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Friends of the Nesbitt Library invite public to this community workshop July 24
Is it true that frequent digital device use -- especially in youth -- is actually affecting how the brain develops?
Dr. Mazie Leftwich will address this very question in an upcoming workshop titled “Digital Device Addiction and Its Impact on the Brain,” to be held Thursday, July 24 at 2 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. at Nesbitt Library. Both sessions will also be available via Zoom for those who prefer to attend remotely.
Dr. Leftwich, holds a Doctorate in Psychology, is a LCSW Emeritus and a retired Methodist minister, with 40 years of clinical experience. She brings both scientific insight and compassionate understanding to the critical issues of device addiction and parenting. “We are living in one of the greatest behavioral experiments in history,” she explains. “Never before have children had this much screen exposure at such early and consistent levels. And the brain is paying the price.”
Using current neuroscience research, Dr. Leftwich will help parents, grandparents, educators, and caregivers understand what is really going on inside the brain -- and how screen time may be silently reshaping mental health, emotional stability, and even academic performance and potential.
“We’re seeing clear signs that extended screen use can erode a child’s ability to regulate emotions,” Dr. Leftwich says. “Meltdowns, anxiety, withdrawal -- these aren’t just behavioral issues. They’re neurological red flags and indicative of addiction.”
She’l l also highl ight how constant device use interferes with communication and relationship skills, attention span, memory, and focus. “It’s becoming harder for young people to develop healthy relationships, communicate clearly, tolerate boredom, to follow through on tasks, or even to enjoy things that aren’t instantly rewarding,” she explains. “The apps available for computers, cell phones and iPads are specifically programed to train the brain to expect stimulation and rewards; it is fast paced and continuously attacks the brain. And that’s very difficult for the young brain to resist and even more difficult to pull away from and place attention on such things as schoolwork.
One of the most intriguing parts of the workshop will be a look into the brain’s reward system, particularly how dopamine -- the brain’s “feelgood” chemical -- plays a central role in the craving for likes, notifications, and digital entertainment. “We’re not just dealing with bad habits,” Dr. Leftwich cautions. “We’re dealing with neurological conditioning. The more you check your phone, the more your brain tells you to check it again, and then again and again!”
Before retiring from her clinical practice, Dr. Leftwich worked with patients facing a range of mental health and addiction challenges, where spouses and parents would both complain about how their loved one had changed as their addiction developed. The digital age has brought new addictions that sneak in like a thief in the night. Parents beware!”
Participants in the workshop will leave with new insights, practical tools, helpful resources, and most importantly, a better understanding of how to set healthy tech boundaries -- for their children and for themselves.
Admission is open to the public and free for either session at 2 p.m. or 6 p.m. on July 24. For Zoom link, send email to FriendsofNesbitt@ gmail.com Currie Luedecke, president of Friends, continues to work with her team to connect the community with more events. She shared, “We hope you’ll add Aug. 8 to your calendar to join us for the End of Summer Carnival for a fun-filled, free event with games, prizes and popcorn as we celebrate summer. We want children of all ages to broaden their horizons by including fun and discovery in thinking about the library.”
Follow their Facebook page “Friends of Nesbitt Memorial Library” for more information.
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