How Nature-Based Therapy Helps Teens Overcome Screen Addiction

How Nature-Based Therapy Helps Teens Overcome Screen Addiction

January 2, 2025

Technology has become an integral part of daily life for people of all ages. While it provides unparalleled convenience and benefits, excessive reliance on smart devices can lead to harmful consequences, including technology addiction, compulsive internet browsing, and gaming dependency.

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the pull of screens, social media apps, video games, and other online activities. Overuse of these platforms often undermines social skills, academic performance, and overall well-being. A 2023 advisory from the Surgeon General revealed troubling connections between social media use and suicidal ideation, noting that 95% of adolescents aged 13–17 engage with social media, with over a third reporting near-constant use. Research has further highlighted links between social media addiction and suicidal ideation in teens (1).

Signs of Teen Screen Addiction

If you notice several of these signs, it may indicate your teen is struggling with screen addiction and could benefit from guidance, boundaries, or professional support.

1. Excessive Time Spent on Devices: Spending several hours daily on screens, often at the expense of other activities.

2. Preoccupation with Screens: Constantly thinking about gaming, social media, or other online activities when not using devices.

3. Neglect of Responsibilities: Avoiding homework, chores, or family commitments in favor of screen time.

4. Social Withdrawal: Avoiding face-to-face interactions or events to stay online.

5. Mood Changes: Becoming irritable, anxious, or restless when screen time is limited or unavailable.

6. Sleep Disruption: Staying up late to use devices or experiencing difficulty sleeping due to overexposure to screens.

7. Decline in Academic Performance: Falling grades or lack of focus in school due to excessive screen use.

8. Loss of Interest in Other Activities: No longer engaging in hobbies, sports, or social events previously enjoyed.

9. Compulsive Checking: Feeling the need to constantly check notifications, social media, or messages.

10. Physical Complaints: Experiencing eye strain, headaches, or back pain from prolonged screen use.

11. Dishonesty About Screen Time: Lying or hiding the amount of time spent on devices.

12. Escapism: Using screens to avoid dealing with emotions, stress, or real-life challenges.

13. Aggressive Reactions: Showing anger or defiance when asked to reduce screen time.

14. Increased Secrecy: Becoming secretive about online activities, including locking devices or deleting browsing history.

15. Dependence on Screen Time for Happiness: Relying on gaming, social media, or online entertainment to feel content or avoid boredom.

In response to these concerning trends, Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness offers clinically advanced, evidence-based, and personalized programming for teens struggling with low self-esteem, body image concerns, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and other challenges exacerbated by social media and internet addiction. Through a strengths-based approach in a wilderness environment, our program helps students develop emotional regulation, resilience, and meaningful connections, empowering them to break free from excessive technology use and embrace the value of real-world interactions.

This blog will explore the unique, research-backed strategies Blue Ridge employs to address technology addiction and excessive screen time among young people.

Spending Time in Nature

Teenagers today spend an average of 3.5 hours daily on social media (2). Prolonged screen time has been linked to various negative effects on developing minds, including a doubled risk of mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety for those who use social media for more than three hours per day (3). Recognizing the urgent need for meaningful intervention, Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness incorporates the healing power of nature as a core element of our wilderness therapy model.

What We Do➔

Skill-Building and Outdoor Adventures

Our wilderness program engages students in a variety of therapeutic outdoor activities designed to promote growth, resilience, and overall well-being. Activities such as hiking, backpacking, camping, and nature exploration, combined with team-building exercises, serve as powerful tools for developing essential skills and fostering meaningful connections.

These outdoor adventures not only reintroduce participants to the joy of physical activity but also teach them valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and self-discovery. By stepping away from the sedentary and often isolating habits associated with technology addiction, students are able to embrace a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle, laying the foundation for holistic healing and personal growth.

Daily Life➔

Developing Self-Efficacy and Resilience

Research consistently demonstrates the psychological and physiological benefits of time spent in nature for struggling youth (4). Studies also show that wilderness therapy interventions positively impact mental well-being, improving self-efficacy, social interaction, and school attendance (5).

At Blue Ridge, students go beyond spending time in nature by participating in hands-on activities that build essential life skills, such as cooking over a campfire, navigating trails, carving, fire-making, and creative exploration. This comprehensive approach has been shown to enhance social adaptability, foster a positive self-concept, and alleviate mental health symptoms in adolescents facing emotional, behavioral, or substance use challenges (6).

Mastering these skills instills a sense of accomplishment and bolsters self-confidence. As students grow more self-assured, their reliance on external validation diminishes, and they begin to experience authentic fulfillment through their achievements. The effort and resilience they develop in the program translate into lasting skills and self-reliance, empowering them to successfully navigate their transition back home and into their communities.

Treating the Whole Individual

At Blue Ridge, students receive personalized treatment plans and holistic care from a dedicated team of wilderness experts, licensed clinicians, and mental health professionals. Through a combination of individual and group therapy sessions, participants explore the root causes of their technology addictions, which often stem from deeper struggles with isolation, anxiety, depression, and dependency. With the support of their primary therapist and treatment team, students confront these emotional challenges and develop healthier, more sustainable coping strategies.

Comprehensive clinical and psychiatric assessments conducted early in the program provide valuable insights into the underlying factors driving technology overuse or withdrawal. This understanding informs tailored treatment plans, equips families with targeted support resources, and sets clear, individualized objectives for discharge planning, ensuring a smooth transition back to life beyond the wilderness.

Who We Help➔

Find Lasting Solutions for your Teen at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness

If your child is struggling with technology overuse, wilderness therapy may be the solution your family needs.

At Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness, we offer a unique and effective approach to addressing technology addiction in today’s screen-saturated world. Through a blend of outdoor therapeutic activities and advanced clinical care, we support adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 28 in overcoming emotional and behavioral challenges, including depression, anxiety, defiance, and trauma. Our program empowers participants to reconnect with themselves, build essential life skills, and embrace a fulfilling life beyond the grip of social media and technology.

Give your child the tools to achieve balance and resilience through one of our therapeutic wilderness programs. To learn more, call our admissions team at 888-914-1050 or visit our website today.

We are Here to Help. Contact Us Today.

References

1. Pourmand, Ali et al. “Social Media and Suicide: A Review of Technology-Based Epidemiology and Risk Assessment.” Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association vol. 25,10 (2019): 880-888. doi:10.1089/tmj.2018.0203

2. Miech, Richard A., Johnston, Lloyd D., Bachman, Jerald G., O’Malley, Patrick M., Schulenberg, John E., and Patrick, Megan E. Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of American Youth (8th- and 10th-Grade Surveys), 2021. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2022-10-31. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR38502.v1

3. Riehm, Kira E et al. “Associations Between Time Spent Using Social Media and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among US Youth.” JAMA psychiatry vol. 76,12 (2019): 1266-1273. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.2325

4. Kil, N., Kim, J. G., Thornton, E., Jeranek, A. (2023). Psychological and Physiological Health Benefits of a Structured Forest Therapy Program for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 25(10), 1117–1125. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2023.022981

5. Overbey, T. A., Diekmann, F., Lekies, K. S., (2023). Nature-based interventions for vulnerable youth: a scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 33(1), 15-53. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2021.1998390

6. Bettmann, J. E., Russell, K. C., & Parry, K. J. (2012). How Substance Abuse Recovery Skills, Readiness to Change and Symptom Reduction Impact Change Processes in Wilderness Therapy Participants. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22(8), 1039–1050. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9665-2