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What is Considered a Screen Addiction?
Screen Addiction is a set of behaviors and consequences that can occur when we use too much screen time during the day that can lead to the need for intensive treatment. Prolonged use of digital screens like watching tv, playing video games, scrolling through social media for extended periods of times serves like a digital drug for our brain
“The amount of time you spend in front of a screen may have a negative impact on your mental and emotional health. Experts believe that increased screen time is linked to depression, as well as an increase in suicidal behavior and a decrease in one’s ability to read emotions in general.”
At Omega Recovery, Dr. Kardaras’s unique program does indeed address all those underlying issues. Yes, there is a digital detox period, but during that digital detox, the real work of self-discovery—and long-term recovery—occur. We meaningfully engage our screen addicted clients and connect them to caring, well-trained masters-level therapists trained by Dr. Kardaras and certified by the NIDHW (National Institute for Digital Health and Wellness). Clients begin to do the underlying psychodynamic work so that they can build a stronger and more empowered sense of their own identity—without the counterfeit reality of their digital escapism.
“Unfortunately, it seems that we, as a society, have entered into a Faustian deal. Yes, we have these amazing handheld marvels of the digital age – tablets and smartphones – miraculous glowing devices that connect people throughout the globe and can literally access the sum of all human knowledge in the palm of our hand. But what is the price of all this future tech? The psyche and soul of an entire generation. The sad truth is that for the oh-so-satisfying ease, comfort and titillation of these jewels of the modern age, we’ve unwittingly thrown an entire generation under the virtual bus.”
-Dr. Kardaras
Insurance Accepted
Your treatment is likely to be partially or fully covered with almost any major insurance provider.
Screen Addiction Treatment Program at Omega Recovery
Teens are on screens 11 hours a day…and a 2017 survey found that 25 percent of Millennials spend an average of five hours a day using their phone; a quarter of Millennials check their phones more than 100 times a day. And those stats are pre-Covid; during the pandemic screen time has doubled as depression rates have tripled.
In fact, there has been a significant amount of clinical research indicating that, in large part, our mental health crisis has been driven by the digital landscape and our 21st century lifestyles: Increased isolation; being more sedentary as we sit in front of a screen; a lack of meaningful connection in the social media age; a decreased sense of purpose and meaning in a post-industrial mechanized and de-humanizing digital world.
At Omega Recovery, Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, one of the country’s foremost experts on treating tech addiction and the author of the best-selling book “Glow Kids”, has developed a comprehensive and immersive 8-week program designed to not only treat the tech addiction, but to also address any and all underlying issues that may be contributing to the tech addiction.
Evidence-based Modalities for Screen Addiction Treatment
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Peer Recovery Coaching
Nature Immersion
Outdoor Behavioral Health
Narrative Therapy and the “Hero’s Journey”
Mindfulness
Yoga and Somatic Techniques
“So just pulling the plug on the devices doesn’t really count as screen addiction treatment—it doesn’t address what’s driving the compulsive behavior and the need to escape into screen addiction escapism.”
Screen Addiction Help
In our Community Integrated Treatment Model, our Omega clients are engaged in living in the real world once again—and we make it fun as we help them to find their passion! Oftentimes, the screen devices are a substitute for a young person who feels bored, lost, depressed, adrift and lacking any real sense of purpose or direction. Omega Recovery helps them to find that meaningful sense of passion, purpose and direction in their lives. By living cooperatively in a treatment house in a vibrant community in the thriving city of Austin, we use all the social, nature-based, cultural, educational and economic opportunities available in an amazing city like Austin.
The recovering screen client gets the full clinical impact of an inpatient program in a much more comfortable, non-institutional alternative to traditional inpatient treatment. Dr. Kardaras has found that this type of treatment setting has better recovery outcomes as it is a more authentic and organic living and therapeutic environment, which translates into a smoother transition post-treatment.
Towards the end of treatment, the client works with their therapist to slowly begin to reintegrate mindful tech usage back into their lives. We help create a “digital re-entry” plan so that our clients and their families have a clear road-map of the transition back to our highly technological world. The recovered tech client needs to know how to balance healthy tech usage back into their lives as they look to get back into school, get a job or pursue any other passion that they may have. We assist our clients in post-treatment transition planning that includes aftercare, case management, peer coaching, job placement, recovery housing and much more.
Do You Suffer From a Screen Addiction?
Screen Addiction clinically looks like any other addiction, its characterized by a person’s continued engagement in a problem behavior –in this case screen usage- to the point where it starts to adversely affect their life. Their academic performance suffers, so do their interpersonal relationships. As the screen addiction worsens, their health and hygiene can deteriorate as well. We sometimes see people lying around or covering their screen time use. We see screen addicts who have their real-life experiences replaced by their digital ones, this could mean less baseball and more Minecraft.
Get Help
My Screen Addiction is Ruining My Life-or My Child's Life-What can I do?
While hundreds of screen addiction treatment programs exist throughout Asia, treatment options in the U.S had been almost non-existent.
But now that’s changed. Omega Recovery offers the best, evidence-based, most immersive and transformative screen addiction treatment program for young adults in the United States.
GET HELP Verify InsuranceOur holistic, nationally-recognized and accredited program is here to provide you with the best evidence-based care, regardless of which stage of recovery you are in. Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or a loved one struggling with recovery – we can help.
Individualized Outpatient Rehab Programs
Traditional Outpatient (OP), Intensive Outpatient (IOP) & Partial Hospitalization
Live at home, maintain your work & family responsibilities, and receive extensive addiction treatment at one of our outpatient rehab facilities in Texas
We’ll design a recovery plan to address your specific addiction, background, and mental health needs.
Depending on the severity & length of your addiction you’ll be assigned to one of three levels of care
Getting Help For A Loved One
Addicts often find it very difficult to take the first step to recovery on their own. We’ve treated hundreds of people with mental health, technology, and substance abuse addictions. Many claim that it was a loved one who first recommended them to our outpatient rehab program.
Here’s why we’re highly recommended:
90%
Of Clients would HIGHLY
Recommend
Omega Recovery
90%
Of Alumni say their
treatment at Omega was a
success
85%
Of clients report that they
are sober after 6 months
