The Real Danger Lurking in Youth Mental Health: "Dependency" More Than "Time" - Latest Research on SNS and the Lives of Young People

1. Shocking Scoop by NY Times

"Are Smartphones Killing Young People?" This was the headline of a New York Times article dated June 18. The cited research is the latest paper tracking 4,300 children participating in the U.S. ABC (Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development) Study over four years.news.weill.cornell.edu

The paper emphasized "Quality over Time—The issue is not 'how long' but 'how hard it is to stop,'" pointing out the limitations of the traditional "up to X hours a day" simple time restrictions.theguardian.com

2. Three Core Points Revealed by the Study

1. Addictive Trajectory

   • Self-reported symptoms like "can't stop using/social media or smartphone" or "anxiety when away."

   • Machine learning extracted three groups: "low dependence," "medium dependence," and "high/increasing dependence."

2. Association with Suicide-Related Behavior

   • The "high/increasing dependence" group had a 2-3 times higher risk of suicidal thoughts or attempts after four years.

3. Screen Time is Unrelated

   • The correlation between simple usage time and mental health indicators was not statistically significant.

This suggests that "smartphone use as an addiction" could be a public health issue on par with alcohol or gambling.news.weill.cornell.edu

3. Cries from the Field—21 States' "Bell to Bell" Bill

The research findings have also ignited policy debates. In 21 U.S. states, a bill has been passed to completely ban personal devices from the start to the end of classes starting in the fall of 2025. A thread on the Reddit high school community quickly gathered nearly 1,000 comments.reddit.com

Teacher ClarTeaches revealed, "With less than 10 staff to patrol during breaks for 3,000 students, enforcement is practically impossible."reddit.com

On the other hand, student Puzzled-Support-9712 argues, "Banning until lunchtime is excessive. Smartphones are essential for managing assignments and family communication."reddit.com

These voices highlight the limitations of the dichotomy between "regulation or enlightenment."

4. Expert Perspective: Transition to Addiction Model

Associate Professor Xiao, the lead author of the study, states, "Partial blocking may actually reinforce dependency. Like alcohol addiction, a specialized treatment model should be applied."news.weill.cornell.edu

Dr. Oben from Cambridge University also points out, "The causal relationship is unexplored, but why and how it is used is key," urging schools, families, and companies to collaborate for "design-side intervention."theguardian.com

5. The Temperature Difference on SNS: "Smartphone Ban" or "Self-Management"

On Mastodon, posts recommending digital minimalism are frequently seen, while on Reddit, there are strong voices warning that "smartphone bans = the beginning of a surveillance society." The debate is divided by whether **"dependency = personal issue" or "design = corporate responsibility."**

Reddit user VinnieMcVince introduces an example from New York State where smartphones are sealed every morning in schools, reporting, "Initially painful, but classrooms became quiet in three weeks."reddit.com

In contrast, Thunderplant dismisses the idea, stating, "The overreaction to 'bans' itself is proof of dependency."reddit.com

6. Implications for Japan: From "Time Management" to "Behavioral Design"

In Japan, the suicide rate among teenagers remains at the worst level among OECD countries, and the Ministry of Education leaves the "principle ban on bringing smartphones" to each local government. However, this study urges a reconsideration of policies that overly emphasize "time restrictions."

Five Steps to Take in the Future

1. Regular Screening

   • Evaluate smartphone usage patterns from late elementary school through annual psychological interviews.

2. Behavioral Therapy Programs in Schools

   • Make CBT-based addiction prevention classes mandatory.

3. "Design Literacy" Courses for Parents

   • Raise awareness about dark patterns and reward schedule mechanisms.

4. Platform Regulation

   • Regulate addiction-inducing UIs like "forced scrolling" and "random rewards" instead of just screen time.

5. Youth-led "Digital Citizen" Committee

   • Reflect the voices of those involved in policy-making and propose alternatives beyond the binary of prohibition and freedom.

7. Corporate Responsibility—The New Trend in Design Ethics

Recently, companies like Apple and Meta have implemented health check features to promote "visibility of usage time." However, addiction researchers argue that "visibility alone is not enough.Reward ads that appear the moment you try to quitare the real issue," they increasingly criticize.

Behavioral scientist Professor Richard Thaler states, "We have moved from a stage where we should make good use of the 'nudge' in choice architecture to a phase of eliminating *sludge (behavioral hindrance design)*."

8. Voices of the Involved—Teens Talk About "Digital and Me"

In writing this, we interviewed A, a second-year junior high school student (13 years old), who confessed, "The smartphone is the only place to connect with friends. But I can't stop until late at night, and it's hard to get up in the morning for school." A's mother introduced a filtering app but laughed, "A workaround was made with a VPN."

Behind addictive use, there are intertwined anxieties about friendships and academic pressures.Mechanical usage time limits alone cannot remove the sources of anxiety, as this study has once again shown.

9. International Comparison—How Effective is "Smartphone Regulation"?

Francelegislated a ban on smartphones on school premises for those under 15 in 2018, but no significant reduction in suicide rates has been observed.
South Koreahas established addiction treatment clinics nationwide and introduced platform taxation alongside treatment programs. The self-reported addiction rate among young people has slightly decreased.

In conclusion,a single policy is limited in its effectiveness, and multi-layered interventions are essential.

10. Conclusion—To Protect the Lives of the "Digital Generation"

The question posed by the NY Times article is simple: "Do smartphones take lives?" The answer is neither yes nor no.

• Not "how many hours were used," but "how it was used and how to quit."

• Regulation, treatment, education, design. A "comprehensive prescription" that integrates these four layers is necessary.

Can society as a whole accept the addiction model and redesign the relationship between technology and humans? The lives of teenagers depend on its success or failure.