious, irritable, sad or angry when they don't have access to their platforms, she said. Another warning sign is when kids don't fulfill their responsibilities or engage in offline activities. 'This may look like teens not wanting to or feeling unable to engage in in-person interactions or feeling constantly distracted if they try,' Greenberg said. 'You may notice your teen not wanting to meet up with friends in person or not fulfilling responsibilities like homework or family responsibilities.' Finally, parents should watch out for symptoms that kids aren't getting enough sleep. 'Phone and video game addiction can lead to lack of sleep when teens stay up late on their phones or playing video games and so end up sleep deprived, which can lead to fatigue, irritability, anxiety and/or depression,' Greenberg said. If you think your child might be addicted, try not to be judgmental, Greenberg said. Keep in mind that they probably don't want to be addicted, and it isn't a sign you've failed as a parent. The problem is these devices seem to be designed to keep us hooked. 'We need to teach them, not shame them,' she said. Talk to your child about how they're feeling and try to understand why they're spending so much time on these platforms, she said. Schedule other activities and make or revise your device agreement. 'If you already have one, talk through what is and is not working' and 'troubleshoot,' she said. However, if the addiction seems to be having negative consequences or to be interfering with your child's functioning, seek help from a mental health professional, Greenberg advised. This latest research suggests parents should worry less about the amount of time kids are spending on screens and more about whether they're exhibiting signs of addiction. Parents can take steps to try to prevent it. However, if kids do appear to be addicted, it's important to get them help to avoid potentially serious outcomes. Sign up for CNN's Stress, But Less newsletter. Our six-part mindfulness guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it.
