Dr. Nick Kardaras
Dr. Nick Kardaras wears many hats—he's a husband, father to twin teenage boys, digital addiction expert, academic, and entrepreneur. His mission is clear: to awaken us from our digital slumber. Kardaras, known for his groundbreaking book Glow Kids, which delves into the clinical, neurological, and social implications of technology addiction, is now set to release a new book, Digital Madness: How Social Media Is Driving Our Mental Health Crisis—and How to Restore Our Sanity. The book, available for preorder, will be released in September.
In addition to his literary contributions, Kardaras leads as CEO and Chief Clinical Officer of Maui Recovery and Omega Recovery in Austin, Texas. These facilities cater to both adults and young people, addressing the growing mental health challenges of the digital age, such as tech addiction, depression, anxiety, "failure to launch," self-harm, substance abuse, and pervasive feelings of loneliness.
I recently had the pleasure of discussing with Dr. Kardaras his perspectives on preventing and addressing digital addiction in teens. His approach centers around expanding personal purpose and passions, offering five actionable strategies for parents, guardians, and educators drawn from his extensive research and clinical practice:
Engage in Open-Hearted Conversations About Values: Kardaras emphasizes the importance of understanding that each generation has unique experiences shaping their likes and dislikes. Engaging teens in discussions about what they value—whether by asking about their favorite online content or what they love doing in their free time—can uncover their true passions, although it may require patience.
Discuss Current Events: Kardaras suggests using current events as a springboard to explore teens’ ideas and opinions. By gently challenging their views using the Socratic method, you can help them develop critical thinking skills and reach deeper, more nuanced understandings.
Encourage Creative Experimentation: Creativity comes in many forms, and Kardaras advises encouraging teens to try their hand at various activities such as drawing, painting, writing, acting, singing, cooking, crafts, or entrepreneurship. It’s essential to give them the freedom to explore different avenues of offline innovation, even if their interests differ from your own.
Explore Spiritual Beliefs: A profound way to connect with teens is by discussing their beliefs about spirituality. Kardaras often begins these conversations with the question, "What do you think happens to a person when they die?" This question tends to lead to meaningful discussions that align with their spiritual or non-spiritual beliefs.
Promote Time in Nature, Device-Free: Kardaras advocates for spending as much time in nature as possible, without the distraction of digital devices, to reconnect with the world around us.
Kardaras also highlights the importance of involving peers and other adults in these explorations, alongside parental guidance. Programs like Dream Lab offer a peer-centric approach for 13-18-year-olds to develop purpose, passions, and plans. By creating their future, teens can meet new friends from across the country and work on projects that strengthen their college and job applications.
For more insights from Dr. Kardaras and his critical work in this area, you can learn more here. His belief that helping teens discover their purpose and passions is key to combating the digital challenges of our time is both timely and necessary.
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Created from a post by Laurel Donnellan originally published at Forbes.com
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