Immaculate Kisembo | Digital Technology on Mental Health | 30th Dec, 2025
As we begin a new year, our focus on young people in holidays must be on the impact of digital technology on mental health. While caring for the environment remains important, we must also protect our inner environment of the youth, our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. At Laudato Youth, we remind ourselves that caring for creation includes caring for ourselves. Digital technology plays a significant role in shaping who we become.
The rapid rise of short-form video platforms Reels has transformed the way young people in Uganda consume media. At Laudato Youth Initiative, we recognize that while technology connects and educates, overuse of stimulating platforms is posing serious mental health concerns among our young people and we need to guide them on how to go about it. This is my primary concern as an educator and Laudato Youth Leader.
A study of nearly 100,000 participants found that frequent use of short-form video platforms was associated with weaker cognitive function and lower emotional well-being (Zhang et al., 2023). Heavy users showed reduced attention, self-control, and reasoning. Anxiety, stress, and depression were more common in frequent users. Young people on holiday, how are you coping? I want to share practical ideas for protecting your mental health.
Researchers suggest constant exposure to stimulating content trains the brain to expect quick rewards, making it harder to engage in slower activities like reading or reflective thinking (Montag & Hegelich, 2020). While these findings are correlational, scientists warn that overuse of short-form videos could contribute to long-term cognitive and emotional challenges, especially during adolescence (Ophir et al., 2009).
This reality is deeply concerning for me as I look at the future of our young people today. Viewed from a Laudato Si’ perspective, a culture of constant consumption, whether of natural resources or digital content, can erode our capacity for reflection, relationship, and responsibility. In response, Pope Francis calls us to resist lifestyles driven by excess and distraction, urging us instead to cultivate habits that promote human dignity, balance, and care for the common good (Francis, 2015).
Having reflected with you on the above, allow me to share a few clear key recommendations as Guidance for Young People regarding Caring for Mental Health in a Digital World. Here are practical steps young people are encouraged to take to maintain healthy and mindful digital habits:
Set limits on screen time, especially for short-form video platforms. Even small reductions can boost focus and emotional regulation. Reflect on your future impacts, connect with family, or seek wisdom from elders. As a teacher, I spend holidays with my family and write reflections, learn new skills, and nurture my talents.
Strengthen attention and reflection
Engage in activities requiring sustained focus, like reading, journaling, prayer, studying, or creative work. These practices restore mind balance.
Reconnect with nature
Time outdoors supports mental health and deepens appreciation for creation. Nature’s stillness counters digital overstimulation and offers mental benefits, such as lower stress, anxiety, and better mood, focus, and creativity.
Foster supportive communities
Open conversations about mental health and technology use with your family, community, and faith groups foster accountability and shared responsibility. At school, keep this conversation going.
Protect emotional well-being
Constant comparison on social media can harm self-esteem. Taking breaks is self-care, not weakness. Build your confidence away from social media by focusing on your talents and creating something new.
Seek help when needed
If digital habits harm your mood, motivation, or daily life, seek guidance from parents, trusted adults, counselors, or mental health professionals.
Caring for creation requires protecting both our environment and our minds. By using technology intentionally and nurturing our inner lives through service, spirituality, and study, we safeguard our mental health and contribute to a culture that values reflection, faith, and dignity. This fulfills our mission at Laudato Youth Initiative: care for our common home, including ourselves.
References
Francis. (2015). Laudato Si’: On care for our common home. Vatican Press.
Montag, C., & Hegelich, S. (2020). Understanding dopamine-driven digital behavior: Implications for media use and mental health. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 12, 100255.
Ophir, E., Nass, C., & Wagner, A. D. (2009). Cognitive control in media multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), 15583–15587.
Zhang, Y., Wu, L., & Liu, X. (2023). Short-form video addiction and its association with cognitive function and mental health among young adults. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 12(2), 345–357.
