CU Boulder offers program to help increasing number of students fight screen addiction

BOULDER, Colo. -- We are all guilty of it -- most of us stare at some kind of media screen for hours every day, but one state university is working to help students who have taken the habit to an extreme; oftentimes interfering with their relationships and life.

The University of Colorado Boulder began offering group sessions for students battling screen addiction.

“I've seen people who have had gaming addiction so bad that they don’t come out of their room for three days,” said Daniel Conroy, director of the CU Boulder Collegiate Recovery Center.

The center helps students with a variety of addictions, offering support groups and even an eight-person campus dorm for longer term care.

Conroy said he’s seen an increasing number of students admitting they’re addicted to screens, whether it’s through social media sites or online gaming and other activities.  

“A lot of times people mistake it for how often somebody uses it,” said Conroy, “that’s not necessarily the indication, the real indication is how much it’s interfering with your relationships and how much it’s keeping you from other things you want to do."

Conroy said recovery varies, but only in extreme cases do people have to completely abstain from screen time.

He said that for the most part, it’s about learning to set limits and working with other underlying factors.

“Most of the time people with this sort of media or screen addiction are seeking some form of connection,” said Conroy, “and they’re getting those needs met in that way rather than through face to face interaction.”