In this week’s episode of Nourished with Dr. Anikó, host Dr. Anikó Gréger opens a vital conversation about one of the most pressing challenges facing families today: screen use, device dependence, and the ways our digital habits quietly shape the mental, emotional, and physical health of both parents and children.

Through compassionate insight and grounded neuroscience, she reframes screen use not as a moral failing or a parenting flaw, but as an addiction engineered by design. She explains how devices, apps, and platforms are intentionally created to be habit-forming, how they erode our natural emotional regulation, and how they affect the developing brains of children whose neural pathways are still forming.

Dr. Anikó offers a refreshing, empowering perspective for parents who feel overwhelmed by the pressure of managing devices in a digital world. She emphasizes that guilt and shame have no place in this conversation. Instead, she guides listeners toward understanding, agency, and practical steps to reduce screen dependency within the family.

She discusses why boredom is essential for creativity, why slowness is necessary for healthy nervous system development, and how reclaiming presence can rebuild connection inside the home. From resetting your own relationship with your phone to modeling healthier digital habits for your children, this episode offers a compassionate and realistic path forward in a tech-saturated world.

With relatable storytelling, developmental psychology insights, and deeply human examples, this episode helps us see screens for what they are: tools that can support us but often pull us away from the vibrant, sensory-rich, emotionally connected lives we were meant to live.

Episode Highlights:

02:00 Why screen and device use is one of today’s biggest parenting challenges
04:00 How addictive design impacts mood, emotional regulation, and loneliness
06:00 What neuroplasticity means for children’s developing brains
08:00 Why boredom is essential for creativity, imagination, and resilience
10:00 Understanding societal responsibility versus individual guilt
12:00 Letting go of shame to see the issue clearly and take meaningful action
14:00 The powerful parallel between device addiction and substance addiction
16:00 How scrolling worsens anxiety, depression, and disconnection
18:00 Imagining life with fewer screens and reclaiming presence
20:00 Phone boundaries and creating device-free rituals
22:00 How intentional shifts can transform the household

Whether you’re worried about your child’s screen time, noticing your own device habits creeping in, or simply trying to build a more connected home, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical support as you navigate screen use in a digital era.

Tune in and rediscover the nourishment that comes from slowing down, looking up, and returning to what matters most.

Connect with Dr. Anikó:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.aniko/

Website: https://www.draniko.com/

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Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the guidance of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast.