Ozark Trails Treats Students Dependent on Internet, Gaming, Phones
Parents looking for effective therapy methods to help a struggling teen boy or girl can learn about how we treat Internet/Technology dependency at our Residential Treatment Program in Missouri.
Ozark Trails Academy understands that parents want to send a child to a safe, monitored environment where their teen boy or girl receives personal care, and individual therapies that help heal emotional and mental disorders–whether brought on by trauma, foster care, adoption or family genetics.
And while the young teen enrolls our Residential Treatment Program for counseling, treatment, and improving academic/life skills, Ozark Trails also helps students struggling with a dependency on internet use, gaming, cyber-bulling, and more improve their mental and physical health.
Internet, Gaming and Tech Dependencies in Children and Teens
Mounting evidence shows internet dependency is skyrocketing — affecting teens’ development and instilling troubling behaviors, with studies from around the world warning the web is a digital life-controlling habit that can lead to obesity, depression and fatigue, while creating a fixation on cybersex and gambling.
A new study out just last month in the International Journal of Community Medicine warns that kids with learning disabilities are even more vulnerable and risk being “lost in digital space” because they are not being warned about the dangers lurking online.
According to a 2018 Pew Research Center poll, 45 percent of U.S. teens say they use the internet “almost constantly, ” a figure that has nearly doubled from the 24 percent who responded to the same question in the 2014-15 poll. 1
One negative effect of internet dependency is that you may not have any offline personal relationships, or the ones you do have may be neglected or suffer arguments over your Internet use. 2
Internet dependency is particularly concerning for kids and teens. Children lack the knowledge and awareness to properly manage their own computer use and have no idea about the potential harms that the Internet can open them up to. The majority of kids have access to a computer, and it has become commonplace for kids and teens to carry cellphones.
While this may reassure parents that they can have two-way contact with their child in an emergency, there are very real risks that this constant access to the Internet can expose them to.
Children have become increasingly accustomed to lengthy periods of time connected to the Internet, disconnecting them from the surrounding world.
Children who own a computer and have privileged online access have an increased risk of involvement in cyberbullying, both as a victim and as a perpetrator.
Children who engage in problematic internet use are more likely to use their cellphone for cybersex, particularly through sexting, or access apps which could potentially increase the risk of sex habits and online sexual harms, such as Tinder.
In addition, kids who play games online often face peer pressure to play for extended periods of time in order to support the group they are playing with or to keep their skills sharp. This lack of boundaries can make kids vulnerable to developing video game dependency. This can also be disruptive to the development of healthy social relationships and can lead to isolation and victimization.
Ozark Trails Gives Students Healthy Ways to Heal
That’s why Ozark Trails treats students suffering from Internet Dependencies. Therapists address your teen boy’s or girl’s mental and behavioral issues, and create an individual treatment plan to follow at school, including therapy. We also provide nutritious meals, healthy exercise and adventure activities. We want each student to experience effective counseling and treatment, as well as improve daily life at school, and back home with family.
Ozark Trails—A Pace of Hope, Healing and Purpose for Troubled Teens.
Ozark Trails is an affordable residential treatment center that provides outstanding clinical therapy, incredible academic learning, and amazing outdoor responsibility and adventure for teen girls and boys, ages 13-19. Our program is family focused, and students receive individual treatment care by licensed clinical therapists.
Ozark Trails rests on 750 acres near Willow Springs, MO. Therapy here includes horses, chickens, farming, rafting, spelunking, rock climbing, hiking, wilderness learning, and so much more. With an unlimited access to spring rivers, caves, hiking, equine, and biking trails, we have the perfect balance of nature, inclusive of a large, comfortable facility to let our students feel safe in a home environment.
Again, if your teen boy or girl needs help recovering from internet dependencies, please call us at (417) 278-6868 now. We want to help him or her find new positive ways to manage life’s obstacles and traumas, and discover a true change of heart.
